The causes of death of two University of Mississippi students found dead on the same day have been disclosed during a federal court hearing. One reportedly died after taking a combination of substances, including cough syrup, while the other died from inhalation asphyxiation.
The students, identified in court records as Hamilton and Strang, were found dead on 21 September. Their findings have not yet been publicly released in official medical records.
The details emerged during proceedings against two men accused of selling illegal narcotics at smoke shops near the Ole Miss campus. Investigators said both students had three kratom-related substances in their systems: mitragynine, MGM-15 and MGPI.
According to court records, investigators believe Hamilton bought pills from Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store in Oxford in the days before his death. Strang allegedly obtained similar pills from a shop around 20 miles away.
Following the deaths, an undercover informant visited Puffs and asked about kratom-based pills. An arrest affidavit states that a shop clerk confirmed the products were sold and warned the informant to be careful because people were dying from them.
Police later raided the Oxford store and seized about 500 units of kratom and kratom-like products, as well as suspected THC products.
A narcotics agent told Friday’s hearing that one student was found dead inside a university dormitory with white foam around his mouth and blood around his teeth. The second was found unresponsive off campus about an hour later, also with white foam around his mouth.
Two employees of the shops face federal drug charges in connection with the investigation. A federal judge ordered one man to remain in custody over concerns that he could flee the country, while Islam was granted a 20,000-dollar bond subject to conditions.
Federal prosecutors said the circumstances were consistent with overdoses, but the precise role played by the substances remains under investigation.
