The much-anticipated, long-awaited toxicology results for Florida pastor Zachery Tims should be available later this week, according to the New York Chief Medical Examiner’s office.
A Public Affairs representative for the New York Chief Medical Examiner’s office told Charisma News Tuesday that the case is still pending, and results may be available Wednesday or Thursday.
Tims, senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center (NDCC) in the Orlando, Fla.-area, was found dead Aug. 12 in his room at the W Hotel in Times Square.
The 42-year-old was in town for a speaking engagement when hotel housekeepers discovered his body on the floor of his room. Daily News reported that a police source said Tims may have died of a drug overdose, as a small glassine envelope containing a white substance was found in Tims’ pocket.
Tims was a self-proclaimed former drug user and even wrote about his story in his book, It’s Never Too Late. At the funeral, Bishop T.D. Jakes spoke about how unhappy Tims was before his death.
“I thought I was the only one who knew how unhappy Zach was, how broken he was, how afraid he was if anybody was to see any flaw in him,” Jakes said. “He tried hard to heal himself, to fix himself … I don’t know what happened in that room in New York, but I can only hope that as Zach was dying, Dr. Tims stood up.”
Tims and his then-wife, pastor Riva Tims, founded NDCC in 1996. Many have wondered about the fate of the megachurch and if Riva Tims will return to shepherd a broken flock.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Tims wrote: “In response to so many of your inquiries..I have gotten an overwhelming response from my New Destiny Family to come home and/or at least minister to them. However, I have not been contacted by NDCC staff to return or to assist in the transition. I will continue to pray and cover NDCC, that the vision Zack and I birthed will continue! Thanks for all of your love and prayers.”
Stay tuned to Charisma News for updates on the toxicology report.
Jennifer LeClaire contributed to this report.
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