Two Bodies Discovered in Rice University Dorm Room in Suspected Murder-Suicide

Two individuals were found dead from gunshot wounds in a Rice University dorm room in Houston on Monday, in what is believed to be a murder-suicide, according to the university president.

The victims were identified as a female student, Andrea Rodriguez Avila, who lived in the Jones College dormitory, and a man named Clemente Rodriguez, who was not affiliated with the university. The university president, Reginald DesRoches, confirmed that the female student had been fatally shot, while the man appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. University police chief Clemente Rodriguez mentioned that the two seemed to have been in a romantic relationship.

The tragic discovery was made during a welfare check conducted by Rice University police after a family member reported being unable to reach Ms. Rodriguez Avila. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. It appears that Ms. Rodriguez Avila allowed the man into the dormitory.

The incident occurred on the first day of classes. The university issued a shelter-in-place alert around 5:40 p.m., advising students to remain in their rooms as police investigated. The alert was lifted before 7 p.m., and all classes and activities were canceled for the remainder of the day, according to a statement on social media.