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Two More Arkansas Inmates Die In Possible Drug Overdoses

Michael Hibblen
/
KUAR News

Two more inmates have died of possible drug overdoses at a maximum security prison in southeast Arkansas.

Arkansas Department of Correction attorney James DePriest say the inmates aged 26 and 55 were found unresponsive Wednesday in their cells at Varner Supermax Unit, about 50 miles southeast of Little Rock.

DePriest has said three other inmates were found unresponsive earlier this week and that they died within 24 hours of each other .

State police spokesman Bill Sadler has cautioned against speculating on the cause of death, but DePriest said it "would not shock" him if the synthetic marijuana compound known as K2 was a factor.

Correction officials have reported a lower incidence of K2 incidents this year , partly due to new mail policies.

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