Medical examiner reveals cause of death for Oklahoma Co. inmate

OKLAHOMA COUNTY ( KFOR ) – The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has released the probable cause of death for an Oklahoma County inmate who passed away in February.

Officials say 31-year-old Derek Strother was found dead in his jail cell on February 26, 2024. His case dates back to December 2023 when he allegedly ran through a stop sign, causing a crash that killed one person and sent others to the hospital.

Oklahoma City Police arrested him on murder complaints and driving under the influence.

“I got a call on February 26 from St. Anthony’s Hospital, ‘I’m sorry. Your son is dead.'” said Debra Stanton, Strother’s mother. “I didn’t get a call from the detention center. A couple of hours later, ‘We want to give you our condolences'”.

Stanton told News 4 in February that she was searching for medical records that might shed light on what happened with help from the People’s Council for Justice Reform.

The medical examiner’s office has since determined Strother’s probable cause of death to be accidental fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity.

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