Big Spring Police: Suspected Homicide Actually an Overdose

BIG SPRING, TX - Today, Big Spring Police Department officials announced that a homicide they were investigating turned out to be an overdose case.

According to officials, on Aug. 14,  2016, at approximately 8:55 p.m., Big Spring officers were dispatched to 423 Westover in reference to a gunshot victim. Big Spring Fire Department and EMS also responded and found the victim, Sonya Michelle Drake, 56, deceased.

"The Criminal Investigations Division investigated this incident as a Homicide under suspicious circumstances based on the scene and interviews of family and friends [who] were close to Mrs. Drake," BSP officials said. "After analyzing information, processing the scene and receiving a final autopsy report, along with a toxicology report, it has been determined that this was not a homicide. Although we understand why initial reports to dispatch indicated Mrs. Drake had been shot, this has been found to not be accurate. It is found that Mrs. Drake had died of an acute combined drug intoxication 'overdose' and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, and, after the fact, suffered postmortem animal predation."

BSP officials also said, to address some of the rumors regarding this investigation, there was no “protective order” or “restraining order” regarding Mrs. Drake’s boyfriend.

"There had been a Criminal Trespass Warning, which had been rescinded as Mrs. Drake and her boyfriend had worked out their differences, and he was allowed back into the residence," said BSP. "The boyfriend was also cooperative with this investigation, volunteering information and consenting to a search of himself and his vehicle the night of the incident. This investigation has been difficult for the family of Mrs. Drake, and out of respect for them, we will not go into any further details regarding their loved one."