Full Breakdown
Deaths of Two Ole Miss Students Linked to Synthetic Kratom Pills
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
On Monday, September 21, 2026, 18-year-old Aidan Hamilton and 20-year-old Robert Strang were found dead in separate locations in Oxford, Mississippi. Both deaths occurred after the students purchased substances at Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store, a local retailer where Yahya Mosleh and his son Islam Mosleh were employed. The store’s owner, Amer Alowdi, is alleged to have fled the United States and is believed to be in Egypt. Federal investigators used a confidential informant to conduct a controlled buy later, seizing more than 500 units of kratom-derived products, THC cartridges, gummies and pre-rolls.
Official Statements & Responses
Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Agent Caleb Easter testified that the investigation began after a call reporting a possible overdose at the university’s Stewart Hall. He described the first victim’s body as already in rigor mortis, with white foam around the mouth and blood around the teeth. The presiding federal judge ordered Yahya Mosleh to remain in custody as a flight risk and set a $20,000 unsecured bond with monitoring conditions for Islam Mosleh.
Data & Statistics
- Both victims had the same three synthetic kratom-related substances in their systems: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and 7-OH.
- Hamilton’s purchase on September 20 totaled $87.18; Strang’s purchase the same day was $43.59.
- The seized inventory included over 500 units of kratom-like products and assorted THC items.
- The DEA’s August emergency order classified MGM-15 and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl as Schedule I controlled substances.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Victim 2 had not been deceased quite as long.” — Caleb Easter, Federal Courthouse
This synthesis reflects the court-recorded findings, law-enforcement testimony, and prosecutorial statements surrounding the deaths of Hamilton and Strang, highlighting the role of illegal synthetic kratom products sold at a local Oxford retailer.