Kratom found at scenes of two Ole Miss student deaths under investigation

Two University of Mississippi students were found dead Monday in separate incidents in Oxford, Mississippi, one on campus and one off campus. The Lafayette County Coroner’s Office and law enforcement are conducting separate investigations, and autopsies are being scheduled; the victims’ identities and causes of death have not been released. Packaged kratom purchased from a retail store was found at both locations, but authorities have not confirmed that kratom or any other substance contributed to either death, and investigators do not believe the cases are connected. A dispatch recording indicated a possible overdose at a university dormitory, but officials have warned against drawing conclusions from unverified social-media rumors. Authorities urged the public to avoid kratom and any medication or substance not prescribed or obtained from a trusted, regulated source; the university also encouraged affected students to seek counseling and noted that free Narcan is available on campus and in Oxford. Officials said only these two student deaths have been reported, while the families requested privacy.