(SALEM, IL) — In a joint statement, Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon and Marion County State’s Attorney Bill Milner have announced that every overdose death in Marion County from illicit substances will now automatically be classified as a homicidal death. According to Cannon, this will bring the determination of the manner of death in these cases in line with Illinois Statutes regarding Drug Induced Homicides. He says the statute specifies that any person who unlawfully delivers a controlled substance to another, and that substance causes the death of the recipient, that person is guilty of Drug Induced Homicide. Drug Induced Homicide is a Class X Felony, punishable by imprisonment from 15 to 60 years in prison. Cannon says he and his staff, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and the Marion County State’s Attorney’s Office are fully committed to the successful prosecution of those delivering illicit substances, particularly heroin and other opiates and opioids. Cannon also says that the annual death summaries will specify the number of Drug-Induced Homicides from all other deaths.