Ive got all the messages that she exchanged with anybody else that night and she was texting Marcela, the girl that she was with, at 5:30 saying lets get out of here with a wide eye emoji, Cilliers said. Hot Springs police respond to shots fired, one injured, A look at what bills could become laws in Arkansas next week, Your Arkansas weather forecast from THV11, School bus crash causes traffic delays on I-630, Two arrested in connection to Lonoke County homicide, Man killed after shooting incident on Arkansas Highway 367, police say, Little Rock residents say 911 dispatch is too slow at answering emergency calls. The documents do not specify a quantity or a time frame of the incident in question. The resident assistant said Gilfedder was found "very intoxicated" and wandering the campus, so he was brought back to his room, the document states. "Somebody did something.. A medicolegal autopsy differs from a hospital autopsy. The autopsy results said Gilfedder died from alcohol intoxication an accidental death. The resident assistant claimed they found him very intoxicated and wandering the campus, so they brought him back to his room, the document states. Cockrill said the teen was pronounced dead at the scene. At the party, various underage baseball and softball players were present and drinking alcohol, and Gilfedder was supplied with alcohol and quickly became visibly intoxicated, which the coach witnessed, the filing alleges. If you have yet to be immunized against COVID-19, White River Now urges you to talk to your trusted local physician or pharmacist about the COVID-19 vaccine. With no formal autopsy result to determine what happened, , the victims mother, is suggesting that something more sinister is at play because the information presented to them didnt all match up., Somebody did something. They dont have one person in jail right now. The College is fully cooperating with the Batesville Police Department and for privacy reasons, we are unable to share any further information at this time, King said. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All rights reserved. The autopsy for model Christy Giles is complete, but authorities are waiting for further testing to determine a cause and manner of death for the California model, whose lifeless body was dropped outside a Los Angeles hospital Saturday. Gilfedder (pictured below) was a freshman baseball player at Lyon College. He only drank a fifth of vodka that would not kill my son, she told KATV. Cabrales-Arzola was left two hours later at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in West Los Angeles, where she was in critical condition, according to KABC. BATESVILLE, Ark. These men did something to subdue and keep my daughter in their apartment for 10 to 12 hours, Dusty Giles said. 10 min away.. James and Nikki Gilfedder had no idea when they dropped their 19-year-old son off in Batesville two weeks ago that it would be the last time they saw him alive. Gilfedder went . Students said they left Gilfedder passed out on the floor of his Lyon College dorm room around 2 a.m. Jan. 30, 2021. BATESVILLE, Ark. Print Headline: Family sues in student's death, Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. The move is a sort-of coming home for us, said Nuwer. of Little Rock, and Wilcox & Averitt, PLC of Jonesboro. Mystery continues to surround the model and aspiring actress death after the 24-year-old and her designer friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26. He only drank a fifth of vodka that would not kill my son, Nikki said. A primary objective is to try to reconstruct the circumstances and events that led to the death so that a mode (natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined) can be established. Media said the house where he parties was owned by an assistant coach. Kim Kardashian looked delighted as she joined James Corden to film a skit for his Carpool Karaoke segment on The Late Late Show this week.. were dropped at separate Los Angeles hospitals two hours apart. I feel like I participated in his murder because I brought him here, James said. Gilfedder, a freshman student-athlete at Lyon College, was found dead in his dorm room earlier this year. Mystery continues to surround the model and aspiring actress death after the 24-year-old and her designer friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26, were dropped at separate Los Angeles hospitals two hours apart after a night out with friends. