What a really, really sad story-
When the (Medical Examiner's) report came out, we were completely blindsided,” said Elinski.
That report stated Doherty died of an accidental mixed drug overdose.
“On the day that he passed, he was at drill working with a broken hand, awaiting surgery. He was under a doctor's care,” said Elinski.
Doherty's sister says the "substances" in his system were prescribed medications taken as directed, except for one, fentanyl.
[RELATED: What is fentanyl and why is it 'the deadliest drug in the world'?]
“He knew more than the average person what that drug could do so there's just no way that my brother would willingly take something knowing that it had fentanyl in it,” said Elinski.
She says authorities told them the fentanyl in his system came from a pressed pill.
“What they're doing is they're putting together pills that look, this was confirmed by an undercover cop, that they look identical to regular Percocet,” said Elinski.
“Four years ago, we seized zero fentanyl in Arizona. Last year, we seized enough Fentanyl to kill 75 to 80 million people” said Arizona Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman.
[SPECIAL SECTION: Fentanyl's fatal fallout]
He says this is the worst and most potent drug crisis he’s ever seen.
“So the cartels realized that they could manufacture these pressed pills that look like oxycodone pills here in the United States. They're fentanyl-laced pills,” said Coleman.
He says Arizona is being hit especially hard because it's a main smuggling hub.
“We still see some smaller quantities coming in from China but the major production, the mass quantities, those are coming in along southern borders specifically mainly through Arizona," Coleman said.
[RELATED: Americans more likely to die by opioid overdose than in a car crash]
And he says it only takes the smallest amount to be lethal.
“Two milligrams is like, it's literally like a grain of sand,” said Coleman.
Elinski believes her brother was in so much pain and trying to work through it that he took what he thought was just a pain pill.
“I think somebody said, 'I see you struggling,' and I don't believe they even knew that there was fentanyl or that there was the amount of fentanyl in the pill. I don't think anybody did something to him on purpose. I believe that they gave it to him thinking they were helping him,” Elinski said.
[TIMELINE: Emergence of the opioid crisis]
It turned out to be one laced pill that ended it all.
Poisoned pills: Phoenix firefighter, war hero dies after taking fentanyl-laced pill