Dr. Idris Evans, 46, was killed in the attack at his home in Edgewood, Pennsylvania, according to the Allegheny County Police Department.

His wife remained in critical but stable condition Thursday, police told Fox News Digital.

County 9-1-1 received a report of a stabbing in the 100 block of Linden Avenue at 12:31 a.m. First responders found Evans and his wife suffering from multiple stab wounds, police said.

ACTIVIST TIED TO OPRAH, BIDEN STABBED, AND TEACHER MOM SLAIN IN AMBUSH IN QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD

Evans was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His wife was also transported to a hospital.

Police identified 32-year-old Elijah Hemingway of Pittsburgh as the suspect.

Detectives determined through witness interviews that Hemingway allegedly entered the home and attacked Evans and his wife while they were sleeping, according to police.

Evans' wife told investigators that they awoke to a man attacking them in bed with a kitchen knife, according to court documents obtained by KDKA reported. She said the attacker was wearing only underwear and uttered about "being God," the outlet reported.

MACHETE-WIELDING SUSPECT CLAIMING TO BE 'LUCIFER' SHOT BY POLICE AFTER ALLEGEDLY STABBING 3 AT TRANSIT HUB

During the attack, Evans' wife yelled for the couple's children, ages 8 and 12, to get out of the house and go to a neighbor's home, according to KDKA.

She also told investigators that Evans called the attacker "Elijah," as though he knew him, according to the outlet.

"We do not know if there was any pre-existing relationship," Allegheny County Assistant Superintendent Victor Joseph said, according to KDKA. "The woman did not know this male. We are trying to determine if the two males knew each other."

A K-9 unit from the Monroeville Police Department searching the area found Hemingway behind a nearby home with cuts to his hand, according to county police. Hemingway remained hospitalized Thursday pending transfer to the Allegheny County Jail, police told Fox News Digital.

Hemingway faces charges including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass, police said. Police told Fox News Digital there were no updates to the charges Thursday.

NORTH CAROLINA MAN BROKE INTO EX'S HOME, FATALLY STABBED HIS 5-YEAR-OLD SON BEFORE GOING TO TACO BELL: POLICE

Investigators have not announced a motive. Police told Fox News Digital that both a possible motive and whether Hemingway and Evans knew each other remained part of the ongoing investigation.

Evans was medical director of the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, according to his university profile.

"The UPMC and University of Pittsburgh community is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Dr. Idris Evans, a pediatric critical care physician at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh," a UPMC spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.

"Dr. Evans was a dedicated caregiver and valued member of our hospital and university communities. Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, and colleagues during this difficult time. We ask that their privacy be respected."

Kieran Ansley, 43, who was fired from Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, is charged with multiple counts of child abuse.

The child was born four months premature but was making progress after spending months in the ICU and was expected to go home in April, WOOD-TV reported.

TEXAS DENTIST ACCUSED OF FATAL MISTAKES AFTER 4-YEAR-OLD DIES DURING DENTAL PROCEDURE

"She was born at 23 weeks — 1 pound, 1 ounce," her grandfather, Robert Steavens, told WOOD-TV. "And she made it through her due date, ready to go home. And then, two days before she was ready to go home, this happened."

The girl's mother visited her April 2. As she approached the room, Ansley "‘jogged’ to cut them off before getting to the room, telling them that the infant had ‘slept through the night,’" court records show.

MARYLAND DAD BLAMED 'SATAN' AFTER 2-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER DIED FROM HORRIFIC HEAD TRAUMA

The mother also noticed that the infant's tongue was "blue and black" and that several bruises were on the child that weren't there the night before.

Court records show Ansley claimed to have "seen this in the past, and it was not a big deal," court records show.

During an investigation, one hospital staffer said Ansley "seemed flustered" and "a little bit frustrated" that night. Ansley was also described as being "scatterbrained."

