Son of actor Michael McKean dies of suspected heroin overdose

Colin McKean, the 36-year-old son of actor Michael McKean, has been identified as one of two men who died of suspected heroin overdoses in Ashland last week.

Ashland police Deputy Chief Corey Falls said Colin McKean was found dead by a family member at his home in the 700 block of North Laurel Street shortly after 8 p.m. on Dec. 3.

Police said evidence found at the scene suggested McKean died of a heroin overdose. Falls said today police are still awaiting laboratory results to confirm the cause of death.

The other man, identified as 34-year-old Jordan Roth, was found dead by a family friend 24 hours later in the 2400 block of Siskiyou Boulevard.

Police are investigating whether the two cases are connected.

“That’s one thing our detectives look into,” Falls said. “Just because these happened on back-to-back nights, it makes it odd, but our detectives just try to gather information.”

Michael McKean and his wife, Annette O’Toole, own the property on Laurel Street, according to Jackson County property records. Both longtime actors, Michael McKean is probably best known for his role as Lenny on the TV sitcom “Laverne and Shirley” and as David St. Hubbins in the 1984 movie “This is Spinal Tap.”

Colin McKean, whose mother is Susan Russell, was a production assistant for the movies “The Kiss,” “A Mighty Wind” and “Temptation,” and had acting roles in “Vampire Clan” and in his father’s “A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out.”

— Mandy Valencia

Morning Brief Newsletter
Sign up today for our daily newsletter, a quick overview of top local stories and Oregon breaking news delivered directly to your inbox
You can unsubscribe at any time

Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.