Full Notification

On April 13, 2016 shortly after 7:30 am Burlington Police and Fire were called to a Luck Street apartment for a report of a male subject experiencing an overdose. Responding police officers administered nalaxone and were quickly relieved by Burlington Fire personnel. Despite life saving efforts Rup Paudel, 28 years of age of Burlington, died at the scene.

The investigation found that Paudel had ingested heroin prior to being found unresponsive. The quantity of heroin identified is consistent with a single dosage amount and in no way appears to be an intentional overdose act. Evidence of heroin use was found at the scene but the heroin ingested was completely gone. Given the absence of actual heroin at the scene investigators will await toxicology results, part of the Medical Examiners investigation, to determine the actual drug present in the deceased’s system. The investigation also indicated that Paudel used another drug in the hours before his death. The exact cause and manner of Paudel’s death will be determined by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner at the conclusion of the joint investigation, which can take up to eight weeks.

The Luck Street apartment where this incident took place has been the source of drug activity and the focus of recent investigations. During the course of the death investigation a distribution quantity of crack cocaine and several thousand U.S. dollars were seized from a common area of the apartment by investigators. The source of the crack cocaine and the suspected proceeds of cocaine sales seized is the focus of a parallel investigation.

Investigators also are awaiting toxicology results in another recent apparent overdose death. On March 22nd, 2016 Leslie Johnson, 50 YOA of Burlington was found deceased in her North Street apartment. The investigation into Johnson’s death revealed that she had been using heroin in the moments leading up to her death. Similarly, investigators located evidence of heroin use but did not recover an actual sample of the heroin used by Johnson.

On April 8, 2016 during the evening hours Burlington Police and UVM Rescue were called to a South Willard Street apartment for an apparent heroin overdose. Arriving officers discovered a 25 YOA Burlington female suffering from what they suspected was a heroin overdose. The officers administered two dosages of nalaxone which began to reverse the acute symptoms the female was displaying. UVM Rescue arrived on scene and assumed treatment of the female victim who was transported to the UVM Medical Center. Subsequently the female victim fully recovered. The investigation of this incident confirmed that the female victim had ingested heroin prior to her experiencing the overdose.

The inherent dangers of opiate addiction present in a community in many ways. Although the exact cause and manner of the April 13 death has yet to be determined it is important to note that heroin use is a contributing factor. Heroin can be lethal alone, but heroin is also known to be cut with other agents such as fentanyl. The investigation has yet to firmly identify the exact composition of the heroin ingested, but incidents such as this stand as a reminder of the inherent dangers facing the opiate addicted population.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to call Det. Cpl. Ric Volp at (802) 540-2277. Anyone with information related to opiate distribution is urged to call the Burlington Police Department Drug Tip Line at (802) 540-2420.