2 suspected drug deaths investigated
Authorities are investigating two fatal suspected drug overdoses in Butler County which occurred on consecutive days this week.
A 30-year-old man was found dead Tuesday evening at his home in Butler. A day earlier, a 25-year-old man died at his home in Zelienople.
Butler County Deputy Coroner Larry Barr pronounced both men dead. Autopsies were later performed but the final results, including cause of death, are pending toxicology reports.
Butler police and firefighters along with Butler Ambulance Service were called shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday to a home on the 400 block of West North Street where a man had possibly overdosed.
The man's girlfriend called 911 after finding him apparently unresponsive on the living room floor. Two empty stamp bags of suspected heroin and a syringe were found with the body, authorities said.
Zelienople police and Harmony EMS were called about 6:30 p.m. Monday for a possible overdose on McKim Street. The victim's parents had gone to the home after they had not heard from their son, said Police Chief Jim Miller.
He was found in a bedroom on the floor, at the foot of his bed, investigators said. On a table were a number of stamp bags and two empty bags of suspected heroin, two syringes and two cotton swabs.
The man had recently moved to the home, which is divided into apartments. He was to turn 26 next month.
