After conducting an autopsy, the Centre County coroner says Penn State student Conor MacMannis’s death was accidental.
MacMannis, 20, died Saturday at approximately 3:43 a.m. after he fell from the balcony on the ninth floor of Penn Tower and landed on Beaver Avenue. He was pronounced dead shortly after the coroner arrived early Saturday morning. The coroner ruled that his death was caused by head trauma.
According to police, a preliminary investigation indicates that drugs and alcohol were a factor in the tragic accident. A toxicology test, which will be released in the next few days, may provide more information about what happened.
“Toxicology reports can sometimes take a week or more, and that is really going to influence how we look at this investigation,” said State College Police Department Lt. Mark Argiro. “… drugs and/or alcohol are thought to be a factor, but what specific types of drugs and/or alcohol, we don’t know.”
Investigators are now interviewing students who witnessed the fall at Penn Tower, 255 E. Beaver Ave. Lt. Argiro estimates that dozens of interviews will need to be done before this investigation concludes.
Police are encouraging anyone with information related to MacMannis’s death to contact the State College Police Department at 234-7150.
“It’s tragic,” said Penn State spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz over the weekend. “We’re trying to come to grips with it ourselves. It’s just so sad.”
Mountz said the university will reach out to students who may have known or been close to MacMannis. Those students are also welcome to contact Counseling and Psychological Services CAPS) for help.
MacMannis was pledging Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. Jordan Rolon, the Vice President for Communications for the Penn State Interfraternity Council, released a statement on behalf of the organization’s executive board.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Conor F. MacMannis,” Rolon wrote, in part. “It is times like this that the Penn State fraternity and sorority community need to come together and support the MacMannis family to the best of our abilities. Please know that the Interfraternity Council is willing to help anyone who needs assistance due to this tragedy.”
MacMannis was a a kinesiology major and on the track and field team at Penn State Behrend before coming to University Park.
