Authorities in Cambria County, Pennsylvania have linked the sudden death of a police officer earlier this month to drugs he allegedly stole from a department evidence locker.
Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees said that West Hills Police Sergeant Michael Beblar passed away on June 13 after stealing and ingesting illegal drugs from the locker.
The 40-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest as a consequence of an overdose of fentanyl, hydrocodone, and xylazine.
District Attorney Greg Neugebaur confirmed that an investigation into the officer's death revealed that he had stolen drugs from current and previous cases among his personal belongings.
“I think it's safe to say this wasn't a one-off occurrence. How long it was going on? Frankly, we'll never know,” he added.
Beblar's alleged behavior has left his family and colleagues in shock.
“The Beblar family has been extremely gracious throughout this process. They have expressed shock and surprise at his apparent drug usage. They are clearly a very strong family,” said Neugebaur.
