Christian College Student Charged With Murder of Another Student

A student at a private, Christian college in Kentucky was found dead in a dorm room early Saturday morning, and another student has been charged with his death.

Josiah Malachi Kilman, 18, was found unresponsive just after 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Campbellsville police said. He was taken to Taylor Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WLEX reported.

Police said Saturday evening they had arrested 21-year-old Charles E. Escalara for the murder. Police said they found him after someone reported a suspicious person in a barn.

“Campbellsville University is grieving the loss of one of our family,” university President Joseph Hopkins said in a statement. “We have lost a student and our hearts are broken. During this devastating time, the continued safety of our students and the residents of our community are our primary concern.”

Police said Kilman’s body had been sent to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville for an autopsy.

The university said counselors were available for students and staff.

Police did not say if Escalara was a US citizen or if he might be attending the university illegally. According to FloWrestling, Kilman was a freshman member of the university wrestling team from Montana, and Escalara is a former member of the team from Oklahoma.

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[Featured image: Josiah Kilman/GoFundMe and Charles Escalara/Taylor County Detention Center]