Riverside jury convicts fentanyl dealer of murder, previous fentanyl murder conviction appealed to California Supreme Court

Quinn Aaron McKellips was convicted Sept. 17 of second-degree murder for the fentanyl-caused death of Calin Sender. On the same date, a Riverside defendant convicted of murder for sharing fentanyl appealed his conviction to the California Supreme court.

According to the Riverside District Attorney’s Office, McKellips was Sender’s drug dealer. He agreed to sell M30 pills, which are laced with fentanyl. Sender was found dead of acute fentanyl intoxication on Jan. 17, 2020, and McKellips was arrested for murder the next day. The DA’s Office brought the case on Sept. 12, 2023. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 5. Deputy District Attorney Jerry Pfohl prosecuted, and Public Defender Melissa McConaghay defended.