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. A 19-year-old Lyon College student was found dead in his dorm on Saturday, Jan. 30, according to police. He is married to Malgorzata Wroblewska Nuwer of Warsaw, Poland and Fairbanks, Alaska. James Gilfedder, 19, of Lyon College in Arkansas was found dead in his dorm room from alcohol intoxication. Investigators say they have identified three persons of interest, but there were no signs of foul play at the scene. When reached for comment, Lyon College officials referred to its statement from January 2021 from then-President W. Joseph King about the situation. While still waiting for the autopsy results, Gilfedders family suspects his death is the result of a hazing event gone wrong. went to a party with the schools baseball team prior to his death. Gilfedder went to a friend's house on Friday night, Jan. 29, and at some point in the night, consumed alcohol, according to police. Batesville police say he had last attended an off-campus party at a home rented by a few of his teammates. (202) 351-0510 | At the time of Gilfedders death, the president of the college shared a news release confirming the death, and confirmed the college was cooperating with the police department. According to the documents, the hazing included, but was not limited to, causing the student to drink "massive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time." An hour and a half later, it was determined that Gilfedder was unresponsive and students notified the resident assistant, the documents state. To make an online request for the death record you need, go to the website of Vitalcheck and follow the instructions stated there. The family got a call from Batesville police on Saturday that their son had died after going to a party with the baseball team. (NWA Media). Police in Batesville have now released the name of the person found dead in a dorm room at Lyon College this weekend. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staton Breidenthal). Just after 12:30 pm Saturday afternoon, he was found unresponsive in his dorm room and later pronounced dead. The home is believed. All rights reserved. According to the documents, James Gilfedder III was 19 years old when he was invited to a party off-campus on Jan. 29, 2021, at a home in Batesville that was being rented by another baseball player. An autopsy showed that Gilfedder's blood alcohol content was .357% and that the cause of his death was acute alcohol intoxication. James Gilfedder, 19, of California was found unresponsive on Saturday around 12:38 p.m. according to Cockrill's statement. Police are Investigating the On-Campus Shooting Death of a UArizona Sophomore as a Homicide. Email White River Now atnews@whiterivernow.com. Lyon College declined to comment Friday, citing pending litigation. Choosing a college major is always tricky so which of the most expensive college majors are actually worth the investment? According to the documents, the hazing included, but was not limited to, causing the student to drink "massive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time." According to documents, James Gilfedder III, 19, was invited to an off-campus party Jan. 29, 2021, at a home in Batesville that was being rented by another baseball player. Chief Cockrill said the victim was identified as James Aaron Gilfedder. The family of James Gilfedder III filed suit Thursday, Jan. 27 in Independence County Circuit Court against Lyon College, Huffmania Ventures, LLC, Jacob Huffman (a pitching coach at Lyon College), five John Doe Insurance Companies and 10 John Does in the case. The bruised body of James Gilfedder is undergoing an autopsy at this time while his teammates continue to play. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Free Phone Consultation Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The family of a Lyon College freshman who died in January 2021 after what was believed to be a hazing incident involving large consumption of alcohol filed a negligence and wrongful death suit in . Hank Nuwer Unofficial Hazing Clearinghouse, U.S. Hazing Deaths Database Part 1: 1838-1999, Hank Nuwer Author Page; Hazing Deaths Database. Oct. 1, 2021 - Due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department is enforcing strict health protocols to . Investigators are waiting on autopsy results before submitting their evidence to the prosecutor for possible charges. All rights reserved. James was raised in Yucaipa and graduated from Yucaipa High School in 2020. James and Nikki Gilfedder, the parents of the victim, spoke in an interview with KATV that aired on Thursday night. Lyon College declined to comment Friday, citing pending litigation. These boys are out here playing baseball. (202) 351-0510 | The college said it provided counseling to students after the death and would work to help people impacted by the death. Gilfedder's parents told Arkansas media that their son's body was battered, and he consumed a fifth of alcohol at a team "hazing party." Police are waiting for autopsy results before commenting. Police say three people of interest have been developed, after interviews were conducted by police on student athletes at Lyon College. Free community college programs have become more and more popular. