Perryville police tracking drugs that may have caused three de

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perryville police continue to investigate three apparent drug-related deaths from earlier this week.

Police chief Keith Tarrillion said officers have talked to some of the people who were at the same party last weekend with Dwayne Alan Hill, Dean Novack and Michelle Welty, who were found dead. Tarrillion said investigators believe they are making progress in finding out where Novak, Welty and Hill may have gotten the drugs that police believe caused their deaths.

Hill was found Tuesday in a field near the Perryville Industrial Park. Novack and Welty were found Wednesday in their homes. Police said that preliminary autopsy reports on Novack and Hill revealed cocaine and OxyContin and traces of other substances.

An autopsy has not been done on Welty, and Perry County Coroner Herb Miller said that an autopsy on her is not necessary.

"Once we found out drugs were involved, there was no need," Miller said. "We will run toxicology on her."

Toxicology results on all three bodies are expected to show exactly what substances they may have ingested, Tarrillion said. He said that investigators are waiting for the reports to see if the drugs were tainted or if the three died from overdoses.

Toxicology results are expected to take two to four weeks. Tarrillion said police are not yet ready to make any arrests.