Friends and family of a college freshman at Campbellsville University in Kentucky are at a loss as to why his wrestling teammate reportedly strangled him to death in his dorm room. The tragic incident happened just days before the wrestling team was set to make a trip to Kansas for a national championship, according to Fox News Digital.
Josiah Kilman, 18, was found dead in his dorm room just before 1:00 a.m. on February 24. His horrific death is the fourth homicide on a college campus across the country in just a ten-day span.
One of Kilman’s wrestling teammates who requested not to be identified said the freshman college student had three roommates in his room in the college’s South East dorm. The report noted that it is not clear how Kilman was discovered, or where his three roommates were at the time of the incident.
The Campbellsville Police Department announced on Monday that the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office said Kilman was manually strangled which ultimately led to his death, according to the report.
Charles “Zeke” Escalera, 21, has been charged with burglary and murder in the case. Escalera was a sophomore wrestling teammate, and he is now being held at Taylor County Detention Center on a $2 million bond. The authorities have not released what the motive might have been for Escalera to carry out the horrific crime.
WKYT reported that students at the college offered their support and encouragement to the Kilman family in their grief. Campus Pastor Trent Creason said, “It’s been a painful week but also It’s been a week that God has been so good,” said Campus Pastor Trent Creason.
“Many conversations happened. Prayers happened. Students received Christ this week. Through God’s incredible work,” said Creason.
Campbellsville University is a Christian institution.
The Ransdell chapel has been made available to both students and staff and anyone else who may need somewhere to pray.
During a service that took place at the chapel, Kilman’s father said there was one word that everyone need to keep in mind during this tumultuous time, and that was “forgiveness.”
“I challenge you to choose forgiveness. In that forgiveness, we become the light of Jesus,” Joe Kilman said.
Tyler Gilfry — one of Kilman’s childhood best friends — said: “He wasn’t the dude to start fights, but he was a dude that everybody liked – I can see someone getting jealous over him just being himself.”
“Someone who was struggling with themselves seeing someone so outstanding and outgoing, just a great human being. That’s all I can think of. I can’t see anyone who would want to do that to Josiah.”
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