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed Thursday in Independence County Circuit Court in connection with the January 2021 death of a Lyon College student-athlete found deceased in his dorm room. Copyright 2022 KAIT. The home is believed to have been partially owned by Lyon College's baseball coach Jacob Huffman, documents state. Nuwer was named the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists columnist of the year in 2021 for his After Darke column in the Early Bird. "It means a lot to us that our daughter touched so many in her short, but yet wonderful, extraordinary life," she said. Just after 12:30 pm Saturday afternoon, he was found unresponsive in his dorm room and later pronounced dead. Gilfedder was a freshman at the. Investigators noted that the social gathering took place at a residence on Boles Street owned by Huffmania Ventures, LLC which was co-owned by one of the baseball coaches. The attorney for the Gilfedder family, Denise Reid Hoggard of Little Rock and Tony L. Wilcox and Chris A. Averitt of Jonesboro, allege that Lyon College and Huffman knew the baseball team was engaged in hazing new players like Gilfedder and had a right to protect those college students. Here are 67 side hustles perfect for hard-working college students with tight student budgets! A 19-year-old Lyon College student was found dead in his dorm on Saturday, Jan. 30, according to police. Im just sick to my stomach. A student at Lyon College in Arkansas, 19-year-old James Gilfedder, was found dead inside his dorm room on Saturday. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner saidadditional information and/or testing is needed before authorities can determine a cause or manner of death for Christy Giles. I am deeply saddened to share that this morning, one of our students passed away. While still waiting for the autopsy results, Gilfedder's family suspects his death is the result of a hazing event gone wrong. Here's the list! We were hoping because it was a dry county, no alcohol, that things were going to be good, Nikki said. I havent been able to sleep. Now the family is left with just their memories, anger and so many questions. Students reportedly checked on Gilfedder twice the next morning, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and said they observed him on the floor and believed he was asleep, according to the court filing. On Saturday, around 12:30 p.m., a friend went to check on Gilfedder, but found him dead in the same spot he was left. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The home is believed to have been partially owned by Lyon College's baseball coach Jacob Huffman, documents state. An autopsy showed Gilfedder's blood alcohol content was 0.357% and that the cause of his death was acute alcohol intoxication. Gilfedder had attended a pre-season party at a house on Boles Street in east Batesville, near the Lyon College campus. Family of Lyon College student who died of alcohol poisoning files suit, Lawsuit filed against Summit Utilities over price gouging, NWS: EF-2 tornado confirmed in Arkansas storms, 2023 4A State Tournament: Blytheville boys beat Farmington, advance to state title game, Razorback signee Jenna Lawrence leads Farmington girls to 4A state title game, 2023 3A State Tournament: Manila boys beat Dumas, advance to state title game, 2023 6A State Tournament: Jonesboro boys beat Cabot, advance to state title game. The filing requests compensation for the loss of life, conscious pain and suffering of the deceased prior to death, funeral expenses, and the mental anguish and pecuniary damage of the surviving estate and to recover damages and judgment against the defendants. The lawsuit was filed by the family of Gilfedder naming as defendants: Lyon College; the property owner where the party was held, Huffmania Ventures, LLC; the baseball pitching coach at Lyon College and alleged part-owner of the company who owned the house where the party was held, Jacob Huffman; five John Doe insurance companies; and 10 John Does in the case. The bruised body of James Gilfedder is undergoing an autopsy at this time while his teammates continue to play. According to Chief Alan Cockrill with the Batesville Police Department, a 19-year-old Lyon College student was found dead in his dorm on Saturday, Jan. 30. Autopsy results released for Lyon baseball player. The resident assistant did not check on him again that night and found him dead the next day, according to the document. James Aaron Gilfedder III, 19, of Batesville, Arkansas, formerly Yucaipa, California, passed away on January 30, 2021. All rights reserved. The two friends had reportedly gone to a warehouse party in Los Angeles on Friday night when Cabrales-Arzola met a guy, who invited her to an after party in the Hollywood Hills, Giles husband Jan Cilliers believes the two women may have meet with foul play after looking through his wifes final text messages and finding the last text she sent was to Cabrales-Arzola around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, suggesting that they leave, according to, While local media outlets have suggested that police believe Giles may have died from a possible overdose, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles Police Department would not confirm that to. According to the family, Giles lifeless body was dropped at a Southern California Hospital nearly 12 hours later by men seen in a video concealing their identities and driving a vehicle with no license plate. