"Suddenly, I heard her yell, 'No, no, no!' I thought she might have been in a car accident. That was the last I heard from her."
SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey was shot and killed on campus by a former boyfriend, who was found dead hours later inside a church on Tuesday, according to authorities. McCluskey, a 21-year-old senior from Pullman, Washington, was shot outside a dormitory just before 10 p.m.
Police followed the shooter, identified as 37-year-old Melvin Rowland, into an off-campus church after he was spotted at about 1 a.m., University of Utah Police Lt. Brian Wahlin said. Wahlin said Rowland’s body was found inside the church. Police didn’t provide circumstances of his death.
McCluskey’s family said in a statement she was returning to her apartment from a class Monday night « and talking to me on the phone. »
« Suddenly, I heard her yell, ‘No, no, no! I thought she might have been in a car accident. That was the last I heard from her, » the family statement said. « My husband called 911. I kept the line open and in a few minutes, a young woman picked up the phone and said all of Lauren’s things were on the ground. »
The statement said Lauren dated her alleged killer for about a month.
« He lied to her about his name, his age, and his criminal history, » the family statement said . « Lauren was informed by a friend about his criminal history, and she ended the relationship with her killer on October 9,2018. »
The family said she blocked his phone number as well as the number of his friends and told University of Utah police that she was being harassed.
McCluskey was a track and field athlete and majored in communication.
University President Ruth Watkins said the university canceled classes Tuesday and scheduled a 5 p.m. vigil for McCluskey.
« As a campus community, we share grief over this tragic loss of life, » she said in a statement .
Athletics Director Mark Harlan said university counselors and psychologists were available to support McCluskey’s teammates, coaches and friends.
« This news has shaken not only myself but our entire University of Utah athletics family to its core, » he said.
McCuskey’s body was found in a car near the university’s medical towers, Wahlin said.
« It was really scary to look out the window and see. I saw 15 to 20 police officers right where we’re standing right now, » Tyler Olsen, a student who lives in family housing near the shooting scene, told the Deseret News. « I mean, you’re in your home, but nowhere feels safe in that moment. »
Last month, an ex-convict pleaded guilty to killing a University of Utah student from China using a gun stolen after another slaying. Austin Boutain, 24, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
He and his wife were charged with hatching a carjacking plot that led to the October 2017 death of Chenwei Guo, whose parents live in Beijing and were devastated over the death of their only son at age 23.
