Investigators suspect drug use was a factor in the deaths of four men whose bodies were found in a Palmdale home Tuesday, authorities said.
Authorities have not yet determined an official cause of death for the four men discovered at the property in the 37000 block of 17th Street East, but confirmed that the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Overdose Response Task Force is investigating. .
County deputies and firefighters were initially dispatched to the residence after receiving a call of a person down, sheriff's officials said in a statement. Upon arrival at 4:35 p.m., they found four men dead on the property, two inside the house and two in the backyard.
Investigators gather outside the Palmdale home where four bodies were discovered Tuesday.
(KTLA-TV Channel 5
)
The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office identified one of the men Wednesday as Thomas Lee Ramsey Jr., 35, of Los Angeles. The names of the other three have not been revealed, pending notification of next of kin, but they were identified as a man in his 60s and two men in their 30s.
Sheriff's officials said their initial investigation indicates there was narcotics use at the home.
Nearby residents said the house was a regular venue for parties.
“Something always happens here, always, always, always,” said a 30-year-old resident who did not want to be identified. “Sometimes we don't sleep because they party all night.”
Some of the people who visited the home also appeared to leave, buy drugs and return, according to the resident.
Another resident said there are several known drug trafficking hotspots in the area.
“You see them selling drugs,” said the 61-year-old man, who also wanted to remain anonymous. He said he carries Narcan, a medication to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, because he knows people who use narcotics in the neighborhood.
Authorities believe drugs may be a factor in the deaths of four men whose bodies were found at this residence in the 37000 block of 17th Street East in Palmdale.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The sheriff's task force was created in 2022 in response to a rise in overdose deaths in Los Angeles County and investigates drug-related deaths and the sources of those deaths. According to the department, the task force is also investigating whether sellers could be criminally charged in certain cases.
Overdose deaths have been steadily increasing in the county, tripling since 2016.
Fentanyl leads the trend. According to a November report from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, fentanyl was to blame for nearly 60% of the 3,220 accidental drug and alcohol overdoses recorded countywide in 2022.
