Sean Costello’s autopsy cites accidental drug overdose

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On Tuesday, June 3, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office released its autopsy report on Atlanta bluesman Sean Costello, the subject of this week’s Creative Loafing cover story: Sean Costello, 1979-2008.

Sadly, it was a drug overdose that killed him. The report states that the cause of death was “toxicity of heroin, chlordiazepoxide, ephedrine and amphetamine.”

The report also notes recent cocaine use by Costello. The medical examiner who completed the autopsy, Dr. Geoffrey Smith, says that it is impossible to determine exactly which drug or drug interaction caused Costello’s death, but it was most likely the result of the combination of the drugs in his system.