Savannah man indicted on murder charges following fentanyl overdose death in 2023

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - According to this week’s indictments, a Chatham County Grand Jury indicted 54-year-old Charles Monroe Rhode for multiple charges, including felony murder.

The indictment alleges that sometime between August 2nd and August 8th of 2023, Rhode, while during the commission of a felony (distribution of a controlled substance), possessed and sold fentanyl, causing the death of Allen Penton.

Rhode is also charged with 2 counts of ‘Violation of Georgia’s controlled substances act’ for allegedly delivering, distributing, dispensing, administering, and selling fentanyl, amphetamines, and methamphetamines on August 2nd, 2023, and on July 26th, 2023.

He’s also facing a ‘Recidivist’ charge.

That’s because Rhode was convicted of possession of marijuana in Bryan County, sale of a controlled substance in Chatham County and trafficking methamphetamine in Chatham County. He was sentenced for that case on May 5th of this year.

Rhode is still in prison. He’s serving a 20-year sentence currently for that trafficking methamphetamine charge.

The prison system says that crime was committed over a year after Penton’s death. He was transferred to Richmond County Correctional Institute on June 3rd of this year.

Rhode has a criminal history dating back to 1988. He’s been in the Chatham County jail over a dozen times.

We’ll continue to provide updates in this case as they become available.