The causes of death of two University of Mississippi students found with illegal synthetic kratom in their systems have been announced in court.
The defense attorney for one of two men charged with selling narcotics linked to at least one of the Sept. 21 deaths of Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, revealed in Mississippi federal court Friday that one Ole Miss student died from the combined use of various substances, including cough syrup, and the other from asphyxia by inhalation, Action News reported 5.
A toxicology report shows both victims had pseudoindoxyl mitragynine, MGM-15 and 7-OH in their systems at the time of their deaths, according to court records.
These are all compounds found in the deadly SMAX Psuedo-DHM pills that were found at the scene of the two students’ deaths, according to investigators.
Authorities believe the Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer store in Oxford sold Hamilton the deadly SMAX pills twice in the days before his death.
Strang also made a purchase at the store, but investigators said he bought the dangerous product at another smoke shop about 20 miles away.
The deadly tablets contain pseudoindoxyl mitragynine, MGM-15 and 7-OH.
In August, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued an emergency order classifying MGM-15 and pseudoindoxyl mitragynine as Schedule I controlled substances, making them illegal to buy or sell.
Yahya Mosleh, 51, and his son Islam Mosleh, 18, were both working at Puffs when an undercover agent entered the store Sept. 24 and demanded 7-OH kratom pills, according to a criminal complaint against the two men.
Yahya, who was behind the counter, allegedly unlocked a drawer under the register and took out a selection containing pseudoindoxyl mitragynine, according to the complaint.
“(Yahya) told the informant to be careful while taking these pills because people were dying from them,” the complaint reads.
Officers then returned to the store with a warrant and seized several Schedule I controlled substances, including THC cartridges, gummies and pre-rolls, as well as more than 500 units of kratom, officials allege in court documents.
Yahya is currently behind bars, but Islam will soon be released on $20,000 conditional bail.
The store’s owner, Amer Alowdi, was charged with drug trafficking in 2022, but is accused of fleeing the United States before he could be prosecuted.
“This case follows several tragic cases of student overdoses here at Oxford,” federal prosecutors said in court, according to Action News 5. “Evidence supports detention…the victims died in conditions consistent with overdoses.”
On September 21, authorities rushed to Hamilton’s dormitory after he was found unconscious.
The coroner and other medical personnel said her death appeared to be an overdose. Investigators found opened and unopened packages of synthetic kratom, according to court records.
Hamilton’s roommate told investigators that Hamilton smoked a lot of marijuana and had developed a bad cough, according to the complaint.
Caleb Easter, an agent with the Lafayette County Metropolitan Narcotics Unit, testified in court that Hamilton was already in “rigor mortis” — the stiffening of muscles that usually occurs within two to six hours of death — when he was found. He has white foam around his mouth and blood in his teeth, Easter said, according to Action News 5.
About an hour after Hamilton was found, police received another call about Strang, who was not breathing and was cold to the touch in his off-campus apartment.
There were 20 to 30 cans of nitrous oxide at the scene and his roommates said he often made “whippets.” He also took a Xanax, authorities said. SMAX was found on his nightstand.
Lawyers for the Moslehs declined to comment.
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