2 Ole Miss students found dead identified, officials say

OXFORD, Miss. (WMC/Gray News) - The two Ole Miss students found dead have been identified, according to officials.

The university identified the students as 18-year-old Aidan Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colo., and 20-year-old Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta.

Strang’s family said in a statement, “We are heartbroken by the loss of our dear son, Robert, and are trying to process this unimaginable loss. We are deeply grateful for the incredible outpouring of love, prayers and support by so many beloved friends and family.”

First responders were called to Stewart Hall on the Ole Miss campus shortly after 1:30 p.m. Monday for a reported possible overdose.

Hamilton was found unresponsive on campus and later died, while Strang died off-campus.

Lafayette County Metro Narcotics said that store-bought kratom, a leafy substance that causes opioid-like effects, was found at each location. Whether other drugs were involved remains under investigation.

Kratom is marketed to help with pain and anxiety, but medical professionals say it mimics hard drugs like heroin and oxycodone.

Toxicology reports are not yet available, and the cause of their deaths remains under investigation.

Investigators emphasized there is no evidence linking the two deaths.