LA Angels' PR Exec Reportedly Supplied Tyler Skaggs With Drugs That Killed Him
He is cooperating with the DEA.
Getty A few months ago, MLB pitcher Tyler Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room. A cause of death wasn't immediately announced, but it was later revealed that he'd died of a drug overdose. A subsequent autopsy revealed that the drug in question was oxycodone, and what's worse, it was revealed that, possibly, an Angels employee gave it to him and that ultimately killed him. But who is Eric Kay, and did he give Tyler Skaggs the oxy that killed him?
Oxycodone addiction is one of the biggest scourges on American society today. According to The Addiction Center, oxycodone, known on the street as "Hillbilly Heroin," is a modified version of opium, which is why it's normally prescribed as a painkiller. Brand names for the drug include Percocet, OxyContin, and Roxicodone, but whatever name you call it, those who abuse the drug find themselves risking addiction and, as Tyler Skaggs has proven, death.
More than 13 million Americans abuse oxycodone in the United States, and that 13 million included, apparently, Tyler Skaggs.
Let's look at what we know about his alleged dealer.
1. He hired an attorney.
According to ESPN, Eric Kay hired an attorney to represent him after it was revealed that he may have provided him the drugs that killed him. Michael Molfetta, a renowned criminal defense attorney, said that Kay was cooperating with federal investigators who were looking into Tyler Skaggs' death, but also said that Skaggs was an "addict" who overdosed.
2. Technically, Tyler Skaggs didn't die of an Oxy OD, so it's questionable as to whether Eric Kay is responsible.
According to The Daily Beast, technically speaking, Tyler Skaggs died after choking on his own vomit, so the question of whether Eric Kay is responsible or not is up in the air. People react to drugs in very different ways, and what can kill someone will have no effect on another person. There's also a question of free will. Eric Kay may have given Tyler Skaggs the Oxy, but it was up to Tyler whether he wanted to take it or not.
3. Eric Kay is currently on paid leave from the Los Angeles Angels.
Whether this is a wise idea or not, according to Yahoo, Eric Kay is currently on paid leave from the Angels while they await the results of the investigation. It should also be noted that he's been cooperating with investigators, and even gave them the names of at least five other players on the team who are also allegedly using Oxycodone.
4. Eric Kay has an addiction of his own.
Because dealers today get high on their own supply, Halos Haven reports that while he's on administrative leave, Eric Kay is also getting treatment for his own addiction to opioids. He said, additionally, that he was doing this because he wanted everyone in the organization to take responsibility for their roles in, even indirectly, contributing to Tyler Skaggs' death.
5. Is a wrongful death suit possible from Tyler Skaggs' family?
The Los Angeles Times suggests that Tyler Skaggs' surviving family might have a possible wrongful death suit against both Eric Kay individually and the Los Angeles Angels as a team. "Attorneys have said that tens of millions of dollars could be at stake in a potential wrongful-death lawsuit if attorneys can prove a party besides Skaggs might be at least partially responsible for his death. Skaggs was under contract for $3.7 million in 2019 and would have had one more year of arbitration before becoming a free agent in 2021. He was 7-7 with a 4.29 ERA in 15 starts in 2019 and had a career record of 28-38 with a 4.41 ERA in 96 starts," reports the outlet.
6. Did Eric Kay see Tyler Skaggs take the drugs?
According to The Orange County Register, there's a chance that Eric Kay may have seen Tyler Skaggs take the pills that ultimately took his life. If that's the case, there's a chance that Eric Kay may indeed be responsible for Tyler Skaggs' death.
We just have to wait and see how the investigation plays out.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.