OHIO DAYCARE WORKER CONVICTED OF HORRIFIC PHYSICAL ABUSE OF TODDLERS SENTENCED TO YEARS IN PRISON

Others recalled Ansley being "heated" and "overwhelmed," court records show.

A staff log from the night the infant was allegedly abused showed 32 instances in which someone entered the baby’s room. Ansley accounted for 27 of those visits, the records show, the news station reported.

Fox News Digital reached out to Ansley's attorney and the hospital for comment.

Defense attorney Damian Nunzio told the news outlet Ansley has been cooperative during the investigation, spent "many years" working with ICU patients and is a "very good person.

"And we are confident that our investigation will let the truth come to light," Nunzio added.

Ansley, who was released on bond and is expected to appear in court Nov. 10, was fired after the allegations came to light.

The child, now 10 months old, is at home and "doing wonderful," Steavens said.

"We’ve been blessed, and we’ve watched the baby grow," he continued. "We’re trusting in God and healing as a family and trusting the process will move forward."

She appeared in court Thursday during a preliminary hearing, where her husband, Michael Walsh, was also present.

Walsh is accused of strangling Barrett and leaving him hanging from a rafter before trying to kill herself Sept. 1 during an alleged "psychotic episode." 

ILLINOIS MOTHER CHARGED WITH MURDER IN DEATH OF 2-YEAR-OLD SON IN CASE DRAWING COMPARISONS TO LINDSAY CLANCY

Her attorney, Andrea Lyon, said after the court hearing Thursday that Walsh's family was there to support her.

"They love her, and this is not — she’s never been violent. … She was psychotic," Lyon said, the New York Post reported. "They all know that and want her to get better. This is not who she is."

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Lyon previously told Fox News Digital that Walsh's husband is standing by her throughout the case.

CLANCY-FIXATED ILLINOIS MOM SANG 'WIZARD OF OZ' TUNE AFTER ALLEGEDLY KILLING 2-YEAR-OLD SON: REPORT

Prosecutors argue, in addition to killing the couple's child, Walsh also plotted to poison her husband "amid a fixation with the Lindsay Clancy trial."

LINDSAY CLANCY FIXATION AND ALLEGED PLOT TO POISON HUSBAND EMERGE AS ACCUSED MOM CLAIMS PSYCHOSIS

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Lyon, who previously represented Casey Anthony, announced during a news conference after the hearing that her team subpoenaed treatment information from the jail that is housing Walsh, according to the Post.

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Walsh's defense is trying to get her pretrial release to a hospital.

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Fox News Digital previously reported a judge denied Walsh's release earlier this month because it would be considered "too dangerous" after prosecutors said she posed a threat to her husband and three surviving children.

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On Thursday, Lyon said, "Her whole family is here today — her husband, mother, mother’s best friend."

"At today’s hearing, Ms. Walsh entered a plea of not guilty. The defense continues to seek her release so she can receive appropriate psychiatric treatment. We have no additional comment at this time," Lyon told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital reached out to Michael Walsh.

Jessica Anne Gorman recounted the March 2026 death of her 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student during a gathering in Washington, D.C. Top Justice Department and administration officials, including Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, border czar Tom Homan and drug czar Sara Carter, were on hand to honor the victims of violent crime.

Sheridan Gorman was shot and killed while visiting friends near a pier and lighthouse in Chicago. Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally and was previously released after a shoplifting arrest in Chicago, has been charged with her murder.

SHERIDAN GORMAN'S PARENTS SAY PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM FAILED IMMIGRATION POLICIES ISN'T A ONE-PARTY FIGHT

During her remarks, Jessica Gorman criticized Democratic lawmakers who advocate for shielding immigrants in the country illegally from federal immigration enforcement.

She recalled testifying at a House hearing on sanctuary policies, saying she could hear laughter from lawmakers as she spoke about losing her daughter.

"And I thought to myself, ‘Boy, the hits just keep on coming,’" Jessica Gorman said Thursday.

