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A father and son found dead in an Akron attic are suspected to have died from heroin overdose.

(File photo)

AKRON, Ohio -- A father and son were found dead in an Akron attic last week, both suspected to have suffered a heroin overdose.

A woman living in the 2100 block of 10th Street SW was letting 64-year-old Thomas Nash stay the attic of her home. She told police she hadn't seen Nash since Feb. 11 until last Wednesday, when she found Nash dead in the attic.

Next to him was his 46-year-old son, Vincent Nash, according to a police report. Police say both suffered cardiac arrest.

Police suspect the two men had been dead for six days before they were found, the report says. Police suspect the men died of a heroin overdose, although the Summit County medical examiner is awaiting toxicology results that could take up to two months.

One hundred forty eight people died in Summit County last year due to heroin and fentanyl overdoses. Heroin users often become addicted to opioid painkillers after suffering a significant injury, experts say. They then turn to opiate street drugs like heroin when their legitimate prescriptions expire.