This list of resources is a work-in-progress, check back regularly for updates
First Week
- Request Police/Law Enforcement Report
- Request your loved one’s body be submitted to the Medical Examiner for an autopsy and toxicology investigation
- Always ask whether law enforcement determined estimated time of death and whether a coroner was called to the scene to determine time of death
- Request 911 Call Records
- Collect Evidence
- Establish a timeline
- Find out what actually occurred & when
- Obtain Cell Phone Call Detail Records
- Obtain Cell Phone Call Logs from AT&T Wireless
- Estate: Guide to understanding Estate Accounts
- Estate: Set up Estate Bank Accounts
- Estate: NC Courts eCourts Guide and File
- Obtain Calls For Service (CFS) Report
- Obtain First Responders Report from Law Enforcement
- Unlock a cell phone
- iCloud Recovery
- Hire private forensic toxicologist
- Hire private autopsy services
- Determine time of death
- Hire a private investigator
- Hire an attorney, prosecutors preferred
First Month
Advocate for Your Loved One by Raising Awareness
- You do not want to jeopardize your case
- Check in with law enforcement investigating your case
- Determine if press coverage will hamper their investigation
- Select and edit a high resolution photo of your loved one
- Consistently use the same photo with all press and media
- Contact your local Press and Media
- Write a press release
- Include who, what, when, where, why and how of your story
- Focus on “the why this matters”
- Do NOT include the names of any perpetrators / suspects
- Do NOT include any specific details of your loved one’s death scene
- Find others in your county who experienced fentanyl poisoning deaths
- Find your elected officials
- Rent a Billboard
- Create a nonprofit
- Obtain a permit for rally
When Autopsy and Toxicology Report is Available
In North Carolina autopsy and toxicology reports typically take 5-8 months to complete. Medical examiner and toxicologist name(s) will be on the reports. You may contact them personally to discuss the reports so you have a better understanding of the cause of death.
A death certificate with the cause of death listed as “pending” will be available prior to the full autopsy and toxicology reports. It will list the cause of death without any details. It is likely the full autopsy and toxicology report will be complete 6-8 weeks later.
If Case is Closed
- File FOIA Request
- Contact the US Attorney