DAD OF GIRL LEFT PERMANENTLY DISABLED IN CRASH WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RIPS DEMS: ‘I REJECT YOUR SYMPATHY’

She specifically called out Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who had remarked during the hearing that it was the fourth of its kind and that there were "many other things we could be doing."

"We were all insulted by Democrat Representative Jayapal telling me — literally telling me — and all the other angel families in the room ... with disdain on her face, that there's other things they could be doing except listening to four sessions," Jessica Gorman said.

ANGEL FAMILIES PLEAD WITH LEADERS TO 'CHOOSE' AMERICAN CHILDREN OVER PROTECTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

"They give us five minutes to tell our daughter's story," Jessica Gorman added. "Our dead children's story. She listened to four before mine. She didn't want to listen to another. And, honestly, I think she should listen to everyone in this room."

Gorman also accused Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., of napping during the proceedings.

Also speaking at the event was Stephen Federico, the father of Logan Federico, who was killed while visiting friends at the University of South Carolina. Stephen voiced intense frustration with the broader criminal justice system.

Alexander Dickey, 30, a career criminal with dozens of prior arrests, is accused of shooting and killing Logan Federico during a home break-in.

"My daughter wasn't killed by an illegal alien," Stephen Federico said. "She was killed by a home-grown American career criminal that we arrested 39 damn times. And he was on the street. Tell me that makes sense.

"Can anyone tell me, please, how a felon like that is left on the street," he added. "It's from fingerprint problems. It's from process problems. It's from weak judges. It's from weak prosecutors."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Jayapal's office for comment.

"Stephanie should be alive today," Cheryl Minter wrote in a petition calling for Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano to be removed. "I had to do what no parent should ever have to. I had to bury my daughter."

Stephanie Minter, 41, was found with multiple stab wounds inside a bus stop shelter in Hybla Valley Feb. 23, Fairfax County police said. Abdul Jalloh, 32, was charged with second-degree murder. He has not been convicted in her death.

"She was an amazingly strong woman, amazingly strong, and happy and brought brightness and joy to so many people," Cheryl Minter told Fox News Digital.

SOROS-BACKED DA'S LAX ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES LED TO 'PREVENTABLE' BUS STOP STABBING MURDER: COMPLAINT

The Department of Homeland Security says Jalloh, a Sierra Leone national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2012, has been arrested more than 30 times. His previous charges included rape, malicious wounding, assault and theft, DHS said.

SANCTUARY COUNTY REFUSED 615 ICE TRANSFER REQUESTS, TURNED OVER JUST 11 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, RECORDS SHOW

"I was shocked. I mean, literally in shock," Cheryl Minter said when asked about his record. "And then this man who's killed her, just is let off like it's nothing. Like it's nothing."

In her petition, Cheryl Minter blamed Descano's decisions for what she called a preventable death. 

"Thirty times the system had a chance to stop him. Thirty times," she wrote. "I think about that every single day."

JORDAN GRILLS SOROS-BACKED DA DESCANO IN HEATED SPAT OVER SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICY: 'THIS IS ALMOST LAUGHABLE'

Cheryl questioned why Jalloh was released after an arrest she recalled from the winter before Stephanie's death. The details of that case and who made the release decision have not been independently confirmed.

"When you let these people back out on the streets, they're not gonna stop. Why would they stop?" she said.

Cheryl Minter also pointed to Descano's 2020 plea bargaining policy. It advised prosecutors to "consider immigration consequences where possible" and weigh how charges could affect a defendant's immigration status, WTOP reported. The outlet reported in May that the webpage detailing the policy was no longer publicly available on Descano's office website. Cheryl Minter argues that prosecutors should put public safety first.

That policy is under federal scrutiny. The Justice Department announced in May it was investigating whether Descano's office gave defendants who are in the country illegally preferential treatment over U.S. citizens in charging decisions and plea deals. The department said it had reached no conclusions. The investigation does not establish how Jalloh's earlier cases were handled.

