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Investigators ‘Explore All Possibilities’ Regarding Three Deaths, One Hospitalization Occurring In Same Room of Same Boone Hotel Recently

Editor’s Note: See updated story on elevated levels of carbon monoxide found in hotel room here

By Jesse Wood

June 9, 2013. Investigators are exploring “all possibilities” to figure out if three recent deaths and the hospitalization of another person are related or purely coincidental because all four stayed in the same room in the same Boone hotel over the past three months, according to Sgt. Shane Robbins of the Boone Police Department.

So far barely any details have been released regarding the two separate incidents, the latest of which occurred yesterday.

Boone Police DepartmentJust before 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Boone Police and Fire Departments and Watauga Medics responded to the Best Western Plus on East King Street in Boone after reports indicated two people were in distress.

When emergency units arrived on the scene, Jeff Williams, 11, was already deceased and his mom, Jeannie Williams, 49, of Rock Hill, S.C., was transported to the Watauga Medical Center. 

“At this time, Boone Police investigators are at the scene working with other agencies to determine what happened,” Robbins said on Saturday afternoon.

Investigators continue to work through the weekend to determine the sequence of events and the cause of Saturday’s medical emergency that resulted in the injury and fatality.

During the course of investigation, investigators discovered that two elderly people were found deceased on April 16 in the same room of the same hotel. As of Sunday morning, Robbins had no other information as the nature of the April incident at Best Western Plus.

“While no evidence has been discovered that these incidents are related, investigators continue to explore all possibilities,” Robbins stated in release sent out close to midnight on Saturday.

“Due to the complicated nature of the incident, additional information will most likely not be available until later tomorrow afternoon. New information will be released when it becomes available.”

Robbins added on Sunday that no new information will be released until at least Tuesday. 

“We have been able to determine that there is no danger to the general public,” Robbins added. 

The hotel manager at the Best Western has been unavailable for comment the entire morning, and a desk clerk answering the phones wouldn’t comment on the situation.