(L.A.) Idris Murrell, 29, Died From Drugs

Case Number: 2024-07786

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 29-year-old Black male that occurred at his residence.

The coroner’s office identified the man as Idris Murrell.

Manner of Death: Accident

Cause of Death: O-Desmethyltramadol, Mitragynine, and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Toxicity

Other Significant Condition: Hypertrophic Heart Disease

RIP IDRIS MURRELL (April 19, 1995 – May 11, 2024)

Formal pronouncement of death was made on Saturday at 9:20 p.m.

The Department of Medical Examiner publicly disclosed the CoD ruling on July 16, presumably after the results of tox screening had come back positive for the drugs.

O-Desmethyltramadol, also known as desmetramadol or O-DSMT, is an opioid analgesic and the main active metabolite of the drug tramadol. It is formed when the liver enzyme CYP2D6 demethylates tramadol.

Mitragynine is the most abundant active alkaloid in the Southeast Asian plant Mitragyna speciosa, commonly known as kratom.

O-Desmethyltramadol is being sold as a “legal high” and has been identified as an undeclared ingredient in the “legal high” product called “Krypton.” Krypton is claimed to contain kratom leaves but has been found to be spiked with synthetic O-Desmethyltramadol.

In 2010, authorities in Sweden reported nine fatalities associated with Krypton use, likely resulting from opiate-type respiratory depression caused by the combination of kratom’s 7-hydroxymitragynine and the potent synthetic O-Desmethyltramadol.

Toxicology reports from Germany found traces of O-Desmethyltramadol in the urine of Krypton users, indicating they had been directly exposed to the substance rather than just tramadol.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly known as MDMA or ecstasy, is a synthetic drug with both stimulant and mild hallucinogenic properties.

Abuse of MDMA in combination with tramadol is not uncommon.