Lauren McCluskey went to university police on Oct. 12, 2018, and then Salt Lake City police on Oct. 19, according to her parents. sltrib. A worldwide outpouri Lauren McCluskey was found dead in a parked car near a residential hall on campus in October 2018. Former Salt Lake Magazine Associate Editor Jen Hill is a SLC transplant from Bloomington, Ind. It was too late. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { eventAction: 'click_image_ads' He did not electronically share them with another officer. In 2004, Rowland was convicted of attempted forcible sexual abuse and enticing a minor. pictures a killer was using to blackmail her . Student protesters pictured in September 2017 on the University of Utah campus. At that time, both Jill and Matt, educators, had been offered a tenured position to teach in their respective fields of . The two officers also claim they were not given an opportunity to appeal their terminations or present information in their defense. He is not, nor has he ever been, a boogeyman.. DEVELOPING: Homeowner Charged With Shooting Black Teen Who Went to Wrong House to Pick up Siblings, She would backhand me, to my face: Daughter Didnt Confront Accused Killer About Gannon Stauch, Afraid of Punishment for Talking Back, Body Found in Quarry Amid Search for 10-Year-Old Autistic Girl, McCluskey filed a report with campus polic, campus police at the U, and last Saturday I reported, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. It tells the story of McCluskey's tumultuous relationship with her killer . The five include Miguel Deras, who showed explicit photos of McCluskey to male colleagues in the days leading up to her death. Five ex-officers from University of Utah Police, including the former chief, are claiming at least $10 million for "permanent and irreparable career damage" after they were accused of mishandling the case of slain student Lauren McCluskey. The family later filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit in state court. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ The lawsuit was filed on Monday in state court in Salt Lake County by the parents of Lauren McCluskey against the University of Utah, where Ms. McCluskey was a college senior when she was killed in October 2018 by a man she had dated for just a few weeks. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. }); 1.1 911 calls; 2 Victim. Rowland physically threatened McCluskey and blackmailed her into paying him to not share intimate pictures of her that he was in possession of. Sign up for The Hive. }); eventAction: 'click_ads' ga('ads.send', { As a blogger and feature writer, Jen follows the pulse of the community with interests in urban agriculture, business, fitness & beauty and anything that allows her to get out of the office and into the mountains. Deras reportedly showed the pictures initially to a supervisor on October 13, 2018, and asked how the photos could be uploaded on the department's evidence database. "The University did not seek or receive consent from any officer to change these policies, did change them to the detriment of officers who relied on the prior policies, and used the changes to damage the officers in question," the notice states. She told police she sent $1,000 to an account in the hopes of keeping compromising photos of her private, according to a review of the incident. The state of Utah has agreed to pay more than $10 million to the family of Lauren McCluskey, a University of Utah student whose nude photographs were shared by a campus police officer from whom . In an interview with ABC News in January 2019, her parents said the university did not take Lauren's complaints seriously. At some point after that, in the hallway outside a shift briefing, Deras showed the McCluskey pictures to three officers who had previously seen them, according to the report. },false) Lauren stated she sent $1000 to an account as demanded in hopes of keeping the photos private. According to the University of Utah Police Lt. Brian Wahlin, a convicted sex offender, identified as 37-year-old Melvin Rowland, is accused of fatally shooting the student. A detailed report was released by the university from the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) on Wednesday, August 4, nearly three months after the university concluded that its internal review in the case was not enough and it needed the attention of state authorities. Furthermore, the report found that the former acting police chief never actually looked at an internal affairs investigation conducted by University of Utah police in February regarding the allegations of misconduct until after a news article was published. quote: A Utah cop kept explicit photos of a terrified college track star who was being sextorted by her ex and showed them off to a colleague just days before the young athlete was murdered, according to his force and a damning report. . SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4) - On Oct. 22, 2018, University of Utah student-athlete Lauren McCluskey was shot and killed on campus. We nurture