Toxicology reports expedited in Ole Miss student deaths
Fox News correspondent Madison Scarpino reports on the deaths of University of Mississippi students Aiden Hamilton and Robert Strang in Oxford, Mississippi. Appearing on ‘The Will Cain Show,’ Scarpino outlines investigators’ efforts to accelerate toxicology testing as authorities work to determine what led to the students’ deaths.
OXFORD, Miss. — Toxicology results in the suspicious deaths of two University of Mississippi students could be available as soon as next week, Mississippi’s public safety commissioner said. Separately, Oxford police announced arrests following a raid at a tobacco shop suspected of trafficking narcotics.
The students were identified as Robert Strang, a 20-year-old junior from Atlanta, and Aidan Hamilton, an 18-year-old freshman from Colorado. Their families are asking for privacy and compassion as they grieve the loss of their sons.
The circumstances of the deaths remain unknown. Narcotics investigators are examining both cases, and authorities said Mississippi law could be used against anyone who supplied fentanyl if toxicology testing detects the drug.
“Under Parker’s Law, enacted in 2022, criminal charges may be pursued when an unlawful delivery of fentanyl results in a person’s death,” Sean Tindell, commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, told News Outlet. “If the investigation establishes those circumstances, law enforcement will work with prosecutors to pursue the appropriate charges and hold those responsible accountable.”
Aidan Hamilton, an 18-year-old University of Mississippi freshman, appears in these images posted by his mother on Facebook. He is one of two Ole Miss students who died under suspicious circumstances this week. (Facebook/ Kathie Mac Donald Hamilton)
In a separate case, Oxford police arrested two men as part of a narcotics investigation involving a local tobacco shop. Authorities have not said whether the raid is connected to the students’ deaths.
Investigators tied the suspects to an Oxford retail business where police said they discovered large quantities of drugs, including THC products and kratom. Although kratom is legal in many parts of the country, possession and sales are prohibited in Lafayette County.
“During the search, agents recovered more than 500 units of kratom, along with an assortment of THC cartridges, gummies, and other suspected narcotics,” police said in a statement. “Kratom has been prohibited from possession, distribution, and sale within the City of Oxford since 2019.”
The business, Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store, is located in the 100 block of Heritage Drive in Oxford.
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Police identified the arrested men as Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed, 18. Both are Oxford-area residents.
Police said the store’s owner, 40-year-old Amer Alowdi, was indicted on narcotics trafficking charges in 2022 and left the country before facing prosecution. It was not immediately known how the business continued operating.
Tindell told News Outlet on Thursday that investigators have found no evidence of foul play so far, but they have not eliminated that possibility.
“Until the autopsy is reported, and the investigators have an opportunity to get statements and collect evidence, then that final determination will not be made until later,” he said.
Robert Strang is shown in an undated family photograph. The 20-year-old University of Mississippi junior died under suspicious circumstances. (Strang family)
Authorities said it is too soon to know whether kratom or any other substance played a role in the deaths. Toxicology results are still pending, and police previously reported finding packages of kratom at both scenes. The substance is sold legally in many locations but is prohibited in Lafayette County.
General view of Phi Delta Theta fraternity house on the Campus of the University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, September 24, 2026. Black ribbons are tied to the columns of the porch in honor of the death of fraternity member, 20-year-old Robert Strang from Atlanta. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for News Outlet)
Meanwhile, classmates have shared warnings about cychlorphine, a potent synthetic opioid they say may require multiple doses of Narcan to reverse its effects.
Gov. Tate Reeves said this week that Mississippi would make state resources available to help speed up the toxicology work. Such testing often takes several weeks, but officials hope the Ole Miss cases can be completed within days.
