Prince Died of Opioid Overdose of Fentanyl, According to Medical Examiner [UPDATED]
UPDATE (6/2):
According to the Minnesota Medical Examiner's Office, Prince died from an accidental drug overdose of Fentanyl, which is more powerful than Percocet. TMZ has posted the toxicology results and it shows that Fentanyl was found in his system and that there were no other significant conditions that led to his death.
The report states that Prince was fully clothed when he was found wearing a black cap, black shirt, gray undershirt, black pants, black boxer briefs and black socks.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opiate analgesic similar to but more potent than morphine. The powerful painkiller is often given to cancer patients who have to deal with severe pain.
Reps for Prince's estate had no comment on the report.
You can read the medical examiner's report at TMZ.com.
Original Story:
Although the toxicology results hasn’t been released yet, a law enforcement source has revealed to the Associated Press that Prince died of an opioid overdose.
A law enforcement official, who is close to the investigation, spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Another insider, with knowledge of the medical examiner's plan, told AP that the toxicology results of Prince's autopsy are expected to be released on Friday (June 3).
Authorities are still investigating the case to figure out if Prince died of an overdose and whether a doctor was prescribing him drugs in the weeks before his death.
The 57-year-old guitarist was found dead inside the elevator of his Paisley Park compound on April 21. According to investigators and medics at the scene, it appears that Prince may have been dead for at least six hours by the time his body was discovered.
According to TMZ, the fallen music icon reportedly had a combination of Percocet and the synthetic opiate Buprenorophine in his system.
As we previously reported, Prince’s doctor Michael Schulenberg told authorities he went to the musician’s home to personally deliver test results, and Andrew Kornfeld, the son of rehab doctor, Howard Kornfeld, was also on the premises and had Buperenorphine pills in his backpack. The pills are used to treat opiate addiction.
Musicians who worked closely with Prince have come to his defense and explained that the fallen music icon took prescription pills for his chronic pain related to years of performing in heels and a hip replacement surgery in 2010.
Reps for Prince's estate had no comment on the matter.