Rochester Man Charged in Fatal Christmas Eve Overdose

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man is facing a murder charge in connection with a fatal drug overdose in the city on Christmas Eve of last year.

Olmsted County court records indicate that 42-year-old Clifton Dejohn Hubbert is scheduled to be arraigned later today on a third-degree murder charge. He is currently in custody in the Olmsted County Jail.

Victim Found During Welfare Check

According to the criminal complaint, Rochester police were called to perform a welfare check at a residence in northeast Rochester on December 24, 2025. When they arrived, they found an adult male deceased in his apartment.

Autopsy Results

The court document indicates officers also found drugs and drug paraphernalia in the residence. An autopsy later determined the victim's death was caused by acute fentanyl toxicity, and tests detected the presence of fentanyl and a metabolite of cocaine in his body.

What Pointed Investigators to Hubbert

While investigating the man's death, the criminal complaint says police reviewed the victim’s phone and observed a “significant amount” of communication between him and Hubbert. According to the complaint, the two discussed purchasing drugs from Hubbert dozens of times over the course of the year leading up to the victim's death.

Investigators also uncovered more than 100 payments between the victim and Hubbert totaling more than $15,000. The criminal complaint states that the amount coincided with “typical dollar amounts for the controlled substances they discussed.”

The court document also notes that investigators did not find any communication with other contacts in the man's phone about acquiring drugs, which they contend is evidence that Hubbert was his sole source.

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Admitted Supplying Victim With Drugs

The criminal complaint says the investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Hubbert's Rochester residence in early February. During the search, officers found undisclosed quantities of cocaine and fentanyl. The court document says Hubbert also admitted that he would “typically obtain drugs from another individual, take some for himself, and provide the rest of the drugs to the victim.”

Following his arraignment, Hubbert was released without bail.

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