Bodies found quarter mile apart in Columbia investigated as overdoses, police say
In less than 10 minutes on Sunday morning, two bodies were found less than a quarter mile apart, the Columbia Police Department said.
Both deaths are being investigated as suspected drug overdose deaths, police said Tuesday in a news release.
The bodies of Johnny Drayton, 68, and Sam McCray, Jr., 51, were discovered roughly a block from one another on a commercial stretch of Millwood Avenue between Gervais and King streets, according to the release. The Richland County Coroner’s Office publicly identified the men.
At 11:22 a.m., Drayton was found inside an abandoned building at 2480 Millwood Ave., according to the release. At 11:30 a.m., police discovered McCray at the El Cheapo Laundry at 2559 Millwood Ave.
In both cases, officers found drug paraphernalia near the bodies, police said.
The Columbia police Organized Crime and Narcotics unit is working with the coroner’s office to determine the exact causes of death from the Millwood incidents and if the two incidents are related.
While toxicology results are pending, police warned the community about the dangers of drug use — especially if drugs are mixed with fentanyl.
The Drug Enforcement Administration said there is “significant risk that illegal drugs have been intentionally contaminated with fentanyl,” according to the release. Because of its “potency and low cost, drug dealers have been mixing fentanyl with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, increasing the likelihood of a fatal interaction.”
In another incident Monday, officers responded to the 2400 block of Stark Street shortly before 9:30 a.m. for a possible overdose, police said. EMS personnel administered two doses of Narcan successfully, and another dose was administered to the man at a local hospital, according to the release.
Narcan, which is the name of a popular brand of the drug Naloxone, can be administered as a nasal spray or as an injection for patients suffering from an overdose, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said. All Columbia police officers have been trained and equipped with Naloxone, which can be given to persons experiencing an opioid overdose, according to the release.
Further information on the man’s condition was not available.
Monday’s incident was less than a half mile from where Drayton and McCray’s bodies were found Sunday.
So far this year, police said officers have investigated at least 31 reported overdoses — 12 of which were fatal. In 2021, police responded to 17 overdoses, including 11 fatal incidents, according to the release.
To report drug use or distribution, contact the Columbia police Narcotics Tip Line at 803-545-3599 or CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
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This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 8:09 AM.
