BENZIE COUNTY -- The investigation into a Benzie County man's drug overdose death is drawing attention to an increasing heroin abuse problem in the county.
7&4's Kate Fox spoke with officials leading the investigation.
The death of 21-year-old Michael Everett is now being investigated as a homicide but officials aren't saying much more than that at this time. One thing they are saying is that the death is evidence that heroin use is a growing concern in the county.
Benzie County Sheriff Office Undersheriff Bill Shoten says, “This case can point out that obviously drug usage is not a victimless crime."
Sholten says their latest investigation is evidence heroin use is on the rise in the county.
Sholten explains, "Traffic stops, deputies are discovering paraphernalia in use were also seeing an increase in reported drug overdoses that don't result in fatalities."
Detective Lieutenant with the Traverse Narcotics Team Kip Belcher says, "It's rapidly and unfortunately climbing the charts in terms of what were investigating at the TNT."
Belcher says heroin complaints tripled in 2010 and the trend is showing an extremely younger crowd is using the potent drug.
Belcher says, "Sometimes as young as late teens and as far as mid twenties."
Belcher attributes the increase to a combination of factors including its small size which makes it easy to hide and its cheap price.
Belcher says "Every time someone can get their hands on a $20 dollar bill it’s off and running to their supplier, grab a packet, shoot it up and then try to find another 20 bucks."
Most of the heroin found in Benzie is coming from downstate and big cities like Grand Rapids, Flint, Detroit, Gary, Indiana and Chicago."
Officials say heroin isn't easy to combat but they try to stay as vigilant in their techniques as possible.
Sholten says, "We try to keep our patrol officers educated as to the activities going on, share as much information we can between departments and try to keep everyone aware of what to be looking for and how to intervene."
TNT says heroin use is also up in Kalkaska and Grand Traverse Counties.
In fact Traverse City Police released new details Friday on a death that happened in January…saying the autopsy showed it was a heroin overdose.
