Authorities in Kentucky arrested Charles Escalera on murder charges Saturday in connection with the slaying of 18-year-old college wrestler Josiah Kilman in a Campbellsville University dorm room. Photo courtesy Campbellsville. Ky., Police Department/
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Feb. 25 (UPI) -- A college wrestler was found dead in his Kentucky dorm room over the weekend and a suspect identified as a former team member at Campbellsville University has been charged with murder, authorities say.
The victim was identified as Josiah Malachi Kilman, 18, a freshman at the university. He was taken to a local hospital after being found unresponsive in his dorm room by medical crews shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday, where he was pronounced dead of his injuries, the Campbellsville, Ky., Police Department said in a statement.
Shortly afterwards authorities imposed a lockdown on the campus, located about 80 miles south of Louisville, and launched a manhunt for 21-year-old Charles Escalera on murder charges.
Hours later, police announced that Green County, Ky., Sheriff's deputies and the Kentucky State Police had located Escalera in a barn and had taken him into custody.
Authorities have not released details about the killing or a motive. It's not clear if the victim and the suspect knew each other prior to the incident, although Escalerea was identified by FloWrestling as a fellow wrestler and a former member of the Campbellsville University team.
Kilman was a decorated high school wrestler from Montana where he was a state medalist from Columbia Falls High School, the sports broadcaster said.
"Campbellsville University is grieving the loss of one of our family," college president Joseph Hopkins said in a statement. "We have lost a student and our hearts are broken."
The Kentucky slaying continued a string of recent campus violence across the United States.
A 22-year-old nursing student was killed two days ago while jogging on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens. Police arrested a 26-year old man on murder charges in connection with that incident.
And on Friday, a 25-year-old man appeared on charges of murdering two University of Colorado students in their Colorado Springs dorm room after allegedly arguing with one of the victims over smoking and litter.
