Washington State University police investigating death of freshman student

Campus police at Washington State University are investigating the death of a freshman who was found dead in his dorm room Sunday.

The Whitman County coroner’s office identified the student as 19-year-old Luke Morgan Tyler.

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According to The Spokesman-Review, Tyler was found dead in his dorm room at WSU’s Perham Hall on Sunday afternoon. WSU police assistant chief Dawn Daniels told the Review that foul play is not suspected.

The campus paper, The Daily Evergreen, is reporting that the student was a member of a fraternity.

The Whitman County coroner is working to determine Tyler’s cause of death.

On Wednesday, WSU Pullman Chancellor Elizabeth Chilton released a statement on Tyler’s death, reading in part:

I continue to be heartbroken over the student death that occurred in a residence hall on our campus over the weekend. The loss of a member of our Cougar family creates a tremendous loss for all of us, and I want to extend my deepest condolences to the student’s family, friends, classmates, and fellow Cougs.

In the tragic case of any student death, WSU has a strict protocol to follow with procedures that were put in place out of respect for both the families and the investigative process. Arguably the most important element of this protocol is the direct outreach from our Dean of Students Office to the family and friends of the decedent. I’m very thankful for the incredible work and ongoing support services provided by our Dean of Students in this case, and overall.

WSU Pullman will not release any information about the individual until details have been coordinated with the family and the Whitman County Coroner’s Office. We will always maintain a high level of respect for both the families and investigative process, and will not disclose any information that could inadvertently disrupt this process.

I understand that during trying times a lack of information often leads to confusion and questions. I urge everyone to avoid speculation about this incident so that the investigation may proceed unimpeded. We anticipate that the coroner’s office will release more information, including the cause and manner of death, in the coming weeks.

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