25-year-old Crystal Lake man died of drugs, alcohol

The adverse effects of drugs and alcohol led to the death of a 25-year-old Crystal Lake man, whose body was found last month in a local playground, the McHenry County coroner said Wednesday.

Although a toxicology test determined multiple drugs were in his system, it was heroin and alcohol that ultimately killed Kevin Howard, Coroner Marlene Lantz said.

As for the other drugs in Howard's bloodstream, Lantz would only say that they were not prescribed to him.

On Oct. 19, a 10-year-old boy playing outside West Elementary School in Crystal Lake spotted Howard's body slumped against one of the school's doorways, police said.

Thinking the man was unconscious, the boy went home and told his mother, who then phoned police.

Police alerted school officials of the boy's discovery.

Although an autopsy proved inconclusive, police and Lantz surmised Howard's death was likely linked to substance abuse, which the toxicology test results confirmed.