SOROS-BACKED PROSECUTOR SET FOR CAPITOL HILL GRILLING AS SANCTUARY POLICIES FACE RECKONING

Descano defended the policy after receiving notice of the investigation. 

"My policies are fair, legal, and reflect the values of my community," he wrote in a post on X.

Asked what she wants from her petition, Cheryl Minter said her priority is changing those practices in Fairfax County and beyond. She also wants Descano out of office.

SOROS-BACKED DA ACCUSED OF GOING EASY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GETS SQUEEZED BY HOUSE GOP

"I think, first and foremost, is the change," she said. "Second would be, I would love to see Descano out."

Jennifer Harrison, executive director of the Victims' Rights Reform Council, helped Cheryl Minter start the Change.org petition. Cheryl Minter said she knows an online petition cannot itself remove Descano but hopes it will drive scrutiny of his office.

Congress is also pressing Descano for answers. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, subpoenaed him Sept. 16 as part of an investigation into whether prosecutors give preferential treatment to criminal suspects because of their immigration status.

Jordan set a Sept. 25 deadline after accusing Descano's office of failing to fully comply with earlier requests.

In a previous statement to Fox News Digital, Descano's office called the subpoena a "needless escalation" and accused the committee of waging a "partisan siege" against Fairfax County. It said the office had turned over more than 1,100 pages of documents, that Descano had voluntarily testified and that it would continue to respond to legitimate inquiries while working to keep the county safe.

The office has separately said it is prosecuting Jalloh for Stephanie's murder with a trial scheduled for January 2027 and cannot comment further on the pending case.

WATCH: SOROS PROSECUTOR’S HEARING DEVOLVES INTO ANGRY CHAOS OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RAPE CASE: 'BE QUIET!'

Fairfax County police said Jalloh was arrested after an employee at a local business recognized him and called authorities the day after Stephanie Minter was killed. He was held without bond.

ICE lodged a detainer on Feb. 25 after Jalloh was in custody, asking to be notified before his release, according to DHS. The agency said it had also lodged a detainer against him in 2020 and that an immigration judge later ordered him removed to a country other than Sierra Leone.

Cheryl Minter said employees of Descano's office working on her daughter's murder case have been "wonderful with me." She said her criticism is aimed at the decisions she believes left a repeat offender free.

"I want people never to stop talking about it," she said. "I just don't want the talk to stop, and I'll do whatever to keep it going."

"Stephanie cannot speak for herself anymore. So I am," she wrote in the petition.

Fox News Digital reached out to Descano's office for comment on Cheryl Minter's allegations and petition.

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office identified the victims Wednesday as Hannah Jorgensen, 24, of Tiffin, and Ahmed Osman, 10, of Iowa City.

The sheriff’s office said deputies responded shortly after noon Tuesday to a report of people in the water at Lake Macbride State Park near the Coralville Reservoir spillway.

GEORGIA TEACHER, FATHER HAILED AS HERO AFTER DYING TO SAVE GIRL FROM MYRTLE BEACH RIP CURRENT

At 12:43 p.m., first responders recovered an adult from the Coralville Reservoir. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities searched throughout the evening for a missing juvenile before suspending recovery efforts overnight.

The sheriff's office said the search resumed Wednesday, and first responders recovered the juvenile from the water at 1:24 p.m.

The Iowa City Community School District said Jorgensen was a fifth-grade teacher at Borlaug Elementary and Ahmed was a fifth-grade student at the school.

2 CUSTODIANS DEAD IN POSSIBLE MURDER-SUICIDE AT CHICAGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The district said the deaths occurred during a School of the Wild field trip at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area.

The district said in a statement that it was "heartbroken" by the deaths.

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"Hannah and Ahmed were deeply valued members of our school district community, and their loss is being felt throughout Borlaug and across our district," the district wrote.

"Our hearts are with their families and loved ones, as well as Hannah’s colleagues and students, Ahmed’s classmates and friends, and everyone who knew and cared for them."

The district said counselors and additional support personnel would remain available at Borlaug Elementary.