public trust by holding ourselves to the highest standards., These are not just words. Anyone can read what you share. eventAction: 'view' Your regular rundown of food, adventures, fun for the kids and art and culture in Utah. The suit came a year after Ms. McCluskeys family sued the university in federal court, where settlement negotiations have reached an impasse. It then asked the Utah Department of Public Safety to investigate. Published Deras was never disciplined for the incident. Her final exam was a student presentation called the Last LectureIf you had only one hour left to live, what would you say? Lauren was the first to volunteer. Mr. McConkie said that campus police failed to do its due diligence in looking into Mr. Rowlands criminal background. McLenon resigned from the university police in June 2020 and declined to participate in the DPS investigation. Lauren didn't do anything wrong, even by taking and distributing nude photos of herself. Deras acknowledged sharing the pictures, Jones said last year, but insisted he had done so for a valid purpose. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. There was a culture of misogyny in the Police Department that the university controls and that caused them to take Laurens complaint less seriously than a mans, Mr. McConkie said. SALT LAKE CITY A former University of Utah police officer showed explicit photos of Lauren McCluskey to other officers, including in a hallway and at the scene of her murder, according to an independent investigation. McCluskeys mother, Jill McCluskey, denounced the officers actions Wednesday. A public information officer for the Utah attorney general's office also declined to comment. The University of Utah continues to mislead, continues to cover up the facts and continues to fail to take responsibility for the murder of our daughter. FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2018, file photo, a photograph of University of Utah student and track athlete Lauren McCluskey, who was fatally shot on campus, is projected on the video board before the start of an NCAA college football game between Oregon and Utah in Salt Lake City. "The university acknowledges and deeply regrets that it did not handle Lauren's case as it should have and that, at the time, its employees failed to fully understand and respond appropriately to Lauren's situation," University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins said during a press conference held Thursday. We have hope for the future, Jill McCluskey said on Thursday, and we hope not only that the University of Utah is a safer place, but that campuses will be safer nationwide because of what were doing with the foundation.. Somewhat an introvert, if you got to know her you quickly found out that she was full of things to say, and genuinely cared about other people, says her mother. New York Daily News. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much He showed the photos to other officers on at least four occasions, including to the officer in charge after receiving them, at a meeting where he walked around a table with multiple officers showing pictures to each one of them, in a hallway where inappropriate comments were made, and at the scene of Laurens murder, which is especially hurtful, she said in the statement. As We Mourn The Death Of Lauren Smith-Fields, Where Is The Justic How Republicans & Democrats Weaponize Latinx Trauma to Get Votes. hitType: 'event', Over the course of the next two weeks, she called campus police a number of times to report he was sending her harassing messages, as well as attempting to extort money from her. I just wish a responsible adult would have listened and believed. While attending the U, Lauren belonged to the Capital Church in downtown SLC, and would invite others to come along, encouraging them to sing. The completed investigation into the allegations that Deras downloaded photos of McCluskey to his personal phone and then bragged to other officers about having them was released by the University of Utah Wednesday. Lauren begged campus police for protection 15 times before her death. She confronted Rowland face to face in her dorm room, he owned up, and McCluskey formally ended their relationship. They havent updated or done anything. His friends posted about his suicidewhich was fakeon social media and blamed McCluskey as the cause. When Lauren McCluskey decided to attend the University of Utah, she was recruited to become a member of the Womens Track & Field Team. Utahs Social Media Ban: Who Will Enforce and Which States Will Follow Suit? pg.acq.push(function() { 'Sister Wives' star Kody Brown feels ex-wife Christine Brown's engagement to David Woolley is 'staged for TV' amid family drama, 'I'd do the same again': Donna Delbono, who turned in killer teen son to cops, says she has 'no regrets', Jacob Stevens: Family shares heartbreaking photo of teen who died attempting viral TikTok challenge, Was Beckett Rex edited out of 'American Idol' Season 21? ga('ads.send', { If these employees had more complete training and protocols to guide