News

Actions

Police: Springville family autopsies are weeks away; drugs, ‘red liquid’ found in home

Posted at 5:34 PM, Oct 29, 2014
and last updated 2014-10-30 13:14:20-04

Update: The key remaining pieces of evidence in determining how the Strack family died are the autopsy reports from the Utah State Medical Examiner.

The Springville Police Department said those reports will not be available until the end of November.

PROVO, Utah - Police found medications and cups filled with a "red liquid" next to the bodies of five members of a Springville family found in their home. Strack family killed Springville 2

In court documents obtained by FOX 13 late Wednesday, police reveal details about the deaths while seeking access to computers and information about a "homicide" involving Benjamin and Kristi Strack and their children.

"Investigators at the scene determined the cause of death to be an accidental or intentional poisoning either by ingestion or environmental causes," police wrote.

In another warrant affidavit, officers said they found the bodies of Benjamin and Kristi Strack and their children Benson, 14; Emery, 12; and Zion, 11; inside the master bedroom.

"Kristi and Benjamin were lying in the bed and the three children were lying around the bed, covered in bedding up to their necks," police wrote in an affidavit. "Officers reported there was a red liquid substance coming from the mouth of Kristi Strack. All the occupants of the home were non-responsive. Next to each of the victims was a cup/drink with a liquid inside." Strack family killed Springville

Police wrote in a search warrant affidavit that they recovered boxes of cold and flu medication.

"Also in the same closed bag, were two empty boxes of allergy relief medication consistent with generic Benadryl. Approximately five empty blister packs were located for this medication. Among the items located were cups with a red liquid substance in Pepsi cups. Also located withing the residence were empty bottles of liquid Methadone. The Methadone was dispensed to from a drug treatment clinic. Some of the empty bottles had future dates on them," the search warrant affidavit said.

An officer stated in another affidavit that it is probable the deaths were not accidental, writing: "...with the placement of the bodies, it would appear somebody had to position the bodies after they were deceased."

Read one search warrant affidavit here:

A warrant unsealed by the courts said police were looking for instant message conversations with the word "homicide." Five members of the Strack family were found dead in a bedroom last month by their 18-year-old son.

Family members said they were stunned by the mysterious deaths. In one of the warrant affidavits, police said they questioned Kristi Strack's mother, who said "she couldn't believe 'she' would do this to the kids."

"Officers tried to clarify (the woman's) statement, but she only assured them it wasn't a carbon monoxide leak," the affidavit said.

A return to one of the search warrants indicates that police recovered black slippers with a spot of blood on them, as well as a baggy of marijuana.

Springville police had refused to speculate on what caused the deaths or any motive, telling FOX 13 earlier this week the case remained under investigation.

FOX 13 News spoke with Strack family spokesperson Bob McGee. He said he was not surprised about the information found in the search warrant. He would not elaborate any further.