At Washington State University, where alleged mass murderer Bryan Kohberger was a PhD candidate, a freshman fraternity member was discovered dead in a dorm room amid allegations that he had been subjected to “inhumane and cruel” hazing.
Luke Morgan Tyler was found dead in Perham Hall on the Pullman campus when police arrived, according to the Spokesman-Review.
Dawn Daniels, the assistant police chief at WSU, informed the campus newspaper the Daily Evergreen that while there were no signs of foul play, the cause of death would be determined by the autopsy performed by the Whitman County coroner.
According to Tyler’s friend Emmelie Frausing, he was a Theta Chi fraternity member.
A number of Tyler’s pals started an online petition requesting that the fraternity be looked into.
“His death directly followed a long and cruel pledging process allowed by his fraternity, Theta Chi. Their inhumane and cruel hazing forced Luke, and many others to do things nobody should ever be forced to do,” the petition says.
“We demand that Theta Chi be investigated, shut down and the fraternity’s president, as well as pledge masters and others with power in the fraternity be investigated for their involvement with the death of Luke Tyler,” it adds.
In an email to the Greek community, Erin Lasher, associate director for the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life, stated that “these events generate a multitude of feelings; sadness, uncertainty, fear, and fury.”
She added: “We know that in these circumstances, it’s hard to make sense of what has happened. All of us want to help, and we can feel lost on how to do so.”
The WSU Interfraternity Council, which oversees the fraternal groups at the school, declined to comment to the Spokesman-Review.
WSU spokesman Phil Weiler said “there has been a significant amount of conjecture regarding the circumstances surrounding this incident and the actual cause of the student’s passing,” KREM reported.
