Two University of Mississippi students who were found dead in Oxford, Mississippi, in recent days have been identified, while packages of kratom were found at both locations.
Robert Strang, 20, of Atlanta, and Aidan Hamilton, 18, a freshman from Colorado, were identified as the two students, according to a statement from the university.
Strang was found at an off-campus home, while Hamilton was believed to have been found at Stewart Hall, a male dormitory on the Ole Miss campus, according to the Lafayette County Coroner’s Office.
Social media posts from the Ole Miss chapter of Phi Delta Theta identified Strang as one of seven co-chairmen for the fraternity’s 2026 recruitment.
Both deaths are being investigated by the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit. Authorities have not determined whether the deaths were connected.
Packages of kratom, a commercially available substance, were found at both locations. Authorities have not determined whether kratom played a role in either death.
No official cause or manner of death has been released. Toxicology testing is expected to help determine what happened.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that state investigators were assisting local authorities and would work to expedite the toxicology results.
Authorities have not found evidence linking the deaths to kratom or any other substance. Packaged kratom was found at both locations, according to the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit.
Officials urged people to avoid kratom and any substances that were not prescribed or obtained from a trusted, regulated source.