Two University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) students who died Monday have been identified as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Robert Strang, 20, of Atlanta, and Aidan Hamilton, 18, of Englewood, Colorado, both died Sept. 21, according to Ole Miss student newspaper The Daily Mississippian and Fox 5 Atlanta
. Strang was a junior at Ole Miss, while Hamilton was a freshman.Hamilton was found at Stewart Hall, a campus residence hall in Oxford while Strang was found at an off-campus home on Van Buren Avenue, according to the student newspaper.
The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit is investigating the deaths but has not said whether they are connected. Packaged kratom purchased from a retail store was found during
both investigations, though authorities have not confirmed that kratom or any other substance contributed to either death.
USA TODAY reached out to the University of Mississippi to confirm the students' identities and ask whether the university could provide additional information about the deaths.
What happened at Ole Miss?
The University of Mississippi confirmed the deaths in a Sept. 22 message to the campus community. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead said university police were working with the Oxford Police Department and Lafayette County authorities on the investigations.
"The University is heartbroken by the recent loss of two students," Mead said.
Mead also addressed unverified claims circulating on social media about the deaths, saying university police were not aware of any additional student deaths. She urged students and others not to speculate about the circumstances before authorities complete their investigations.
Authorities told Fox News Digital that foul play had not been ruled out as investigators work to determine how the students died.
Lafayette County Coroner Glenn Coleman told USA TODAY network partner Clarion Ledger that autopsies and toxicology tests were ordered for both students. Toxicology results were expected to take two to three weeks.
Why is kratom part of the investigation?
Packaged kratom purchased from a retail store was found during both investigations, according to the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit. Authorities have not determined whether kratom or another substance contributed to either death.
Kratom is an herbal substance made from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says it can have stimulant-like effects at lower doses and opioid-like effects at higher doses. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved kratom for medical use.
Kratom is prohibited in Lafayette County, where the ban took effect in 2021. Oxford also banned the sale of synthetic kratom products in 2019. The narcotics unit has urged people to avoid kratom and other substances that are not prescribed or obtained from a trusted, regulated source.
Students respond to deaths
The deaths have prompted grief and concern among students as information about the investigations remains limited.
Ole Miss student body president Olivia Claire Williford told Newsweek that students have been checking on friends and supporting classmates who are grieving.
An Alpha Tau Omega fraternity prayer vigil Wednesday drew about 150 students, according to The Daily Mississippian. Several Greek organizations also canceled social events scheduled for the week.
Contributing: USA TODAY reporters James Powel, Pam Dankins, Charles Trepany
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ole Miss students identified as deaths remain under investigation
