Josiah Malachi Kilman, Campbellsville University freshman murdered by wrestling team mate, Charles E. Escalara found dead at Kentucky dorm. No known motive.
A student was found dead at a private Christian university dorm room early Saturday morning, and another student was arrested in connection with the killing, Kentucky officials said.
Josiah Malachi Kilman, 18 was identified as the victim with Campbellsville University school officials identifying fellow student, Charles E. Escalara, 21 as the suspect. The two men were part of the school wrestling team.
The wanted man was arrested Saturday night, and charged with murder. A school lockdown which had been initiated during the search for the wanted man was lifted, Campbell police said in a release.
Former wrestling student champ accused of killing fellow freshman teammate
Kilman was found unresponsive in his dorm room at the university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, at approximately 12:43 a.m. Saturday, police said.
He was taken to Taylor Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A cause of death has not been determined. Kilman’s body was transferred to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville, where an autopsy will be performed, police stated.
Escalera according to an arrest warrant now faced pending charges of murder and second degree burglary.
Read a post from The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) on social media:
‘Charles “Zeke” Escalera was a 2017 Fargo Champ for Kentucky and a 2018 Prep National Champ for Wyoming Seminary… He has now been charged with Murder after allegedly killing a freshman teammate last night at Campbellsville University in Kentucky.’
‘Campbellsville University is grieving the loss of one of our family,’ University President Joseph Hopkins said in a statement, NBCNews.com reported. ‘We have lost a student and our hearts are broken. During this devastating time, the continued safety of our students and the residents of our community are our primary concern.’
School left shaken
Malte Akmam, a student at Campbellsville University, said it was quiet on campus Saturday in the wake of Kilman’s death.
‘I think everyone is shocked from what happened yesterday,’ he told LEX18. ‘It’s kind of hard to grab what really happened but we’re trying to stay safe now and just take care of each other.’
Before the arrest, the university said in a statement that though police had determined there was no continued threat to students, it advised students and people living near campus to ‘heighten precautions.’
‘Secure your residences, secure vehicles, and increase awareness of your surroundings,’ the statement said.
No known motive
Officials had yet to say what led to the killing and how they came to establish Escalara as the suspect.
Counselors were available for ‘students seeking emotional support during this tragedy,’ the university statement said. The Ransdell Chapel is also open for students and staff ‘for prayer and support of one another.’
Campbellsville, a private Christian university, is located 85 miles south of Louisville.
