Pair found dead in Valpo apartment, heroin likely cause
Post-Tribune staff report October 15, 2012 12:03PM
Maps
Updated: November 17, 2012 6:13AM
VALPARAISO — Authorities suspect two people found dead in an apartment Sunday overdosed on heroin.
Police said 18-year-old Rachael Hill and Abdullah M. Alqirnas, 20, an international student at Valparaiso University from Saudi Arabia, were found dead at an apartment in the 2100 block of Beech Street.
Police said Monday that Hill’s employer asked police to check on her because she had not shown up for work for two days. Police entered Hill’s apartment through an unlocked back door and found her and Alqirnas dead in the bedroom.
Drug paraphernalia were located near both subjects, police said.
Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris said the time of death was noon Sunday. He said toxicology tests were done, but there won’t be autopsies. Alqirnas’ family in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, has been notified and his body will be shipped home.
Valparaiso University issued the following statement: “It is with deep sorrow that Valparaiso University mourns the death of one of our own, Abdullah Alqirnas, a freshman from Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Alqirnas recently completed his English language studies at Arizona State University and enrolled as a student at Valparaiso University to study electrical engineering. In this time of tragedy, our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the Alqirnas family and friends. Details of a remembrance for the campus community are pending.”
