NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — An Arnold man is facing charges after a drug delivery ended in death in December of 2025.
According to the Westmoreland County DA, Delino Franklin, 46, has been charged with drug delivery resulting in death and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
New Kensington Police and Westmoreland County Detectives were called to Bell Street in New Kensington for a report of a man in cardiac arrest.
First responders found the victim in a bedroom unresponsive and not breathing.
EMS attempted life-saving measures, but the victim did not survive.
The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office did a preliminary drug screening on the victim and fentanyl was found.
During law enforcement’s investigation, they found surveillance video from the victim’s residence. The video showed the victim meeting with an unknown person before the vehicle pulls away.
Investigators tracked down the owner of the vehicle and learned that Franklin was driving his girlfriend’s car the day it was seen on video outside the victim’s house.
The victim’s phone was taken at the scene and turned in for a forensic digital examination. This revealed a conversation between the victim and Franklin that day the victim overdosed.
Detectives executed search warrants at Franklin’s home and devices.
Police found psilocybin mushrooms, and a baggy of green pressed pills and other items indicative of narcotics distribution.
The victim’s mother found a baggy of four green pressed pills in the victim’s bedroom. The victim’s cause of death was due to toxicity of methamphetamine and fentanyl by ingestion.
In February of 2026, detectives got the lab results back from the pressed pills taken from the victim’s home and Franklin’s home. Both reports showed the presence of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Franklin remains incarcerated in the Westmoreland County Prison on a separate criminal case.
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