overdose, his inquest heard.

Yule Smith died just one day after working in the garden of Odyssey nightclub owner Tucker, due on trial today in the Dutch West Indies.

He was found by a 16-year-old boy lying face down on a trail in Smith's Parish, on the edge of land owned by top Bermuda lawyer Kim Wilson off South Breakers Road.

Coroner Ed King was told Mr. Smith died some time after 10.30 p.m. on June 7, 1997 -- with more than 200 times the lethal dose of morphine in his body.

Government analyst Kevin Leask said the 23.3 micrograms of morphine would have come from a "massive'' heroin overdose.

He said scientific opinion suggested anything over 0.1 micrograms was a lethal dose. And blood and urine tests also showed up positive for cocaine and alcohol.

Consultant pathologist Dr. James Johnston added: "My overall impression was that the deceased died as the result of an overdose of drugs which we now know to be a massive overdose of heroin.'' Thirty-nine-year-old Mr. Smith, of Town Hill Road in Smith's Parish, worked as a caddie at the Mid Ocean golf club.

But he was working in Tucker's garden one day before dying, according to a neighbour on Broken Hill Lane.

Sgt. Alexander MacDonald, who investigated the death, said Tucker denied knowing Mr. Smith.

But he said neighbour Donna Santucci, 34, was one of the last people known to have seen Mr. Smith alive.

Sgt. MacDonald said Ms Santucci's Police statement showed she saw Mr. Smith "working hard cleaning up Tracy Tucker's yard, which he has done before.

"I never saw him after that.'' But the Sergeant added: "Various people were asked to assist in the investigation but became hostile and uncooperative.

"Mr. Smith was also seen cleaning the yard of Tracy Tucker's residence.

"The owner of the property claims he was unaware of the deceased working in that yard that evening and said if he had worked in the yard numerous times before, it was without his knowledge.

"Investigations were unsuccessful in obtaining witness.'' He said Police could not be sure how and when Mr. Smith took the heroin.

But Coroner's officer Sgt. Donald Grant said Mr. Smith's body, wearing jeans, sneakers and a white undershirt, was found by teenager Monroe Darrell Jnr., out walking his dog just after 9 a.m. on Sunday June 8.

The boy raised the alarm with his father, neighbours and Police. And Dr.

Johnston's autopsy revealed Mr. Smith may already have been dead for between six and 12 hours.

The expert said there was blood coming from Mr. Smith's mouth, probably caused when the man fell against a rock on the ground.

Mr. King recorded a verdict of death by misadventure on Mr. Smith, whose sister Roberta Ascento wiped away tears after reading her own statement.

He said: "There was no evidence of foul play and no suspicious circumstances.

"There was 23.3 micrograms of morphine in his urine. That's excessively high.

That morphine entered the body either through inhalation or ingestion of diamorphine or heroin.

"In addition, cocaine and alcohol were found in the deceased's urine. To the surviving relatives and friends of the deceased, the court extends its deepest sympathy.''