Student found dead in Read Center

An 18-year-old male student was found dead at about 6 p.m. Wednesday in his dorm room on Beck 5 of Read Center.

IU Police Department Chief Keith Cash said there were no signs of foul play and at this time a name cannot be released.

Freshman Johnathon Pendergast was sitting in his room on Beck 5 doing homework when he said he heard panicked screaming coming from the hallway. He was hearing the shouts of his neighbor from directly across the hall.

“‘Someone call the fucking police. I think my roommate committed suicide,’” echoed down the hall from the freshman victim’s room, Pendergast said.

As police and Read staff began to arrive on Beck 5, students on the floor were ushered to the lobby and asked to wait. Sitting in rows along the lobby wall, some students talked. Others just sat with their heads down.

Then at about 7:14 p.m., four police officers exited the Beck-wing elevator with the student covered on a stretcher.

Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith said he received the news at about 6:45 p.m. and arrived at Read soon after the body was removed.

A resident assistant escorted Goldsmith to the floor and after about 20 minutes he returned to the lobby and students were allowed to go back to their rooms.

Goldsmith said he and the University are saddened by this loss.

The victim was shy and kept to himself, but would say hi and ask how you were doing if you saw him, Pendergast said. Residents were unable to give more details about the student.

“We’re waiting on the coroner’s report to release the actual cause of death,” Cash said.
 
— Justin Shockey contributed to this report


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