Toxicology results in the death of a local man who was found unresponsive in a car at a Taylorsville gas station show he had a large amount of fentanyl in his system.
Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting said the toxicology results for Christopher A. Purdy, 33, Columbus, who was pronounced dead Aug. 23 at Columbus Regional Hospital, were one of the highest amounts of fentanyl in a toxicology screen that the coroner’s office has seen in some time. Purdy’s death has been listed as accidental.
In addition to fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, there were other substances found in Purdy’s body, according to the coroner’s office.
The toxicology screen showed the presence of:
- Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine which is the active ingredient in Benadryl
- Xylazine, a common veterinary sedative used for large animals, such as cattle
- Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, used to treat anxiety disorders, panic disorders, and anxiety
- Clonazepam, used to treat seizure disorders and certain types of anxiety disorders
- 4-Anpp, an intermediate in the synthesis of fentanyl and related opioids often found as an impurity in fentanyl
Nolting said the 4-Anpp is a rare finding and it is unusual to find it detected in overdose cases locally.
The investigation of the circumstances of Purdy’s death were turned over to the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team after Purdy was found in a vehicle at the Circle K in Taylorsville on Aug. 23. That investigation is continuing, police said.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
