Legendary performer Prince had “exceedingly high” levels of fentanyl in his system when he died at his Paisley Park estate on April 21, 2016, a confidential toxicology report reveals.
The report, obtained by The Associated Press Tuesday, gives a new look into the night the star died nearly two years after his initial autopsy was disclosed in June 2016. While the autopsy stated Prince had died from an overdose of fentanyl, the exact amount of the opioid painkiller recorded in his system had not been revealed.
Experts told the AP that the amount of the drug recorded at the time of his death in the toxicology report — 67.8 micrograms per liter — was very high, even for someone dealing with a chronic illness. According to the AP, overdose deaths from the drug — which is said to be 50 times more powerful than heroin — were documented from patients with three to 58 micrograms per liter in their systems.
Prince was found unresponsive in an elevator at his Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota. At the time of his death, it was not immediately clear how Prince obtained the fentanyl. After his autopsy was conducted, his death was ruled an accidental overdose. The new report details that the late musician took the drug in pill form orally, allowing it to spread through his system.
Initial investigations into his death noted multiple bottles of pills were found scattered around his estate.
“Many of those areas where the pills were located would be places Prince would frequent, such as his bedroom and wardrobe/laundry room,” one document said.
TMZ reported Prince may have used an alias — Peter Bravestrong — to fill his prescriptions. His bodyguard reportedly made a trip to the pharmacy the day before his death to fill prescriptions.
Prince was 57 at the time of his death. He had 39 solo studio albums under his belt and several hit singles, from “Let’s Go Crazy” to “Purple Rain” and “I Wanna Be Your Lover.”
