SPRINGDALE — A Springdale woman found dead in her attic died from a combination of heat and drugs, according to a report from the state medical examiner.
Sara Burton, 32, was found dead in the attic of her duplex at 1101 Backus Lane on June 27 after a neighbor called police about a suspicious odor. Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to remove her from the attic, where the temperature exceeded 120 degrees.
The report cites “environmental hyperthermia with methamphetamine use” as the official cause of death.
Burton hadn’t been seen in about five days before her body was found, said Sgt. Shane Pegram of the Springdale Police Department. It’s unclear how long she had been dead before she was found or why she was in her attic.
Her body was badly decomposed from the heat, said Washington County Coroner Roger Morris.
An autopsy by the state crime lab is standard procedure for any unattended death, and the report concludes the police investigation into her death, Pegram said.
“We didn’t expect any foul play, but we had to rule it out before we closed our investigation,” Pegram said.
Detectives had sought David Avila, 30, a recent tenant at the duplex, for questioning following the discovery of Burton’s body, and issued a warrant for his arrest for violating terms of his parole. He was arrested the following day on the parole violation, but no charges will be filed against Avila or anyone elsein the death, Pegram said.
Police wouldn’t say whether Avila had lived with Burton, or was a previous tenant at the duplex.
Avila remains jailed on unrelated charges.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 14 on 07/28/2010