Two North Carolina men on Spring Break in Florida who were previously accused of drugging, raping and robbing a woman, who later died, could face upgraded homicide charges following the release of the victim's cause of death.
An autopsy report revealed that Christine Englehardt's death in March was caused, in part, by a combination of fentanyl, alcohol and asphyxia caused by the position of her body.
Evoire Collier, 21, and Dorian Taylor, 24, have previously pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual battery, burglary with battery, theft and credit card fraud.
Evoire Collier, 21 , and Dorian Taylor, 24 , could face upgraded homicide charges in connection with the death of tourist Christine Englehardt in March
Toxicology tests have revealed that fentanyl and alcohol played roles in Englehardt's death
Florida State Attorney Ashley Moody was said to be looking into filing homicide charges against the pair, reported Miami Herald.
As of Monday afternoon, the suspects' charges have not been amended, according to court records.
Englehardt, 24, a tourist from Pennsylvania, was found dead on March 18 after police responded to 'reports of an unconscious female' at the Albion Hotel in South Beach, just hours after allegedly being filmed on surveillance video entering the hotel with Collier and Taylor.
Englehardt was staggering and had to be propped up by Taylor from behind.
When the two men were later picked up by the police, Collier allegedly confessed to giving Englehardt a 'green pill,' which he claimed he thought was the painkiller Percocet.
Police said the pill was made to look like the prescription opioid pain medication oxycodone, but was actually fentanyl.
According to police, Collier and Taylor led a severely intoxicated Englehardt into her room, where they sexually assaulted her after she lost consciousness, and then stole her credit cards to help fund the rest of their South Beach vacation.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Officer has concluded that Englehardt died after ingesting fentanyl pills, which were 'rapidly fatal,' according to a toxicology report.
Englehardt was found lying face down on the bed at the Albion Hotel in South Beach on March 18 after she was raped and robbed
Englehardt , pictured with mom Doreen, was allegedly given a green pill by one of the suspects, which was made to look like a painkiller but contained fentanyl
Tests showed the tourist's body also contained trace amounts of cocaine, marijuana and amphetamine, but it was not immediately clear when or where she had ingested those drugs.
Her blood alcohol at the time of her death was between 0.197 and 0.24, which is more than twice the legal limit.
According to the Medical Examiner, the concentration of fentanyl in Englehardt's blood was fatal, but the 'positional asphyxia,' with the woman's face 'pressed down' in the bed, 'cannot be excluded' as a contributing factor.
The Medical Examiner's Officer has not ruled on a manner of death.
During a court hearing on Friday, a judge asked whether Engelhardt's death was a homicide.
'It may be,' a prosecutor was quoted as replying.
Collier and Taylor are due back in court on Friday.
