Police in Kentucky say that a suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of a student who was found dead in his dorm room over the weekend at Campbellsville University. The victim, 18-year-old Josiah Kilman, was discovered unresponsive in his dorm room around 1 a.m. local time Saturday morning. According to a press release from the university, Kilman was transported to Taylor Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Kilman’s cause of death has not been determined, and his body was transferred to the Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner in Louisville for an autopsy.
According to an update from the Campbellsville Police Department posted to Facebook, authorities were dispatched after receiving a call for a “suspicious male located inside a barn” on the Green County and Taylor County line. The Green County Sheriff’s Office and Kentucky State Police announced on Saturday evening that 21-year-old Charles Escalera was arrested at approximately 5:15 p.m. in connection with Kilman’s death; police said Escalera was taken into custody without incident. According to online records, Escalera is facing murder and burglary charges and is being held in the Taylor County Detention Center.
Campbellsville is a private Christian university that’s about 84 miles southeast of Louisville and approximately 83 miles southwest of Lexington. Dr. Joseph Hopkins, Campbellsville University president, said in a statement: “Campbellsville University is grieving the loss of one of our family. 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. With consultation from local law enforcement, we will continue to implement every measure necessary to protect and support students and our community.”
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