A 20-year-old Atlanta student has been identified as one of two University of Mississippi students who died in separate incidents earlier this week, as authorities continue working to determine what happened.
The university identified the students Thursday as Robert Strang, 20, a junior from Atlanta, and Aidan Hamilton, 18, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado. Both deaths occurred Monday, Sept. 21, but investigators have not found confirmed evidence connecting the cases.
Hamilton was found unresponsive at Stewart Hall on the Ole Miss campus, while Strang was found at an off-campus location. Toxicology results were not yet available as of Thursday, and officials had not determined the causes of death.
The University of Mississippi said the families of both students have asked for privacy as they grieve. The school expressed condolences to their families, friends and classmates.
Investigators examining two separate cases
The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit is handling the investigations. Authorities have emphasized that the two deaths are currently being treated as separate cases and that there is no confirmed evidence that they are connected.
One detail drawing attention in the investigations is the discovery of packaged kratom at both locations. Investigators have not confirmed that kratom caused or contributed to either death, and officials are still waiting for toxicology information.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said state agencies were working to expedite the toxicology reports as investigators seek answers.
What officials are saying about kratom
Kratom is a plant-derived substance that can have stimulant effects at lower amounts and sedative effects at higher amounts. It is sold in several forms, including powders, capsules and liquid products.
Federal health officials have raised concerns about kratom and certain concentrated products derived from it. The FDA has warned about potential serious adverse effects associated with kratom, including liver toxicity, seizures and substance use disorder.
The FDA has also increasingly focused on 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, a more potent compound associated with kratom. In July 2026, the agency said the federal government had begun steps aimed at concentrated 7-OH products while distinguishing those products from naturally occurring trace levels of 7-OH in traditional kratom leaf.
That federal action is separate from the Ole Miss investigation, and authorities have not established that either student’s death was caused by kratom or a 7-OH product.
For now, investigators are awaiting additional information, including toxicology results, before determining the circumstances surrounding the two deaths. No criminal charges have been announced in connection with either case.
