The causes of death for the two University of Mississippi students found with illegal synthetic kratom in their systems were announced in court.
A defense attorney for one of two men accused of selling narcotics connected 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 combined use of various substances, including cough syrup, and the other from inhalation asphyxiation, Action News 5 reported.
A toxicology report shows both victims had mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and 7-OH in their systems when they died, according to court records.
These are all compounds found in the deadly SMAX Psuedo-DHM pills that were found at the scene of both students’ deaths, investigators say.
Authorities believe that 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 from the store, but investigators said he bought the dangerous product from another smoke shop about 20 miles away.
The deadly tablets contain mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and 7-OH.
In August, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued an emergency order classifying MGM-15 and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl as Schedule I controlled substances — making it illegal to buy or sell them.
Yahya Mosleh, 51, and his son, Islam Mosleh, 18, were both working at Puffs when an undercover agent went into the store on Sept. 24 and requested 7-OH kratom pills, according to a criminal complaint against the pair.
Yahya, who was behind the counter, allegedly unlocked a drawer underneath the register and pulled out a selection containing mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, the complaint said.
“[Yahya] told the informant to be careful taking these pills because people were dying from them,” the complaint reads.
Agents later returned to the store with a warrant and seized multiple Schedule I controlled substances including THC cartridges, gummies and pre-rolls, along with over 500 units of kratom, officials claim in court documents.
Yahya is currently behind bars, but Islam will soon be released on $20,000 conditional bond.
The store’s owner, Amer Alowdi, was indicted for allegedly trafficking narcotics in 2022 but is accused of fleeing the US before he could be prosecuted.
“This case comes from several tragic overdose cases of students here in Oxford,” federal prosecutors said in court, according to Action News 5. “Evidence supports the detention… victims died of conditions consistent to overdoses.”
On Sept. 21, authorities rushed to Hamilton’s dorm after he was found unresponsive.
The coroner and other medical personnel said his death appeared to have been an overdose. Investigators found both open and unopened packs of the synthetic kratom, per court records.
Hamilton’s roommate told investigators that Hamilton smoked a lot of marijuana and developed a bad cough from it, according to the complaint.
Caleb Easter, an agent with the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit, testified in court that Hamilton was already in “rigor mortis” — the stiffening of muscles that typically 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 reportedly not breathing and frigid to the touch in his off-campus apartment.
There were 20 to 30 Nitrous Oxide cans at the scene and his roommates said he often did “whippets.” He also took a Xanax, authorities said. SMAX was found on his night stand.
Attorneys for the Moslehs declined to comment.