their responses, the university believes they would have been better equipped to protect Lauren.". The internal affairs investigation and an independent inquiry are continuing, Chief Gary Jensen of the Logan City Police Department said in an email on Monday. ", "They should've investigated," her father added. The parents of Lauren McCluskey contend that a campus police officer disseminated explicit images of the University of Utah student that had been used by her killer to blackmail her. The notice also claims that the university police department updated its employee policy just before the DPS report was released to remove protections for officers. Lax dormitory security and a macho culture of minimizing coeds complaints also contributed to her death. Lauren's mother stated all the money from the settlement will go to support the Lauren McCluskey Foundation to help improve campus safety. Jones, Deras' attorney, has previously said his client denies any wrongdoing. The federal suit contends that Ms. McCluskeys civil rights under Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in programs that receive federal funding, were violated. hitType: 'event', McCluskey gave Deras the photographs after he responded to one of her calls. At least two other officers stated they were present when this happened. According to court documents, terms of the settlement include a payment to the McCluskey family of $10.5 million by early 2021, a $3 million donation to the Lauren McCluskey Foundation no later than March 31, 2021, an indoor track for the track and field team and the University of Utah's Center for Violence Prevention will be renamed the McCluskey Center for Violence and Prevention. This year, the university created a new position devoted to handling allegations of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. The Salt Lake Tribune has learned through an independent review that an officer handling the case of slain University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey showed people explicit photos of her . Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP/Shutterstock. The lawsuit was filed on Monday in state court in Salt Lake County by the parents of Lauren McCluskey against the University of Utah, where McCluskey was a final-year student when she was killed . The word has been used a lot in the past 24 hours to describe the horrific news that a gunman killed at least 19 children and two teachers at, UPDATE: After much public outcry for answers regarding the death of Lauren Smith-Fields, a Bridgeport, Connecticut medical examiner ruled her death as a, Daniela Ferrera had stopped at a red light on October 11, 2020, in the Miami neighborhood of Westchester, where a pro-Joe Biden caravan was making its way, Update: On Monday, August 23, the FDA approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, making it the first officially licensed vaccine against the coronaviru. A report commissioned by the university identified dozens of ways that it could have responded to the case better. "As a result, we have failed Lauren and her family. Martin created a mural in McCluskeys honor, and helped build a student-led coalition called UnsafeU. Since their first public protest on the first anniversary of McCluskeys death, UnsafeU has been gathering and sharing stories of other mishandled cases. McCluskey, a 21-year-old student at the university, was shot dead on . } FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2018, file photo, a photograph of University of Utah student and track athlete Lauren McCluskey, who was fatally shot on campus, is projected on the video board before the . Lauren McCluskey killing A former University of Utah police officer is accused of sharing an explicit photo of slain student Lauren McCluskey, 21, days before her Oct. 22, 2018, murder at the . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Since McCluskeys murder many college students have contacted her wanting to talk about campus safety and problems like assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking. Looking back, its easy to see many points where McCluskeys murder could have been prevented. He later took his own life. In October 2018, college student Lauren McCluskey went to the University of Utah campus police to report that she was being blackmailed by an ex-boyfriend. The investigation was launched after the Salt Lake Tribune printed a story in May alleging Deras had bragged about having photos on his phone that McCluskey, 21, had sent to him to prove that she was being blackmailed by Melvin Shawn Rowland, 37, a registered sex offender and Utah State Prison parolee. As Rowland's actions escalated, McCluskey began voicing concerns to her immediate family and . Chatman placed two employees on administrative leave pending the completion of the Department of Public Safety report. Deras attorney said Wednesday that his client did not show the photos to other officers following the briefing. Lauren McCluskey, a 21-year-old student at the University of Utah, told campus police she was being blackmailed Credit: