Matt Johnson
Former Los Angeles Angels employee Eric Kay was found guilty by a Fort Worth, Texas jury for distributing fentanyl and causing the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
Skaggs was found dead on July 1, 2019, in a Southlake, Texas hotel room just hours before his team faced the Texas Rangers. An autopsy determined that he accidentally choked to death on his vomit with fentanyl, oxycodone and alcohol found in his system.
The heartbreaking death of the Angels’ starting pitcher launched a federal investigation. In October 2020, Kay was indicted on felony counts of distributing a controlled substance that led to Skaggs’ death. He pled not guilty on both counts, sending the case to trial.
Related: Los Angeles Angels reportedly knew of Tyler Skaggs’ drug use long before death
The trial, which began in February, included several of Skaggs’ former teammates taking the witness stand. Following closing arguments Thursday, jury deliberations lasted for just a few hours before the guilty verdict was delivered.
Sentencing is set for June 28, with Kay being taken into police custody immediately. He faces a minimum of 20 years in prison.
Details of Eric Kay’s involvement in Tyler Skaggs death, distributing opioids to players
One of Kay’s former colleagues, Adam Chodzko, testified during the trial that Kay told him he saw Skaggs using drugs the night before his death.
Multiple players also testified against Kay, detailing how he sold them prescription painkillers during his time in Los Angeles.
Prosecutors also found that Kay overdosed at Angel Stadium three months before Skaggs died. During his time in rehab, players testified that Skaggs had stopped using prescription painkillers as Kay was the supplier.
During the trial, Kay’s defense claimed that former pitcher Matt Harvey could have provided Skaggs with the drugs that led to his overdose. Harvey, who admitted to using both cocaine and oxycodone and admitted to providing opioids to Skaggs, was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Garrett Richards, C.J. Cron, Andrew Heaney, Blaker Parker, Mike Morin and Cam Bedrosian all testified along with Harvey as part of the trial. Many of the former Angels’ players all said that Kay provided them with opioids. Additionally, Harvey stated under oath that he and Skaggs used the opioids in the Angels’ clubhouse and dugout.
Prosecutors also alleged in August 2021 that the Angels refused to comply with a subpoena for documents related to the case. The Angels’ organization has denied having any knowledge of Skaggs’ substance-abuse issues and said it cooperated with the investigation.
The defense’s effort to prove that someone else could have provided Skaggs with the fentanyl-laced pill that caused his death. However, former Angels’ players and a former pilot who flew out of Long Beach Airport testified that it was highly unlikely anyone outside personnel who worked for the team would be allowed access before the flight left.
Following the trial and the revelations about opioid use, both Major League Baseball and the Angels will likely address the matter in the weeks to come. MLB began testing for opioids in the offseason following Skaggs death and the league has said there have been no violations in two years.
