Police suspect carbon monoxide poisoning in deaths of Southern Pines, Troy men at Asheville motel

Jacob Bruton Galloway, 28, of Troy, and James Patrick Landreth, 39, of Southern Pines, were found dead in a room at a Best Western hotel on Tunnel Road in Asheville on June 9. They were in town for a rugby tournament, and police said the men had been out celebrating on the night of June 8.

An application for a search warrant said a third man staying in the room, Gareth Adam Galloway of Pinehurst, awakened and found the two men dead.

According to the warrant application, Asheville Fire Chief Shane Mackey determined a utility room directly behind and below the men's room contained two water heaters and two air heaters. Mackey determined that an exhaust pipe wasn't vented to the outside, and that carbon monoxide could have seeped from the utility room to their room.

The Office of the State Medical Examiner has performed autopsies on the men, but police said toxicology reports could take up to eight months to complete.

Gareth Galloway told police that all three men had smoked marijuana, but Asheville Police Detective Jason Hunter noted in his application that he found no indication of drug use in the room and saw no injuries that would indicate foul play.

Charlotte attorney Charles Monnett represented the family of Shirley and Daryl Jenkins in a lawsuit filed against the Arizona-based hotel chain, and he criticized Best Western.

"It's truly outrageous ... that they don't care any more than they do about the safety of their guests," Monnett said Wednesday.

A Best Western spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.