Ole Miss Student Deaths: Toxicology Reports Expected Next Week Amid Fentanyl Crackdown Law
Officials await results that could trigger charges under 'Parker's Law' for fentanyl dealers.
Toxicology reports for the two University of Mississippi students found dead are expected to be completed as early as next week, according to the state's commissioner of public safety. The results could lead to charges under a state law targeting fentanyl dealers if the drug is found to be involved in the deaths.
The students have been identified as Robert Strang, a 20-year-old junior, and Aidan Hamilton, an 18-year-old freshman. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unclear, but narcotics detectives are investigating both cases. Kratom, a substance not legal in Lafayette County, was reportedly found at both scenes.
Mississippi's "Parker's Law," enacted in 2022, allows for criminal charges against individuals whose unlawful delivery of fentanyl results in a person's death. Sean Tindell, commissioner of Mississippi's Department of Public Safety, stated that if the investigation confirms these circumstances, law enforcement will work with prosecutors to pursue appropriate charges.
In a separate but potentially related development, Oxford police announced the arrests of two men in connection with a narcotics investigation and raid on a local tobacco shop. Police seized over 500 units of kratom, along with THC products and other suspected narcotics, from the business, identified as Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store. Kratom has been prohibited in Oxford since 2019.
Authorities have not yet established a connection between the arrests and the student deaths. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch noted that the investigation into the arrests is thorough and it is too early to determine any link.
The owner of the business, Amer Alowdi, was previously indicted on narcotics trafficking charges in 2022 before fleeing the country. It is unclear how the business continued to operate. Tindell indicated that foul play has not been ruled out in the students' deaths, pending the autopsy and final investigation reports.
Classmates have also circulated warnings about the synthetic opioid cychlorphine. Governor Tate Reeves has pledged state resources to expedite the toxicology reports.