Pawtucket man sentenced to 40 years for fentanyl-related death, first under Kristen’s Law

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Pawtucket man was sentenced Monday to 40 years in state prison for his role in the 2022 fentanyl-related death of a 35-year-old mother.

Walik Morrison, 44, was sentenced in Providence Superior Court for various felony drug possession and distribution charges, according to Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.

Morrison was convicted on December 10, 2024 of one count of delivery of a controlled substance resulting death, Kristen’s Law, and various narcotics related counts.

The law is named after Kristen Coutu, who died from a fentanyl overdose in 2014.

It was signed by former Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo in 2018 and allows for life sentences for drug dealers in deadly overdose cases.

It was determined that on January 25, 2022, Tokie Zammerelli contacted Morrison to obtain cocaine, and Morrison delivered a powdered substance to Zammerelli and left.

Zammerelli later ingested the powdered substance and her husband found her unresponsive.

Pawtucket rescue personnel responded to the residence and after unsuccessful revival attempts, Zammerelli was pronounced deceased.

Her cause of death was determined to be cocaine and fentanyl intoxication.

The coroner report noted that she had more than three times the amount of fentanyl in her blood than the average overdose death victim.

Investigators learned through Zammerelli’s cell phone records that she had been in contact with Morrison through text message.

A search warrant was obtained and a search of Morrison’s residence yielded large amounts of fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl, tramadol and other narcotics. 

Morrison was interviewed by police and admitted to crushing up fentanyl pills and delivering the resulting powder to Zammerelli instead of cocaine.