MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 22 (UPI) — According to a new report, mislabeled pills found inside Prince’s estate contain the same drug that lead to his death, the powerful painkiller fentanyl.
Citing an anonymous source close to the investigation, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that pills marked as hydrocodone actually contained fentanyl which is roughly 100 times stronger than morphine.
The publication notes that fentanyl was stashed inside aspirin and vitamin C bottles and that investigators are working under the assumption that the legendary singer took the deadly drug unknowingly.
In June, an autopsy report revealed that the singer had died from a fatal “self-administered” dose of fentanyl. Prince was found dead in an elevator by two staffers at his Minneapolis-area property, Paisley Park, on the morning of April 21. Prescription drugs were found on his person.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Prince’s longtime musical collaborator Sky Dangcil revealed that the 57-year-old began taking painkillers after suffering from a hip injury.
“[Prince] took the pills to keep the show going,” Dangcil said noting that Prince’s inner circle “saw that his hips were turning into a bigger problem.”
