The defendants face murder and other charges stemming from a fatal 2023 intravenous treatment at a now-closed Wortham business.
FAIRFIELD, Texas — A former Frisco physician and the owner of a Central Texas medical spa have been arraigned on murder and other criminal charges connected to the 2023 death of a woman who collapsed while receiving an intravenous treatment.
Dr. Michael Patrick Gallagher and Amber Johnson appeared in Freestone County court July 30, nearly three years after 47-year-old Jenifer Cleveland died following treatment at Luxe Med Spa in Wortham. Reports on the case say both defendants face charges that include murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Cleveland went to the spa in July 2023 and received an IV infusion administered by Johnson, investigators have said. Johnson did not hold a medical license, while Gallagher served as the business’s medical director. Cleveland became unresponsive during the infusion and was taken to a hospital, where she died.
Charging documents accuse Gallagher of failing to properly supervise Johnson and allowing his medical credentials to be used in connection with prescription products obtained for the spa. The documents also allege that staff members were not trained or prepared to manage the medical complications that followed Cleveland’s treatment.
Gallagher previously practiced as an anesthesiologist in Frisco. The Texas Medical Board took action against his physician license after Cleveland’s death. A later board action temporarily suspended his license following his arrest on a charge related to the case.
Johnson’s attorneys disputed criminal responsibility before charges were filed. In a 2023 statement, they said she cooperated with investigators, preserved the IV bag and Cleveland’s belongings, and provided surveillance recordings from the spa. They also pointed to an autopsy finding that described Cleveland’s death as sudden cardiac death of uncertain cause.
Gallagher’s legal team has also challenged the allegations against him. In a statement reported after the arrests, his attorneys described Cleveland’s death as a tragedy but argued that the evidence placed responsibility on Johnson. Attorneys for the two defendants have presented sharply different accounts that will be tested as the criminal cases move forward.
Cleveland worked at KNES-FM and was remembered by colleagues as an outgoing person who connected easily with others. Buzz Russell, the station’s program director, said those close to her had waited years for the investigation to reach the courts.
The criminal charges mark a major development in a case that previously led to licensing action, civil litigation and public debate over the supervision of elective IV treatments outside traditional medical facilities. Neither an arraignment nor an indictment is a finding of guilt, and prosecutors will be required to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Court dates beyond the arraignments had not been publicly confirmed. Gallagher and Johnson will have an opportunity to answer the allegations as the cases proceed through Freestone County’s court system.
Author note: Last updated August 1, 2026.