"This is an extraordinarily painful time for the Borlaug community and our entire school district," the district added. "We will continue to come together, care for one another, and keep Hannah, Ahmed, and their families at the center of our hearts in the difficult days ahead."

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More than a dozen agencies assisted in the search and recovery operation, including the Johnson County Metro Dive Team, local fire departments, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa State Patrol, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and medical personnel.

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also offered her condolences following the deaths.

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"This unimaginable loss touches the entire Borlaug Elementary community and Iowa City School District," Reynolds wrote. "Please know that Iowans across our state are standing with you in the difficult days ahead."

Jorgensen also appeared to have experience working at Garner Elementary.

In a post on social media the school said: "Garner Elementary is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ahmed Osman, a fifth-grade student at Borlaug Elementary, and Hannah Jorgensen, his fifth-grade teacher.

"Prior to her time at Borlaug, Hannah was a beloved member of the Garner staff, serving as a paraeducator for multiple school years, as well as completing both her practicum and student teaching experiences. Hannah’s calm presence, willingness to go above and beyond, and love for all students made Hannah an amazing person and educator.

"Please continue to keep Ahmed and Hannah’s family, and the Borlaug community in your thoughts during this terribly difficult time."

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The sheriff's office said the incident remains under investigation.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Iowa City Community School District for additional comment.

Jayson Barker, of Jeffersonville, faces nearly a dozen counts of voyeurism after being discovered inside the ceiling of the women's locker room at Wilmington College, WLWT-TV reported.

Officers with the Wilmington Police Department responded to the Scheve Athletic Center on the school's campus just before 9:40 p.m. local time Tuesday following reports that someone was photographing team members as they changed.

CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL COACH ARRESTED AFTER STUDENTS MAKE DISTURBING DISCOVERY AT SCHOOL

When officers arrived, they found Barker already being detained by Wilmington College Campus Safety personnel.

Investigators determined that Barker, who was working at the school as a contract custodial employee, had hidden himself in the locker room's ceiling area before being discovered by a member of the team.

SCHOOL EMPLOYEE ACCUSED OF SECRETLY FILMING 12 GIRLS IN CHANGING ROOM FACES NEW CHARGES

"The college's paramount concern is the safety and well-being of its students," the institution said in a statement to the news outlet. "We have been providing counseling and other support services for the affected students since Tuesday night and are taking measures to ensure that no student's safety or well-being is compromised. Also, the college continues to assist with law enforcement's investigation."

Barker is charged with 11 counts of voyeurism and is being held at the Clinton County Jail on a $22,000 cash surety bond. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Oct. 5.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Wilmington College, the Wilmington Police Department, and the Clinton County Sheriff's Office for further comment.

This week, the Greenville County Coroner's Office ruled that Panettiere died from the toxic effects of five drugs found in her system: fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol and Quetiapine.

Dr. Anna Lembke, a Stanford psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist, told Fox News Digital that while the circumstances surrounding the actress' death remain unclear, the combination of drugs in her system likely increased the risk of a fatal overdose.

"We don't know if she sought out fentanyl. We don't know if she had a counterfeit pill that had fentanyl in it. She might have been prescribed fentanyl for pain," Lembke said. "She was also on a benzo. We know combining benzos and opioids increases the risk of overdose of each of those medications separately. It looks like she was also on Quetiapine, a mood stabilizer, but also highly sedating in the mix."

HAYDEN PANETTIERE DEATH: DEA JOINS PROBE INTO WHAT HAPPENED TO LATE STAR

Lembke continued: "We don't know where she sourced it, but it does look like it was a lethal polypharmacy, including fentanyl, which on its own is an incredibly lethal drug."

The Cleveland Clinic defines polypharmacy as taking several medicines regularly, usually four or more.

While Lembke cautioned against drawing firm conclusions about what exactly led up to Panettiere's death, she said the tragedy underscores a broader reality: fentanyl remains a deadly threat that can affect anyone.

