After months of speculation since San Diego State’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon president was found dead on April 20, the Medical Examiner’s Office reported the cause of death on Aug. 2 to be an accidental overdose of commonly prescribed medications.
According to toxicology tests, SDSU junior Barzeen “B.B.” Barzanji died from acute intoxication from oxycodone and alprazolam, more commonly known as Xanax. The medications are prescribed for pain and anxiety, respectively.
Barzanji, a 20-year-old criminal justice major, was discovered unresponsive the morning after attending a party at SDSU’s Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house.
Before the tests were released, Barzanji’s family members did not suspect foul play, saying he may have died from a heart condition he’d had since childhood.
Following Barzanji’s death, Phi Kappa Theta was put on interim suspension by Student Life and Leadership while an investigation was conducted. Prior to the release of the toxicology report, the suspension was lifted after it was determined Phi Kappa Theta was not responsible for the events surrounding Barzanji’s death.
The details of Barzanji’s death do not change SLL’s conclusion.
According to SDSU Media Relations, the SDSU Police Department will continue its investigation with the new information.