A Washington State University freshman was found dead in his dorm room about 10 miles from the scene of the quadruple Idaho murders.
The body of Luke Morgan Tyler was discovered around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 in the Perham Hall dorm on WSU’s Pullman campus when police received a call from an unidentified person.
A petition has been started calling for an investigation into Theta Chi’s fraternity home over allegations that Tyler suffered “inhuman” and cruel harassment there shortly before his death.
No cause of death was released and despite the petition, police say they don’t suspect foul play.
The site is just 10 miles from the home in Moscow, Idaho where friends Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Gonvalves, both 21, and Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, both 20, were stabbed to death in November.
Perham Hall is also less than a mile from suspect Bryan Kohberger’s home. He was a graduate student in criminology at WSU. There’s no indication the murders are connected to Tyler’s death, but the tragedy at the dorm further shaken local residents, who were severely traumatized by last year’s bloodbath.
“His death followed directly after a long and gruesome pledging process authorized by his Theta Chi brotherhood,” the petition reads. “Their inhumane and cruel harassment forced Luke and many others to do things no one should ever be forced to do.”
Tyler, 19, went to school on the Pullman campus where suspected Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger was a graduate student in criminology.
Luke Morgan Tyler, 19, was found dead in his WSU dorm on Jan. 22. Officials have not released Tyler’s cause of death and do not suspect foul play
Petition organizer Trevor Michalski called for the fraternity to be “immediately” investigated and “closed.”
About 9,000 signatures had been collected as of Sunday night, with several close friends of Tyler calling for justice.
“No one should ever have to go through what Luke did,” one person wrote. “It cost him his life. This happens in college, on sports teams and in high school and more. Hazing should be banned and punished worldwide.
“My condolences to his family and other families going through this. My daughter was good friends with him and mentioned what a nice guy he was. That could have been prevented.”
“Hazing is a level of bullying that is widely permitted. A strong message needs to be sent to stop this practice immediately,” added another. ‘Luke expected to be safe among like-minded people… that was clearly not the case.’
WSU’s Theta Chi Fraternity was not immediately available for comment.
Tyler was found about 10 miles from where Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were killed on November 13 in the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho
An online petition claiming Tyler died after being subjected to extreme harassment as part of Theta Chi’s ‘inhumane’ pledge trial. Pictured: Pullman’s Theta Chi House
Petition organizers are calling for justice for Tyler while the investigation continues. Several authorities insist on investigating the connection
As the investigation continues, WSU police warned against online speculation and warned of the intervention of internet detectives.
“There has been a significant amount of conjecture as to the circumstances of this incident and the actual cause of the student’s death,” a police spokesman told 4 News Now.
“I would like to caution the public at this point in the investigation against speculation. The facts in this case are still being collected. It could be several weeks before the Coroner’s Office can determine the cause and manner of death. We want to ensure that the investigation can continue unhindered.’
A GoFundMe was set up to help Tyler’s family raise money for his funeral and donate a large sum in his name. As of Sunday, more than $11,000 had been raised.
As the investigation continues, WSU police warned against online speculation and warned of the intervention of internet detectives
Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, allegedly murdered the four University of Idaho students. He attended WSU Pullman
Police recently searched WSU in December on suspicions that Idaho had arrested Kohberger in connection with the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin murders.
All four died in their beds at their home in Moscow in the early hours of November 13 in a murder so brutal that police described the scene to as “the worst we have ever seen”.
Authorities were seen inside the college’s criminology building late last month — at the entrance to Room 12, where Kohberger shared the room with two other graduate students.
The campus is a 15-minute drive from Moscow, Idaho.
Earlier photos also showed police searching his home in the Steptoe Village apartment complex in Pullman, Washington.