Two students from the University of Mississippi, commonly known as Ole Miss, were found dead on September 21st. The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics stated that law enforcement agencies are investigating the two cases separately, with no conclusive evidence linking them at the moment.
The deceased individuals have been identified by the university and family members as 18-year-old freshman Aidan Hamilton from Englewood, Colorado, and 20-year-old junior Robert Strang from Atlanta, Georgia. The 18-year-old freshman was discovered in the Stewart Hall male dormitory on campus, while the other individual was found at an off-campus residence in Oxford, Mississippi. The county coroner’s office mentioned that toxicology reports may take several weeks to be released, and the causes of death have yet to be determined.
During the investigation, packaging of kratom from retail stores was found at both scenes. Kratom is a product made from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, containing alkaloids that can affect the brain and have both stimulating and sedative effects. The narcotics unit emphasized, “We currently do not have definitive information indicating that kratom or any other substance is a factor in these two deaths.” Authorities urge the public to refrain from speculation and advise against using prescription or unidentified substances.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves stated that the state’s Department of Public Safety and narcotics agencies are assisting in expediting the toxicology reports. He also urged parents to communicate more with their children and to stay away from prescription or illicit drugs of unknown origin.
Two days before the incident, on Saturday, September 19th, during a football game between the University of Mississippi Rebels and Louisiana State University, student Mary Harvey reported to FOX News that she was drugged at a bar and could barely remember what happened that night.
She recalled, “Later that night, probably towards the end of the game, I don’t remember anything. A guy at the scene told me I fell.” After being arranged to take an Uber back to her dorm by the police, she was helped back to her room by other students. “Later, my roommate went to take a shower, she said when she was showering, she found me missing, she left the dorm to find me, searched everywhere, every floor, and eventually found me passed out in the dorm hallway on the way back.”
Harvey mentioned feeling unsettled even in her dorm room now, and on social media expressed that many students are hesitant to go out.
Kenneth Tonos, a student serving on campus security, informed FOX News that at least three fraternities and sororities events were canceled, and some bars in Oxford increased security checks. A sense of unease pervades the university town, with the university and local law enforcement intensifying safety measures.
A university spokesperson clarified that rumors circulating on social media about “more missing students” are untrue, as only two death cases have been confirmed so far.
The university and narcotics agencies urge the public to refrain from speculating on the causes or circumstances of the deaths during the investigation, and to respect the privacy of the families. Local, state, and federal authorities are collaborating to clarify the facts as quickly as possible.
Raegan Settle, editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, The Daily Mississippian (established in 1911 and independently operated by students), expressed a hope for the university to provide safety information and communication more promptly and transparently. She also called on students to carry naloxone (Narcan), a medication that can rapidly reverse opioid overdoses, with them. Currently, some of the free naloxone vending machines at campus and Oxford city parking lots have sold out.
(This article referenced a report from FOX News)