Authorities have officially ruled the death of 24-year-old Haley Mills a homicide following new findings from a toxicology report.
Mills was found deceased inside a residence in Schuylkill Haven in early January, initially believed to have succumbed to a diabetic emergency. However, further investigation has revealed fentanyl poisoning as the true cause of death.
Emergency responders were dispatched to 20 Parkway Avenue on Monday, January 6, 2025, at approximately 2:30 p.m. after a family friend, Hugo Noel, discovered Mills' body. The victim’s family had grown concerned when they were unable to contact her for several days and asked Noel to check on her welfare. Upon entering the residence, Noel found Mills unresponsive on the stairwell and immediately called 911.
Upon arrival, officers from the Schuylkill Haven Police Department confirmed Mills' death. Authorities noted that the home was in disarray, raising suspicions about the circumstances surrounding the case. The Schuylkill County Coroner’s Office estimated that Mills had been deceased for approximately 48 hours before her body was discovered.
Due to lingering uncertainties regarding the cause and manner of death, the Schuylkill Haven Police Department sought assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop L Major Case Team. Investigators conducted interviews, executed search warrants, and collaborated with local law enforcement to reconstruct the events leading up to Mills' death.
Initially, a forensic autopsy performed by the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office suggested that Mills had likely died from diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition stemming from insufficient insulin. The report also noted superficial neck injuries, believed to have resulted from prolonged positional contact at the time of her death.
However, a toxicology report later revealed that Mills had a fentanyl level of 7.9 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) in her system—twice the amount typically found in patients receiving fentanyl through a regulated transdermal patch. Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan stated that the level of fentanyl in Mills’ system was lethal and asserted that someone had to have given her the deadly dose.
The Pennsylvania State Police at Schuylkill Haven continue to lead the investigation. As of this report, no charges have been filed in connection to Mills’ death.