Coroner: Ill. brothers died from drugs; 1 stabbed

[May 07, 2009]  GRANVILLE (AP) -- A coroner says the younger of two central Illinois brothers found dead in their father's car died from a combination of a drug overdose and a stab wound in the back.

Putnam County Coroner Robert Cofoid said Wednesday that the other child died of a drug overdose.

He ruled the deaths of 9-year-old Duncan Leichtenberg of LeRoy and his 7-year-old brother, Jack, are homicides.

Authorities say the children's father, Michael Connolly, is believed to have killed his sons.

They were found in Connolly's car in late March in rural Putnam County. They had been missing since he failed to return the boys to their mother following a custody visit on March 8.

Connolly hanged himself. His body was discovered about 60 yards from the car.

[Associated Press]

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