Full Notification

On August 16, 2022, around 1:45PM, the Novato Police Department responded to a report of two men who were deceased at a residence on Cambridge Street in Novato. With assistance from the Marin County Coroner’s Office, the deceased men were identified as a 29-year-old Woodacre resident and a 68-year-old Novato resident. The Coroner’s Office assumed the investigation and found the cause of death for both men, was related to a drug overdose.
 
Officers initially found evidence that a third individual had been at the residence the night before. NPD officers contacted Lucas Novick, a 26-year-old San Rafael resident, who admitted to being at the residence the night prior. Novick said he performed CPR that night, but eventually left both men inside the residence. When he returned the following day, he discovered they were both deceased. Between statements and evidence found at the scene, it appeared Novick had a larger role in this case.
 
The two men died as a result of an overdose of a combination of illegal drugs, including Fentanyl. Fentanyl is an opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroine, and 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl-related overdoses are linked to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is distributed through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper and more powerful, addictive, and dangerous.
 
Over the last several months, NPD Detectives investigated the two deaths more in depth. They discovered that illegal narcotics were obtained by Lucas Novick and he gave them to party attendees during a separate gathering a day prior, on August 15, 2022. During that party, two attendees also overdosed as a result, but fortunately survived. On Monday, December 12, 2022, Lucas Novick was arrested and booked into the Marin County Jail for two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of Furnishing Narcotics.
 
We would like to thank the Marin County Coroner’s Office and the Marin County District Attorney for their assistance with this case. With Fentanyl overdoses on the rise, it is very important to remember to avoid taking illegal drugs, especially when the source is unknown. According to the CDC “over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids, like Fentanyl.” Recognizing the signs of Opioid use and overdose can save lives.

Signs to watch out for:

• Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
• Falling asleep or losing consciousness
• Slow, weak, or no breathing
• Choking or gurgling sounds
• Limp body
• Cold and/or clammy skin
• Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)

• Call 911 Immediately.
• Administer naloxone, if available.
• Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
• Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
• Stay with the person until emergency assistance arrives.