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SAFFORD – Alexander Christopher Coronado, 25, of Thatcher was found deceased at the Economy Inn on Sunday, Nov. 18, shortly prior to 2 p.m. Evidence at the scene suggests Coronado died from an apparent heroin overdose.
Officers were dispatched to the Economy Inn at 225 E. U.S. Highway 70 at about 1:34 p.m. after Coronado was found by the reporting party. The man said he had gone to the room at the behest of Coronado’s mother, who was concerned for his well being.
The man said nobody initially answered the door but then he spoke to Coronado’s 6-year-old son, who said his dad was “sleeping” in the bathroom. The man, who is familiar to the juvenile, was then let into the room by the boy.
Investigators reported finding no signs of foul play in the room but did find several pieces of evidence that indicated Coronado had intravenously used black tar heroin. A number of various unknown pills were also found together in a prescription pill bottle.
The opiate scourge that has gripped the Gila Valley has led to the opening of various treatment facilities, including outpatient facilities that use medically-assisted treatment, such as Community Medical Services and Canyonlands Healthcare, and there is also the Awakening Recovery Center, which specializes in evidence-based therapeutic methods to aid in the recovery process for drug and alcohol addiction.
