MINNEAPOLIS:

Variety

Prince

It’s been nearly a year since Prince died from an accidental drug overdose at his suburban Minneapolis recording studio and estate, yet investigators still haven’t interviewed a key associate or asked a grand jury to consider whether criminal charges are warranted, according to an official with knowledge of the investigation.

Prince was 57 when he was found alone and unresponsive in an elevator at his Paisley Park home on April 21. His death shocked fans and led to tributes worldwide. And news that he died of an overdose of fentanyl — a synthetic drug 50 times more powerful than heroin — surprised and saddened those who knew him as someone with a reputation for clean living.

Dozens of counterfeit pills were found in a search of Paisley Park, including at least one that tested positive for fentanyl. Yet authorities still don’t know the origin of those drugs and there has been no indication that they are poised to hold anyone responsible anytime soon.

Investigators’ actions in the hours immediately after his death aren’t entirely known, and search warrants — aside from one that was accidentally and briefly made public — have been sealed. The search warrant that was briefly public notes that first responders started CPR on Prince before determining he was dead.

Authorities conducted a second search more than two weeks after Prince died and recovered more evidence, including many of the counterfeit pills, the official said.

Some information may be revealed on Monday when search warrants executed by local authorities, likely including one from the first search of Paisley Park, are due to be unsealed.

Criminal justice experts say the slow pace of the investigation doesn’t necessarily mean it’s in trouble or that no one will ever be charged. They cite the complexity of tracking illegally obtained pills, the need to be sure before they issue subpoenas, and the high stakes for investigators and prosecutors, who don’t want to suffer an embarrassing defeat in a high-profile trial. (AP)