Deputies investigate 3 drug related deaths in 4 days
DECATUR CO., Tenn. — The war on drugs has recently become a hot topic across the nation, including West Tennessee.
“If they’re addicted to drugs, that’s one thing, but when the drugs are causing death, that’s a whole other matter,” said Sheriff Keith Byrd of Decatur County.
Sheriff Byrd says they have had one man and two women die from overdoses over the past weekend.
The Sheriff says these three untimely drug related deaths are extremely uncommon for Decatur County, who usually sees one or zero over the course of a year.
And investigators say other parts of the state have also experienced suspicious drug related deaths.
“There’s been a couple in Maury County, Columbia, Tennessee and we got information a little while ago that there might have been one in Lexington,” said Sh
eriff Byrd.
The Sheriff says he believes the source to be not far from the Columbia area. He says he believes the killer to be heroin laced with fentanyl.
“When fentanyl hit the scene, it threw everybody into a panic,” said Byrd, “because officers were getting sick if they handled it, and people were dying because drugs were laced with it.”
Officials say they want to track down the source before it’s too late.
“If you got a family member that’s on drugs of any kind, especially this stuff, you need to get with them and intervene,” Byrd said.
Investigators say they plans on working with local law enforcement from other areas who have had similar deaths. They say they are also awaiting the results of the victims autopsies.
Investigators say if you know anything that could help law enforcement in this case, call the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department at 731-852-3703.
If you or anyone you know has a drug problem and need someone to talk to call the 24 hour, completely confidential, drug abuse hotline at 888-654-2904.
