Methadone Found in Haley Paige's Body, Cause of Death Still Undetermined

KING CITY, Calif. - Toxicology reports from the autopsy of Maryam Haley, a.k.a. Haley Paige, showed a "minimal amount" of methadone in her system when she died, according to The Monterey County Herald.

Paige's autopsy showed no signs of trauma or injuries. Detective Gary Wheelus of the Monterey County Sheriff's Coroner Division told the Herald that even a small amount of methadone could have been lethal.

"What will kill one person won't even hurt another," Wheelus said.

Paige and Inkyo Volt Hwang, a.k.a. director Chico "Wanker" Wang reportedly checked into a Motel 6 in King City on August 20 while en route to the San Diego area.

The story also revealed that Haley and Hwang were married August 2, less than three weeks before Haley's death, at the Las Vegas Garden of Love.

The Herald story states that Hwang took Haley to King City's Mee Memorial Hospital August 21 when he found her unresponsive in their room. She had no pulse and was not breathing when she arrived at the emergency room, and was later pronounced dead.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. that day, the King City Police Department responded to a call from the emergency room saying Haley's death was suspicious. Hwang, who King City Police captain Bruce Miller called a "person of interest" in the ongoing investigation, was questioned at the time of Haley's death, and subsequently booked into Monterey County Jail on suspicion of stolen vehicle possession and murder. The vehicle in question, a 2007 Toyota Corolla, had been reported stolen by Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Nevada July 23, after not being returned. Police have declined to say whether any drugs or weapons were found in the vehicle.

Hwang was released from prison August 23 because no charges had been filed against him within the required time period of 48 hours since he'd been booked. According to the Herald, he is believed to have returned south and contacted his relatives after his release.

On September 29, Hwang was found dead at an Economy Inn in Morgan Hill. He had checked in the previous day, and it is unknown why he was there. Police discovered his body following a call by the hotel manager, who'd knocked on Hwang's door to see if he wanted to stay another night, and received no response. There were no signs of injury or trauma, and no drugs or weapons found. Toxicology reports from his autopsy are still outstanding, but police are not considering his death suspicious.

Capt. Miller said Hwang's death has not changed his department's investigation into Haley's death. "It's still open until we get the test results from the coroner," he said.