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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 24 OctOber 2018
Records: Suspect

in Utah university

killing was sex offender

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST Tuesday seeking comment.
and BRADY McCOMBS Rowland was released
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A from prison in 2012 after
University of Utah student serving eight years and has
and track athlete who was twice been sent back from
shot and killed on cam- halfway houses after violat-
pus by a former boyfriend ing his parole, Utah prison
had filed a police com- spokeswoman Kaitlin Fel-
plaint against him after she sted said. He was most re- This Aug. 21, 2018 photo, provided by the University of Utah,
shows Lauren McCluskey, a member of the University of Utah
learned he was a sex of- cently paroled in April and cross country and track and field team.
fender and broke off the was living on his own. Associated Press
relationship, authorities said Lauren McCluskey was
Tuesday. found shot in a car Monday that moment.” ter was a Washington state
Investigators had been night near student hous- Jill McCluskey said she and high jump champion in
working to build a case ing. Rowland killed himself her daughter had been high school and loved to
after receiving the report overnight at a church after talking on the phone when sing.
from 21-year-old Lauren police tracked him down, she heard her yell, “’No, no, University President Ruth
McCluskey, a senior from authorities said. no.’” A few minutes later, Watkins said classes were
Pullman, Washington, uni- Initial reports of the shoot- a woman picked up the canceled Tuesday and
versity police chief Dale ing sparked panic on the phone and said all of Lau- a vigil would be held
Brophy said. He declined to Salt Lake City campus. Uni- ren McCluskey’s belong- Wednesday night.
disclose further details on versity officials ordered stu- ings were on the ground. “As a campus communi-
the report. dents to stay in place for “I thought she might have ty, we share grief over this
The victim’s mother, Jill Mc- about three hours as they been in a car accident,” Jill tragic loss of life,” Watkins
Cluskey, said her daugh- searched for the gunman. McCluskey said. “That was said in a statement.
ter had filed a harassment “It was really scary to look the last I heard from her.” Athletics Director Mark Har-
complaint after breaking out the window and see. I Lauren McCluskey was lan said counselors and
up with 37-year-old Melvin saw 15 to 20 police officers majoring in communica- psychologists were avail-
Rowland. right where we’re standing tion and was excited to able to support McClus-
Lauren McCluskey had right now,” student Tyler graduate next spring, said key’s teammates, coaches
dated Rowland for about told the Deseret News. “I her mother, a professor at and friends. He said she was
a month then ended the mean, you’re in your home, Washington State Universi- a proud Ute and an out-
relationship on Oct. 9 when but nowhere feels safe in ty, adding that her daugh- standing student-athlete.q
she learned he had lied
about his age, name and
criminal history, Jill McClus-
key said in a statement.
Rowland had spent nearly
a decade in prison after
pleading guilty to trying to
lure an underage girl online
and attempted sex abuse
charges, according to
court records.
Rowland was charged
with two separate crimes in
September 2003, said then-
prosecutor Paul Amann. He
was caught in an online sex
crimes sting when a police
officer posed as a 13-year-
old girl. After he was
charged, a woman came
forward to report he had
sexually assaulted her after
a separate online meeting.
“He was just out of control.
He had no self-control,”
Amann said Tuesday.
Rowland pleaded guilty
to enticing a minor over
the internet and attempt-
ed forcible sex abuse in
an agreement with pros-
ecutors, records show. His
defense attorney did not
immediately return a call