Area heroin deaths under investigation
A sign hangs in the doorway of the Long John Silver’s-A&W restaurant in South Strabane Township where a Washington woman died of a heroin overdose Sunday.
A sign hangs in the doorway of the Long John Silver’s-A&W restaurant in South Strabane Township where a Washington woman died of a heroin overdose Sunday.
A sign hangs in the doorway of the Long John Silver’s-A&W restaurant in South Strabane Township where a Washington woman died of a heroin overdose Sunday.
The Washington County coroner said he will rely on toxicology reports before ruling whether a man found dead of a suspected heroin overdose last week inside a North Strabane Township home ingested the same brand of the drug associated with recent heroin overdoses, including several deaths, in the Pittsburgh area.
Coroner Tim Warco said stamp bags marked “Predator,” with a symbol of a shark, were found near the body of the 46-year-old Cecil Township man.
North Strabane police Detective Nathan Terling said the 46-year-old had been dropped off at his girlfriend’s home in the Meadowbrook plan about 11 p.m. Tuesday by some of his friends. His girlfriend found him dead when she returned home about 3 a.m. Wednesday.
“I am still investigating and trying to determine where he got the drugs,” Terling said Monday. “The stamp bags found near him have the same markings as what has reportedly been killing people in the Pittsburgh area.”
Warco said he suspects that may be what the 46-year-old used, but he will not rule until the toxicology tests are returned.
Terling said the 46-year-old had a Cecil address but had been staying with his girlfriend.
Warco is investigating two other deaths that are likely heroin overdoses, but neither appeared to be related to the particular form of the drug implicated in the Pittsburgh overdoses.
A 43-year-old Washington woman was found dead Sunday afternoon inside a restroom at the Long John Silver’s-A&W restaurant in South Strabane Township. Township police Chief Don Zofchak said his officers forced their way into the bathroom and found the woman unresponsive.
On Monday, Washington police were called to a home on Fayette Street where a 43-year-old woman was found dead. Warco said the stamp bags found near her body were not labeled.