A Message to Our Readers

DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS NOT ALL HEROIN-RELATED

The Times series on heroin in Porter County raised questions among
community residents, including those whose deceased loved ones were
featured in photos on Sunday. Some were hurt. Some were angry.

The photos were published to unmistakably depict the human loss from
drug abuse, especially heroin. Showing their faces, we hoped, would
show these were real people with real lives and, in some cases, real struggles.

A Roosevelt University study released in January 2005, which helped
spark the series, examined heroin-related deaths, but also included
all opiate-related deaths.

The Times included deaths other than those that occurred as a direct
result of a heroin overdose, because of the wide scope addiction to
opiates -- including heroin -- encompasses. Treatment for those
addictions, for instance, can be abused.

Methadone often is prescribed as a treatment for addiction to opiates
such as heroin, codeine, Demerol and morphine. Methadone -- which
metabolizes in the body as morphine -- also can be abused like other
opiates and bought on the streets.

It also can be prescribed by a doctor as a pain-management drug.

To clarify the reasons certain deaths were included, The Times is
re-publishing the names. Today's report includes more detailed
information -- much of it from the Porter County Coroner's Office.

Two people who died methadone-related deaths should not have been
included in Sunday's report; there was no history of substance abuse
although their deaths were reported as opiate-related. Those
individuals were Martin Myers, 41, of Portage, and Beverly Herrold,
57, of Portage. They were prescribed methadone for pain management.
The Times regrets any implication that they abused or were addicted to drugs.

Myers' brother, Stanley Myers of Valparaiso, expressed doubt about
the use of methadone as a pain medication.

"In my perception, methadone should just be used to treat heroin
addiction, but not for pain reasons," Stanley Myers said.

"I think it's (methadone) more addictive -- up there with OxyContin.
It's very dangerous, and I have heard that from several people."

The following individuals were taking methadone prescribed by a doctor:

*Murphy Walker-Harrell, 41, of Valparaiso, died of a methadone
overdose and allegedly abused prescription drugs.

*Rebecca Reed, 46, of Portage, died of a synergistic drug interaction
and had a reported history of prescription drug abuse.

*Rachel Phillips, 20, of Chesterton, died of asphyxia from an asthma
attack caused by methadone toxicity. She allegedly had a history of
intravenous drug use.

The following people were not prescribed methadone, but died from
overdoses of the drug:

* Jacob Fleischer, 34, of Valparaiso. He did not have a history of heroin use.

* Amy Ferron, 33, of Valparaiso, died of a methadone overdose.

* Russell Smith, 38, of Portage, died of a mixed drug reaction of
methadone and alcohol.

The following died of a mix of heroin and other substances:

* Meaghan Greene, 19, of Chesterton, died of a fentanyl overdose
coupled with heroin.

* Ricky Bane, 45, of Portage, died of a reaction from mixing heroin
and benzodiazepine.

Those who died from an overdose of prescription opiates were:

* Walter Turner, 43, of Portage. He died of an overdose of
prescription morphine.

* Mary McCauley, 51, of Chesterton, died of an overdose of
prescription fentanyl.

* William Oates, 45, of Valparaiso, died of an overdose of toxic morphine.

Those whose causes of death were from heroin overdoses were:

* Steven Klee, 52, of Chesterton.

* Juan Cardona, 28, of Portage.

* Kathleen Dec, 20, of Portage.

* Shawn Rivera, 18, of Westville.

* Scott Kearby, 46, of Portage.

* Matthew Redelman, 23, of Portage.

* Michael Gore, 23, of Valparaiso.

* Arron Deardurff, 23, of Valparaiso

* Donna Hanish, 39, of Portage.

* Christopher Nunley, 23, of Portage.

* Dana Kelley, 26, of Valparaiso.

* Mark Chapman, 21, of Portage.

* Shawn Polewski, 22, of Portage.

* Jennifer Krzanowsky, 16, of Valparaiso.

* Mindy Ann Self, 19, of Chesterton (Death information is from a
lawsuit filed by her family.)

* James A. Miller, 18, of Valparaiso (Miller's family confirmed his
cause of death).

* Eric K. Martinez, 19, of Chesterton. Details of the type of drug
involved are not available from the Porter County Coroner's office.
His cause of death was listed as drug overdose. Porter County Drug
Task Force Coordinator Robert Taylor said the death was due to a
heroin overdose).

Heroin was involved in the deaths of:

* Manda Spitler, 20, of Valparaiso, whose death was attributed to
heroin use and drowning.

* Quentin Tallent, 24, of Ellwood, Ind., died of a drug overdose of
codeine, heroin and methadone.

One individual died of an opiate overdose coupled with another drug:

* Craig Hendley, 22, of Portage, died of an overdose of morphine and
cocaine and had a blood alcohol content of .13 when he died.

One person died a drug-related death with heroin implications:

* David Wilson, 36, of Hebron, died of a drug interaction, and drug
paraphernalia for heroin use was noted by the coroner's office after
the signing of the death certificate.

One person's toxicology report is still pending from the coroner's office:

* Noreen Legan, 26, of Chesterton, died due to a drug reaction. The
coroner's office said she had a history of heroin abuse and held a
prescription for Xanax, and is awaiting specific toxicology details.

One person's death was reported by the drug task force as heroin-related:

* Robert Gilmore, 21, of Valparaiso (Details of the type of drug
involved are not available from the Porter County Coroner's office.
His cause of death is simply listed as a drug action. Drug Task Force
Coordinator Taylor said Gilmore's death was heroin-related).

The following died opiate-related deaths outside of Porter County and
had an alleged history of opiate abuse:

* Nate Bauer, 21, of Valparaiso.

* Nick Popoff, 38, of Valparaiso.

The following person died a heroin-related death outside of Porter
County and lived outside of Porter County.

* Roger Muckway, 44, of Westville. Muckway died of a heart attack
brought on by consumption of heroin and Valium, according to the
LaPorte County Coroner's Office.