OD on drugs? for law enforcement only please?

Question

I have a friend that was found dead in the trunk of his own car on tues. The news said there was no sign of trauma or foul play but it was a suspected homocide? I havent seen him for about six months because I know he was strung out on meth. They said they were unable to find cause of death in his autopsy (the tox results are still pending). My question is this, If he had overdosed on meth (probably by injection) would the autopsy show signs of this before the tox results came back? Would he have signs of trauma from the actual overdose if thats what happened to him? Is there something that someone could have intentionally given him that looked like meth or heroin that would kill him without signs of trauma if he injected it? Please only answer this question if you are in law enforcement and have seen things like this or you know something about this question, I can do without the comments on his chosen lifestyle.

Answer 1

Your question would be best suited if you asked medical professionals.

If there were no signs of trauma or foul play they are most likely considering it a "suspected homicide" because he was found in the truck of a car. So either he put himself in there or someone else put him in there. That would be the logical explanation for that. Perhaps they're looking for someone who might have been with him that night.

You'd have to find out more information about what methamphetamines do to the body and what an overdose would cause the body to do- such as racing of the heart and such. It is possible that there are no outward signs of death.

Remember Anna Nicole Smith and her son, Daniel Smith's deaths? Both were overdoses. Neither had any signs of trauma and the cause of death was not determined in either case until the tox results were given.

As far as your question about things that he could've thought were meth or heroin - No.

More than likely when his tox screen comes back they will determine what killed him. From the information that you've provided, it sounds like your friend probably was with friends, doing drugs, and accidentally overdosed. The friends probably freaked out, put him in the trunk of the car and bailed because they were high and didnt know what to do. Surprisingly enough- this happens, a lot.  

Your best bet is to wait for the tox results to get a clear answer.

Answer 2

If the ingested drugs caused a seizure, there could be trauma consistent with random violent thrashing. However, methamphetamine is a stimulant, and in large doses, it can stop your heart. If this happens, there may be no signs of trauma anywhere.

If your heart and lungs stop, you body stops processing the drugs, so they will be present in the toxicology reports. This would include not only the methamphetamine, but any other foreign substances that were introduced.

If the overdose was accidental, and he died at someone else's house, I would not rule out the possibility his drug buddies stuffed him in the trunk so they didn't have to deal with the police. I doubt a bunch of people sitting around doing drugs would want the police around.

Answer 3

The tox screen will return with evidence of any narcotics or meds in his system.  Also, the stomach may contain evidence of ingested (not injected) drugs.  Needle marks are usually visible at autopsy if the person is a user.  Here's the problem, even if he overdosed, why is he in a trunk of a car?  That alone makes this homicide suspicious.  The coroner will look for blunt force trauma, defensive wounds, injuries possibly from being put in the trunk.

Also, if he was dead before someone injected him, that is discoverable.  The coroner first looks for a cause of death, then the additional details.  If someone else injected the lethal dose of drugs while alive, that is more of a circumstantial evidence case.  The cops may look for DNA, hair or fibers and interview witnesses.  And let's not forget the placing of the body in the trunk....lots of evidence there....fingerprints, etc.

Answer 4

Someone could have put air in his blood stream with a needle designed for drugs. That would not show on tox screens.