After Penn State’s announcement of major changes to fraternity and sorority life and the permanent ban of Beta Theta Pi fraternity at the university, the Centre County District Attorney’s office said it expects to release soon the findings of the investigation into the death of student Timothy Piazza.
Piazza died in February after falling down the steps at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house during a bid acceptance party.
Police said alcohol and fraternity hazing may have played a role, and that Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore from Lebanon, N.J., was intoxicated when he fell at about 11 p.m. on Feb. 2. Paramedics were not called until 10:49 a.m. the following morning. Authorities have not said what Piazza’s reported condition was in the hours after the fall. Piazza was unconscious when responders arrived that morning.
He was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center and then Hershey Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on Feb. 4. An autopsy, which ruled his death accidental, stated he died from multiple traumatic injuries.
The DA’s office said in a release Thursday after noon that it expects to release in mid-April the findings and results of its investigation with State College Police.
‘Our work continues investigating the tragic and unnecessary death of Timothy Piazza while at a Beta Theta Pi rush event. Our office would like to assure the public that we are continuing to work diligently to comprehensively reconstruct the details of the events that evening through the early morning hours of the following day,’ the release stated.
Penn State has been cooperating with the criminal investigation while also conducting a student conduct investigation. On Thursday, the university said that through the course of the investigations, ‘more disturbing facts have emerged, including a persistent pattern of serious alcohol abuse, hazing, and the use and sale of illicit drugs.’
“The university’s investigation has produced deeply disturbing evidence showing that Beta Theta Pi fell far short of its professed policies and values,” said Damon Sims, vice president for student affairs. “The serious violations we have found include forced drinking, mandatory hazing and other illegal activity, which combine with a student’s tragic death to lead us to conclude that Beta Theta Pi, despite its notable history at Penn State, merits no continuing place in our community.”
The DA’s office commended State College Police for their continuing work in the investigation.
‘My office is dedicated to ensuring that every investigation is thoroughly accomplished and that justice, when demanded by the facts, is doggedly pursued,’ DA Stacy Parks Miller said. ‘Rest assured that we will discover what truly transpired to Timothy Piazza behind the doors of Beta Theta Pi that evening.’
