Suspect faces murder charges in 2023 fentanyl overdose case

AUSTIN, Texas – A man is charged with murder after allegedly causing the death of another man from a fentanyl overdose in 2023.

Court documents and eyewitness accounts state that the victim, Troy Cernosek, 58, and the suspect, Christopher McDermott, 35, met at a McDonald’s on Burnet Road on September 6, 2023 so that Cernosek could buy drugs from McDermott.

After the purchase, Cernosek and a friend went back to his apartment in the 2800 block of West Anderson Lane, where he smoked the drugs.

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The woman left and returned. Cernosek didn’t respond. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:50 p.m

Investigators executed multiple search warrants on phones and social media accounts and located a key witness who confirmed that McDermott was responsible for Mr. Cernosek’s death.

On November 25, 2024, investigators with the APD Narcotics Support Unit issued an arrest warrant for McDermott for Manufacturing Delivery of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death or Great Bodily Injury, a third-degree felony. McDermott was arrested on that warrant on November 28th.

On December 3, 2024, investigators with the APD Narcotics Support Unit issued a second arrest warrant for McDermott to charge him with murder, a first-degree felony.

McDermott was arrested and booked into the Travis County Jail on $200,000 bail.

Case: 23-2491403

Date: September 6, 2023

Time: 9:08 p.m

Location: 2800 block of West Anderson Lane

Deceased: Troy Nicholas Cernosek, white male, August 9, 1964

Suspect: Christopher Michael McDermott, white male, 35 years old

On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at approximately 9:08 p.m., Austin Police Department (APD) officers responded to an urgent call for assistance in the 2800 block of West Anderson Lane. When officers arrived at the scene, they located a person, later identified as Troy Nicholas Cernosek, who was unconscious and not breathing. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) and Austin Fire Department (AFD) also arrived on scene to provide medical assistance. Unfortunately, life-saving measures were unsuccessful and Mr. Cernosek was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:50 p.m

The official cause of death for Mr. Cernosek was documented by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office as “toxic effects of fentanyl, methamphetamine and codeine.” Further investigation revealed that Mr. Cernosek purchased fentanyl from a suspect later identified as Christopher Michael McDermott. McDermott was arrested on September 13, 2023 on a separate warrant unrelated to the case. McDermott was allowed to post bail at the time because Mr. Cernosek’s death was still under investigation and there was not yet enough evidence to charge him with anything related to the case.

As the investigation continued, video surveillance footage, plainclothes surveillance and witness statements confirmed that McDermott was the suspect in Mr. Cernosek’s death. Investigators executed multiple search warrants on phones and social media accounts and located a key witness who confirmed that McDermott was responsible for Mr. Cernosek’s death. On November 25, 2024, detectives with the APD Narcotics Support Unit issued an arrest warrant for McDermott for Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Great Bodily Injury, a third-degree felony. Mr. McDermott was arrested on this warrant on November 28, 2024.

On December 3, 2024, investigators with the APD Narcotics Support Unit executed a second arrest warrant against McDermott to charge him with murder, a first-degree felony.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Austin Police at 512-974-TIPS. You can submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting www.austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.

This case is being investigated as Austin’s 75th homicide of 2023.