CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY – The death of a freshman student at Campbellsville University has led to the arrest of 21-year-old Charles E. Escalera, a fellow student at the college. Josiah Malachi Kilman, the 18-year-old deceased student, was found unresponsive in his on-campus dorm room early on Saturday morning. Although his cause of death remains uncertain, the incident led to his transfer to Taylor Regional Hospital, where he was announced dead.
Before being caught by police, Escalera was last seen in a Lowe’s parking lot. An arrest warrant for Escalera was issued later that day. Following a campus-wide lockdown and instructions for students to “shelter in place,” Kentucky State Police apprehended Escalera in a barn after receiving a tip about a “suspicious male.”
Subsequently, Escalera was taken into custody over suspicions of murder and is currently held at the Taylor County Detention Center.
In a statement, the university’s president, Dr. Joseph Hopkins, expressed his condolences. He affirmed that the university is focusing on ensuring the safety and support of students and the community.
The loss has left the university community in shock, and students are rallying together for mutual support. Kilman, a Montana native, held a spot on the men’s wrestling team roster for 2023-2024.