Fort Worth police arrested a 55-year-old woman who they say performed illegal butt injections on a woman, which caused the victim's death.
The victim, Latora King, 35, died on May 17 from silicon pulmonary embolism, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office. Detectives said Pamela Burnley is accused of performing the illegal procedure.
On May 21, Fort Worth police were contacted by King's mother, Georgetta Anderson, who was concerned that her daughter's death was suspicious, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
Anderson told police she had learned that her daughter was admitted to the hospital on May 14 after undergoing an illegal butt injection procedure. She believed the procedure caused King's death and wanted to report it to police, court documents state.
Anderson believed her daughter underwent the procedure at an unknown location in Dallas. There were also photos on King's cellphone that showed the aftermath of the procedure and text messages with a friend about it, according to the affidavit.
Day of the illegal procedure
Investigators were able to obtain King's cellphone and said the photos did not appear as though the procedure was performed by a professional.
According to the affidavit, King's friend drove her to Dallas to meet two women who were going to perform the butt injection.
The friend waited in the parking lot of Grandy's near Elam Road and Interstate 635 as King got into the car with the two women, one of whom was Burnley.
According to court documents, King was gone for several hours before the two women dropped King back and her friend drove her home.
During the drive home, King told her friend that she was taken to a house with a big garage and that the two women wouldn't let her get out of the car until she paid them $1,000 for the procedure, according to police documents.
Once King paid, Burnely performed the injections while the other woman helped, according to police documents. On the drive home, King told her friend that she was in pain and may have had a fever.
Evidence found on Facebook and cellphones
Detectives were able to match text messages on King's cellphone to Burnley's number. Investigators were also able to trace Facebook messages between the two with the help of King's friend and sister, according to the affidavit.
According to court documents, Burnley also performed hip injections on King's sister in 2013. The sister told investigators that Burnely performed the injections with a large needle and that they hurt.
However, King's sister was allegedly told that she was being injected with saline and water.
King's sister also told investigators that a different person also used to help perform procedures on her but that person went to jail on a murder charge after one of her client's died, according to the affidavit.
Burnely and that person allegedly worked together until they "had a falling out," King's sister told police.
Police conduct a house search
On May 27, police obtained a search warrant for Burnely's phone and residence.
During their search, officers found a receipt for a 5-gallon purchase of Silicon Oil 350cts, the affidavit said. However, officers did not locate the oil.
On May 29, police met with Burnley and her attorney. During this interview, Burnely said she knew King for a long time and that they once lived together, according to court documents.
The affidavit states that Burnley denied ever performing illegal injections. Instead, Burnley said King went to her house on May 11 to "buy purses" and that the oil was used for hair treatments.
Burnley also said she didn't want King to drive to her house on her own because she was afraid of being robbed. When police tried to ask Burnely more specific questions, her attorney ended the interview, officers said.
On June 1, police had to the substance that was injected into King tested by a special agent with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Results later showed King was injected with silicon, according to the affidavit.
Later that month, on June 20, investigators obtained cell phone records that show Burnley and King talked about the injections. Evidence was also found in August on Burnley's Facebook profile that she had received several inquires regarding butt injections.
Detectives said based on the evidence they found, they believe Burnley has a long history of performing illegal butt injections.