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Students claim they left Gilfedder passed out on the floor of his Lyon College dorm room around 2 a.m. Jan. 30, 2021. Authorities say they conducted multiple interviews with student-athletes at Lyon College, it was determined the victim had attended an off-campus party where drinking was involved the evening before he was found deceased. But Giles mother, Dusty Giles, told KABC from her home in Alabama that the Uber driver waited, but no one ever came out of the apartment. According to Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill, around 12:38 p.m. Saturday, the department was dispatched to the Lyon. Students reportedly checked on him twice the next morning, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., saying they observed him on the floor and believed he was asleep. Batesville police told KATVs content partner KAIT Region 8 News, that student-athletes were interviewed and there are three persons of interest. Lyon College Student Found Dead, Family Suspects Foul Play, A student at Lyon College in Arkansas, 19-year-old. Gilfedder had attended a pre-season party at a house on Boles Street in east Batesville, near the Lyon College campus. The Batesville Police Department arrived on the scene around 12:38 pm and began an investigation. Lyon College said Friday that the institution cannot comment on pending litigation. When the family arrived in Arkansas from California, they said the pieces didnt all match up. Investigators noted that the social gathering took place at a residence on Boles Street owned by Huffmania Ventures, LLC which was co-owned by one of the baseball coaches. Learn how your comment data is processed. Has your state launched one yet? While local media outlets have suggested that police believe Giles may have died from a possible overdose, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles Police Department would not confirm that to Oxygen.com and said the investigation was ongoing. Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather every weekday morning and afternoon from theFirst Community BankNewsroom onArkansas 103.3. Yes, I think it was an initiation that went out of control, James said. Found deceased was 19-year-old James Gilfedder III of Yucaipa, Cal., a freshman on the Lyon College baseball team. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us. The home is believed to have been partially owned by Lyon College's baseball coach Jacob Huffman, documents state. Somebody killed him. Gilfedder died in early 2021 after he was found dead in his dorm room. The person Gilfedder went to the party with said he fell asleep in the car on the way home from the party, court documents state. (KAIT) - The family of a California teenager who died of alcohol poisoning while a student at Lyon College has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the college, according to court records. Somebody hurt him. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. The Gilfedders were especially saddened to learn the circumstances surrounding their son's death. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 2023 Hank Nuwer Unofficial Hazing Clearinghouse. They are doing the code of silence. Police said Gilfedder had attended an off-campus party at a residence partially owned by a baseball coach and where several members of the baseball team lived. James said his son hoped to bring the town of Batesville a championship. Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_6) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/15.5 Safari/605.1.15, Cedar Ridge to face Earle after win over Ozark Mountain; Pink Out tonight, Flood warning issued until late Monday for Independence County. Somebody killed him," Nikki Gilfedder, James' mother, said. https://www.kait8.com/2021/02/05/report-family-lyon-college-student-suspects-foul-play-death/. The court filing noted that the Gilfedder family is represented by two law firms: Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, P.A. 19-year-old James Gilfedder of California was attending Lyon College to play first base on the men's baseball team. Read his musings in his column "Golden Heart Tales" in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Batesville Police Chief Alan Cockrill said an autopsy showed Gilfedder died of severe alcohol intoxication and that the death was ruled as accidental. More information has been released in the death of a Lyon College student found over the weekend on campus. Pullman Police Chief Jenkins drops the ball in Big-Little death. This is a difficult time with an enormous disruption and I promise you that we will come together as a community to appropriately mourn this loss, the statement noted. Cabrales-Arzola allegedly responded Yes. The suit does not cite a specific monetary figure. The reality star, 42, cracked up as she joined departing . Giles mother is planning to fly to California to attend her daughters memorial service. Various underage baseball and softball players were present and drinking alcohol at the party, and Gilfedder became visibly intoxicated after being supplied with alcohol, which the coach witnessed, the filing states.