Police also found evidence of recent heroin use in plain view inside Nichols’ apartment. A depressed syringe was found on top of a desk within an arm’s length of Nichols’ body. A needle mark was on Nichols’ arm. An open plastic bag containing an off-white powder was found on the kitchen counter. The substance was later tested and found to contain heroin. An autopsy confirmed that Nichols had injected heroin and subsequently died as a result of acute heroin intoxication.