The district attorney's office has been investigating how an inmate obtained reportedly illegal drugs that led to his fatal overdose at a northwestern Pennsylvania county jail.
Thirty-five-year-old Steven Burkhart, of Erie, was jailed awaiting trial on retail theft charges when he overdosed at the Erie County Prison on May 2. He died three days later.
The Erie Times-News reports the county coroner determined that Burkhart died of combined drug toxicity. The coroner didn't disclose the drugs, but said one was a prescription drug for which Burkhart did not have a prescription, while the other was a non-prescription drug.
County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper says authorities believe heroin may be the other drug.
District Attorney Jack Daneri says his investigation is ongoing, but he would not comment on it.
