Drug use among homicide victims. Changing patterns

Complete toxicology screens were performed on Bexar County homicide victims in four recent representative years (1985, 1986, 1990, and 1991). A high positivity rate for drugs and/or alcohol, ranging from 66 to 73%, was found for each year. Alcohol was present in more than half of the cases, ranging from 54.2 to 60.3%. Detection of cocaine or cocaine metabolites increased drastically during this study period, from 1.6% of cases in 1985 to 18.7% in 1991. Heroin metabolites, indicative of recent heroin use, were detected in only 2-5% of the cases in each of the years studied. Drugs other than alcohol, cocaine, or heroin were detected in 7-25% of the cases.