"This is still a very serious risk, and it's a risk that doesn't discriminate. Old and young, rich and poor, famous, not famous. Because of the increased access to these highly potent and potentially lethal drugs in the modern age, we're really all at risk for this problem," Lembke said.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times more potent than heroin, has transformed the nation's illicit drug supply over the past decade.

PRESLEY GERBER’S DEATH SPARKS QUESTIONS ABOUT OVERDOSE, WITHDRAWAL AND REHAB SAFETY

Deaths involving synthetic opioids, primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl, began climbing sharply in 2014 and reached a record 73,838 in 2022, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Fentanyl's potency is only part of what makes it so dangerous, Lembke said. Just as concerning is how trace amounts are concealed in counterfeit pills designed to look like legitimate prescription medications.

Lembke said a "very real risk" for young people, even those who aren't struggling with addiction, is that they're given a pill at a party that looks just like Xanax or Oxycontin, when it is in fact a counterfeit pill that contains a small amount of fentanyl.

"A single dose to an opioid-naive person could kill, which is why it's so important that we have data-informed discussions with young people in particular," she said.

"The kind of experimentation with drugs in their youth that their parents might've engaged in relatively risk-free... it's not risk-free anymore" for young adults, she added.

Lembke encouraged parents to get ahead of the issue by talking openly about drugs before their children encounter inaccurate or misleading information on social media.

If a parent or guardian recognizes their child has a substance-use disorder, Lembke said they should resist the impulse to brush it off as "normal teenage experimentation."

"These drugs are far too accessible and far too lethal to just leave it to hoping that it will be a passing phase the kid will outgrow," she said. "We know that the earlier we intervene with addiction-related problems, the more likely we are to reroute that person on a new path of life."

Lembke also offered a message to doctors, who she said should prescribe potentially addictive medications cautiously and closely monitor patients for signs of misuse.

As a practicing psychiatrist, Lembke routinely prescribes stimulants for ADHD, opioids for pain and benzodiazepines for insomnia and anxiety. But she said physicians have a responsibility to prescribe them in the lowest effective amounts for the shortest possible duration.

This weekend, area residents will lace up their walking shoes to raise awareness about mental illness and to raise funds for the Rome chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

NAMI Walks Rome is this Saturday, starting at Heritage Park behind the levee.

“Saturday is our big day,” said Bonnie Moore with NAMI Rome. “From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. down at Heritage Park, they can just come that morning. They don’t have to register until they get there. So, we would just love to see a big crowd come down on Saturday morning. Get there about 10 o’clock. The walk actually starts around 11:15 or 11:30, but we will have a ceremony beforehand. The Rome ROTC will be presenting the colors. We will have some games for the kids. We have some Berry cheerleaders.”

The route will take the walkers from the park through Downtown Rome.

“We will go across the footbridge to Broad Street,” said Jim Moore with NAMI Rome. “Then we will go four or five blocks up Broad Street, turn around and come back. They will be stopping traffic. So, look for us at around 11:30 up and down Broad Street.”

The goal is to have 350 participants.

“That’s just based on the model, I guess you might call it,” Mr. Moore added. “In reality, we’ve had over 200, typically, and I think we’ve had close to 200 that have registered so far. Of course, the funds, we had a goal of $75,000. This year, we are a little short, but we’re still going to have it, come rain or shine.”

For more information, you can visit namiwalks.org/rome.

Robert Strang, a 20-year-old from Atlanta, is the older of the two victims. The second student was as Aidan Hamilton, an 18-year-old freshman from Colorado.

"We are heartbroken by the loss of our dear son and are trying to process this unimaginable loss," Strang's family spokesman Scott Sayres told Fox News Digital Thursday. "We are deeply grateful for the incredible outpouring of love, prayers and support by so many beloved friends and family. Their kindness has meant more to our family than we can ever express."

