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Man charged after woman overdoses in Mooresville shopping center parking lot

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A woman was found unresponsive by police in a car in a Mooresville shopping center parking lot on Dec. 3 and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Alexandria Leigh McNeely, 23, died from an overdose on Brawley School Road

Police in Mooresville are taking a major swing at the opioid epidemic by sending a strong message to drug dealers.

They recently charged Justin Kaufman, a suspected dealer, with second-degree murder.

Authorities said Kaufman sold McNeely counterfeit pills containing fentanyl before she died.

"I think it's something serious that we need to crack down on," resident Karen Howison said.

Mooresville police are stepping in to do just that.

"I would suggest you stick to a legitimate job instead of something you may not know what you're selling and you end up killing them and are accountable for their death,” Mooresville police Deputy Chief Gerald Childress said.

A defense attorney said it could be a difficult case because the prosecutor will have to prove the drug dealer had ill will or hatred toward the victim.