RASH OF DRUG DEATHS ALARMS VICTORIA POLICE

Heroin overdoses claim at least three in 24 hours. Police probe a fourth
fatality.

Victoria police are investigating the suspicious death of a 39-year-old
Victoria woman this weekend at the Daffodil Inn.

"Foul play has not been ruled out," Staff Sgt. Ole Jorgensen said Sunday.
"The detectives are investigating. They still have some questions that need
to be answered."

It's possible the woman died from a heroin overdose, said Jorgensen.

This weekend, police were called to three heroin overdose deaths within a
24-hour period.

"This could be the fourth heroin overdose in Greater Victoria in the last
24 hours," said Jorgensen.

According to the sergeant, police attend one overdose death on average each
week.

"We do have a lot of drug overdose calls but not a lot that result in
death. So to have four deaths in one 24-hour period is alarming."

Police and B.C. Ambulance paramedics were called to Room 57 at the motel at
680 Garbally Rd. on Sunday at 9:08 a.m. Police, arriving on the scene,
found the room in disarray.

"There was some blood, but that's normal for heroin users," said Staff Sgt.
Dave Kuzina.

Patrol members called in the detectives who then asked members of the
forensic identification unit to gather evidence in the second-storey motel
room.

Jorgensen could not say why police felt the death was suspicious.

"We won't know cause of death until the toxicology report is completed,"
said Jorgensen. "We may have those results in the next few days."

Police are withholding the name of the deceased until next-of-kin have been
notified. Staff at the motel said the woman had been staying there for a while.

Police could not say if the woman was staying in the room with a friend or
if she was found by someone else.

No one has been arrested in connection with the death.

Jorgensen said the coroner will decide if an autopsy will be performed. The
coroner could not be reached for comment.