Published Thursday, July 02, 2009

Officials probe Sunday deaths

By Elizabeth Richardson

The Times-Herald

The Coweta County Sheriff's Office is investigating two unrelated deaths that occurred on Sunday.

Calvin Alexander Parham, 26, was found dead at his home on Arnco Fourth Street, and Robert Allen Wike Jr., 25, was found dead at his Sharpsburg home, according to sheriff's Major James Yarbrough.

Parham was found dead Sunday just before 10 a.m. at 51 Arnco Fourth St. According to the residents who were with Parham at the time, Parham obtained some medication from a friend that morning around 8 a.m. for a toothache and returned to bed. A short while later, his girlfriend checked on him and found that he was not breathing.

Yarbrough said there were no signs of trauma or foul play. Investigators are awaiting the results of a toxicology report to determine the cause of death.

"We will make a ruling at that time," said Yarbrough. "We took statements from everybody at the residence."

Wike -- whose birthday was Sunday -- was found dead shortly after 1 p.m. at 50 Slappy Drive.

Investigators learned from the victim's father that Wike had been "very intoxicated" at his birthday party the previous evening, according to the major. Authorities are now considering alcohol poisoning as a possible cause of death.

No foul play is suspected, and Yarbrough said investigators are reserving their final judgment until they receive the results of the toxicology report.