Pawtucket man to serve 40 years in state prison for death of 35-year-old mother under Kristen’s law
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Pawtucket man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court for multiple felony drug possession and distribution charges, including delivering fentanyl that resulted in the death of 35-year-old Tokie Zammerelli in 2022. This case marked the first trial and the first conviction after trial under Kristen’s Law.
At a hearing on March 24, 2025, Superior Court Justice William E. Carnes sentenced Walik Morrison (age 44) to 50 years with 40 to serve at the ACI for the controlled substance delivery resulting in Ms. Zammarelli’s death, 30 years to serve for multiple counts of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, fentanul, para-fluorofentanyl, xylazine, and possession of one ounce to one kilogram of a controlled substance, and 20 years to serve for possession with intent to deliver tramadol and marijuana. The sentences will run concurrently.
On December 10, 2024, following the conclusion of an five-day trial before Superior Court Justice Carnes, the Court found the defendant guilty of one count of delivery of a controlled substance resulting in death (Kristin’s Law), one count of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to deliver parafluorofentanyl, one count of possession with intent to deliver tramadol, one count of possession with intent to deliver xylazine, one count of possession with intent to deliver marijuana, one count of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, and one count of possession of one ounce to one kilogram of paraflourofentanyl, fentanyl, xylazine, and tramadol.
“Those who push fentanyl and drive overdose deaths must be held accountable in order to address the root causes of the multiple drug-related crises plaguing our communities,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Though nothing can bring Tokie back to her family, and I am grateful that this defendant will pay for his crimes with this significant sentence. I thank the Pawtucket Police for their hard work and partnership on this case and so many others.”
During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on January 25, 2022, the defendant possessed several illegal narcotics and delivered a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl that resulted in the death of the 35-year-old Pawtucket mother.
On January 25, 2022, Tokie Zammerelli contacted the defendant to request a delivery of cocaine. The defendant delivered a powdered substance to Tokie, and then left the property. Several hours after the Tokie ingested the substance, her husband found her unresponsive. Pawtucket Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and after several attempts at revival, pronounced her dead.
Autopsy results revealed that Tokie died of cocaine and fentanyl intoxication, the report noting that the level of fentanyl in her blood was more than three times the average fentanyl level that typically results in death. After recovering Tokie’s cell phone, investigators discovered text messages between Tokie and the defendant. Soon thereafter, investigators began surveilling the defendant and obtained a warrant to search his residence. On February 15, 2022, detectives executed the search warrant, locating and seizing large amounts of fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl, tramadol, and xylazine in pill form. They also recovered a small amount of cocaine and a large amount of marijuana.
Subsequently, investigators interviewed the defendant after his arrest, at which time the defendant admitted to crushing up fentanyl pills and delivering powdered fentanyl to Tokie instead of the cocaine she requested.
Assistant Attorney General John Perrotta and Special Assistant Attorney General Alison Bittl of the Office of the Attorney General and Detective Scott Sullivan, formerly of the Pawtucket Police Department, led the investigation and prosecution of the case.
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