Three local women are facing 2nd degree murder charges after they allegedly sold a deadly drug to the victim in the case. All three were indicted last week by the DeKalb County Grand Jury and were taken into custody on April 4.

According to the indictment, 62-year-old Tommye Lou Bell of Smithville, 48-year-old Sharon Joyce Malone of Smithville, and 45-year-old Vanessa Louise Lance of, Smithville, were named as co-defendants in sealed indictments returned by the grand jury on Monday, April 3.

Each are charged with 2nd degree murder, along with two counts of possession of schedule II drugs (Fentanyl & Cocaine) with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. All three women are being held without bond on the murder charge, while they are each under a $75,000 bond in the drug cases.

According to the indictment, between the dates of December 13 and 16, 2021, the women did unlawfully and recklessly kill 64-year-old Stephen Wayne Mullican of Old Snows Hill Road, Dowelltown, by the unlawful distribution, delivery, or dispensation of Fentanyl, Acetyl Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Ethanol, which were the proximate cause of death. Mullican was reportedly Mrs. Lance’s father.

Bell is indicted for two counts of unlawfully selling the schedule II drugs Fentanyl and Cocaine between the dates of December 13-16, 2021, while Malone and Lance are co-indicted for two counts of unlawfully delivering the schedule II drugs Fentanyl and Cocaine between December 13-16, 2021.

The three women were in court on April 10. The cases were investigated by DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Detectives and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.