Suspect: Fight that led to stabbing death began with fentanyl

An argument over fentanyl led to the stabbing death of Michael Ball last Saturday, according to court documents.

James Daran Taylor, 25, of Lawton, has been charged with Ball’s death. He made his initial appearance Wednesday in Comanche County District Court where he received a felony charge of first-degree manslaughter and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia, records indicate. The manslaughter charge is punishable by between four years to life in prison.

Lawton police were called around 11:20 a.m. Saturday to 2910 SW J regarding a stabbing and arrived to find Ball lying outside the apartment bleeding with a stab wound to his torso, another on his back and stab wounds to the front and back of his left thigh, the probable cause affidavit states. He was taken to Comanche County Memorial Hospital where he later died.

A knife with blood on it was found during a search of the apartment, according to the affidavit.

Police saw Taylor walking out of Ball’s apartment and he was arrested for paraphernalia after a pipe used to smoke methamphetamines was found in his bag, the affidavit states. Officers also saw blood on Taylor’s hand, arm, chest and shoes. Investigators said he admitted to smoking meth, and opioids.

Taylor told Detective Abe Woelfel that he had gone to Ball’s appointment, an acquaintance of a few months, and that they’d both used fentanyl, the detective stated.

Taylor said he’d asked Ball for some fentanyl and Ball became upset and got a baseball bat. The two men got into a struggle, he said, and Ball began to hit Taylor with his fist and the bat. Taylor said he pulled a knife and the two fell through a glass table to the floor where Ball ended up being stabbed, according to the affidavit. Ball went outside and collapsed where police found him.

“James had no visible injuries to his head or body that would be consistent with being struck with a baseball bat or a fist,” Woelfel stated.

Taylor, who is being held on $100,000 bond, returns to court at 10 a.m. Oct. 13 for his preliminary hearing, records indicate.

Ball’s death is the city’s eighth by homicide this year, according to Constitution records.