Ohio Police Chief OD'd On Drugs From Evidence Room: Investigators

KIRKERSVILLE, OH — Just months after starting the job, the police chief of a small Ohio village near Columbus was found dead in his home. Investigators now believe he overdosed on drugs taken from his department's evidence room.

Kirkersville Police Chief James Hughes was found in the bathroom of his Reynoldsburg home on May 25, unresponsive. He died a short while after being discovered, according to the USA Today.

Investigators found heroin, fentanyl and LSD in his home. The fentanyl was found in an open package in the home. The other drugs were in closed packages, NBC 4 said. While police are still investigating Hughes' death, there are signs the drugs found in his home were evidence in other police cases.

"There was packaging that indicated that he was taking controlled substances from there," Lt. Ron Wright of Reynoldsburg Police said. The autopsy report for Hughes' death said he died from an accidental fentanyl overdose.

Two syringes were found in Hughes home. One of the syringes tested positive for fentanyl.

Hughes became police chief in March 2018.

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Photo from Renee Schiavone, Patch