Eyota deaths confirmed to be overdoses

Jan. 21—EYOTA — The two Eyota men who were found unconscious in a garage last weekend died as a result of drug overdoses, the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office announced Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.

Brandon Joseph Mueller, 38, and Anthony George Holzer, 43, died as a result of cocaine intoxication, according to the news release.

In releasing the information, the sheriff's office stated they shared the information "out of concern for public safety in hopes that no other victims are affected by potentially dangerous controlled substances, whether they be 'laced' into other drugs or a standalone substance."

It was not immediately known if the cocaine the pair ingested contained other substances, but other overdoses in the county have been a result of other drugs being laced with the opioids fentanyl or carfentanil.

Toxicology reports on the two men are expected to take up to 12 weeks. All three men who were discovered in the garage were given Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal drug, on scene.

Emergency responders were called to a home in the 500 block of Canyon Lane Northwest in Eyota about 1:05 a.m. on Jan. 15 after a resident of the home found Mueller, Holtzer and another 38-year-old Eyota man in the garage and unresponsive. Mueller was pronounced dead at the scene while Holtzer and the 38-year-old man were taken to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys.

Olmsted County Sheriff's Capt. James Schueller said Friday morning that the 38-year-old man had been released from the hospital and was recovering at home.

It was initially thought that carbon monoxide poisoning may have caused the men's deaths because a gas furnace had been running in the garage.

"The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office is working to be respectful of the families' privacy and we ask that all persons interested in the investigation do the same," the news release concluded. "We also ask that the public be wise in social media comments as this is an extremely difficult time for the families and social media negativity is just not warranted."

"Finally, the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office sends it's deepest condolences to the family and friends of the families involved."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office through the non-emergency number at 507-382-6800 or through Crime Stoppers of Rochester and Olmsted County at 1-800-222-8477.

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