Hamilton's family said in a statement that "Aidan was a bright, wonderful young man who was taken too soon. He is greatly missed. We thank everyone for their prayers and support and ask that you respect our family’s privacy during this time of great loss."

Both families have asked for privacy and compassion as they mourn the losses of their sons.

TWO OLE MISS STUDENTS FOUND DEAD AS PACKAGED KRATOM IS RECOVERED AT TWO SITES: OFFICIALS

Separately, Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Sean Tindell told Fox News Digital that while authorities haven't uncovered any indications of foul play, they haven't ruled it out either.

"Until the autopsy is reported, and the investigators have an opportunity to get statements and collect evidence, then that final determination will not be made until later," he said.

Without the toxicology reports, it's also too early to determine whether kratom or other drugs were involved in the deaths. Police previously said that they found packages of kratom, which is commercially available in many places but not Lafayette County, at both scenes.

He also said that both deaths happened at around the same time, or at least within a few hours, which was also suspicious. However, he said he expects the autopsy reports to give investigators a more specific window.

"The timing of it is suspicious, but I don't know that they have any direct relation other than if they both had ingested the substance from the same source," he said. "Then at some point we would try to track it back to that source and take appropriate action."

Social media posts from the Ole Miss chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity identify Strang as one of seven co-chairmen of the 2026 Rush, when new members are recruited. 

"As our university community continues to mourn the recent tragic loss of two of our students, I encourage everyone to remember that at the center of this are two grieving families, who are processing the unimaginable loss of a child," the school's Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Shawnboda Mead said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

"We have been in touch with the families to offer our deepest sympathies and share university support and resources. Until now, we have upheld their wishes not to release the names of their students," she continued. "Today, the families of Aidan Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colo., and Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, have given us permission to share their names. The families have asked for privacy as they grieve."

Mead continued to urge the public not to rely on speculation or unverified information about the case as law enforcement continues to investigate both deaths.

"We offer heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and classmates of Aidan and Robert," she said. "While there are no words that can alleviate the tremendous sorrow they are experiencing, please keep them close in your thoughts and prayers during this time of immense grief."

Phi Delta Theta's Ole Miss chapter also put out a statement after the university, asking for prayers for both victims. 

"Phi Delta Theta joins the University of Mississippi and the broader Ole Miss community in mourning Robert and Aidan Hamilton and extending our deepest sympathies to their families, friends, chapter brothers, classmates, and all those who knew and loved them."

Strang was discovered at an off-campus home, according to the Lafayette County Coroner's Office. Hamilton, 18, is believed to have been found at Stewart Hall, a male dorm on the Ole Miss campus.

OLE MISS DEATHS, DRUGGINGS HAVE 'EPOPLE SCARED TO LEAVE' DORMS AS BARS, GREEK LIFE CLAMP DOWN

The Lafayette County Coroner's Office previously told Fox News that an 18-year-old had been found in a dorm room and the 20-year-old victim was recovered at an off-campus home. Both deaths are being investigated by the county's narcotics task force, and it's unclear whether they were connected.

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Authorities found packages of kratom, a commercially available drug that has been derided as "gas station heroin," at both scenes, however its role in either death was not immediately clear. Campus Greek life leaders have previously circulated a warning about a synthetic opioid called cychlorphine.

MANHATTAN PROSTITUTE PLEADS GUILTY TO KILLING 3 MEN WITH FENTANYL-LACED DRUGS IN ROBBERY SCHEME

Cychlorphine can be treated with Narcan but sometimes requires multiple doses, students were told. It also may not show up on common drug-detecting strips used to find fentanyl contamination.

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Students are being urged to avoid all drugs.

CHINESE NATIONALS ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING SYNTHETIC DRUGS INTO US PRISONS ON DRUG-SOAKED PAPER

Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that state investigators were assisting local authorities, and that they would try and expedite the toxicology reports on both victims. Such reports typically take weeks to complete.

No official cause and manner of death have been given for either victim as of Thursday morning.

Fox News' Madison Scarpino contributed to this report.