FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — Shane R. Billington, 38, has been sentenced to seven years in prison and nine years of extended supervision for his role in a 2017 fentanyl overdose that claimed the life of a Fond du Lac man.
The case stemmed from the early morning hours of October 7, 2017, when police found the victim deceased inside a vehicle parked outside the Northway Motel. An investigation revealed that Billington helped obtain fentanyl from a local supplier and provided it to the victim as part of a birthday celebration. Detectives later uncovered a poem Billington sent to the victim’s family, describing the “birthday present” he gave and expressing guilt over his friend’s death.
In September 2022, the case was reopened after new evidence surfaced, including statements from a witness who said Billington “middled” the fentanyl deal. Toxicology reports confirmed the victim died from fentanyl toxicity.
Billington was ultimately convicted of second-degree reckless homicide. Judge Andrew Christenson handed down the sentence on November 26, 2025. District Attorney Eric J. Toney said fentanyl overdose deaths are “devastating and too common” and stressed that holding offenders accountable “will save lives.”
The case was investigated by the Fond du Lac Police Department and prosecuted by District Attorney Toney.