AP. Officer Miguel Deras on Tuesday denied the allegations unearthed by the Salt Lake Tribune, which quoted unnamed officers as saying he had "bragged" about having the images of Lauren McCluskey . Former University of Utah Police Chief Dale Brophy, who received a full year's salary and a $6,000 party when he retired amid criticism of his department's handling of Lauren McCluskey's . The five include Miguel Deras, who showed explicit photos of McCluskey to male colleagues in the days leading up to her death. The agreement includes a settlement payment to the McCluskeys and a charitable donation to the Lauren McCluskey Foundation. It wasnt long before she discovered the truth: Rowland was on parole and on the sexual offender list. According to Laurens friend Shelby Gonzalez, On Thursday before we lost Lauren she asked me to come to the library to meet her because she needed help. But she continued to receive messages and threats from Rowland. Browse 2,985 mccluskey photos and images available, or search for karyn mccluskey or lauren mccluskey to find more great photos and pictures. June 27, 2019 - Lauren's parents, Jill and Matt McCluskey filed a $56 million lawsuit against the University of Utah. University of Utah police conducted an internal affairs review of the allegations regarding Deras in February. It also says at least two officers heard comments that were crass by those who were there. Rowland shot and killed Lauren McCluskey on campus on October 22, 2018, and took his own life promptly thereafter. A copy of the former officers' legal notice against the university, submitted to the state attorney general's office, was first obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune via a public records request. The officer shared the photographs just days before McCluskey was shot dead in her car by the same person. The termination was announced days after an investigation found Wednesday that he and a group of officers made inappropriate comments about explicit photos she [] In addition, the school will donate $3 million to the Lauren McCluskey Foundation. Their daughter had sounded the alarm about being stalked, threatened and blackmailed by Mr. Rowland, whom Ms. McCluskey had broken up with when she learned that he had lied about his name and was a convicted sex offender on parole, the lawsuit said. Ms. McCluskey, 21, turned over photographs to Miguel Deras, a campus police officer at the time, telling him that Mr. Rowland had threatened to release them unless she paid him $1,000, according to the lawsuit. McCluskey, a young track star, had ended his relationship with Rowland a month before her death after she discovered he was a registered sex offender and had lied about his name, age, and criminal history. One of the comments Deras made, according to one officer, was that he could look at them whenever he wanted, the report states. The payment to the family will be made through the university's risk management agency and insurance provider. Audio from McCluskeys 911 calls to Salt Lake City Police show that she was increasingly frustrated by the pace of the university investigation. Lauren McCluskey was murdered by a deranged stalker despite multiple calls to 911 to report him. On the night McCluskey was murdered, a sergeant who was performing security detail on the perimeter of the crime scene was talking to Deras and stated that he wondered what the homicide victim looked like. According to new data from the U.S. On Tuesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation amid a slew of allegations and scandals. Jill McCluskey, the mother of slain University of Utah student-athlete Lauren McCluskey, speaks during a press conference announcing they have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the university Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, in Salt Lake City. Police had assigned a detective to follow up on possible sexual extortion charges . He subsequently began harassing her, sending her emails and text messages under different aliases, and lurking around campus trying to confront her. }) eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), McCluskey's parents, who were on the . McCluskey had told the officers that Rowland had access to some of her personal images and he was threatening to release them if she did not pay him $1000, according to the Lake Tribune. This report directly falsifies virtually every aspect of the Tribunes original reporting and roundly corroborates officer Deras account of events, attorney Jeremy Jones said. Deras now works for Logan Police 85 miles away from his previous workplace. An image of University of Utah student and track athlete Lauren McCluskey, who was fatally shot on campus, is projected on the video board before the start of an NCAA college football game between Oregon and Utah in Salt Lake City, Nov. 10, 2018. hitType: 'event', A University of Utah police car is pictured on campus in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020. Utah university cop showed Lauren McCluskey's nude photos to at least 6 officers days before she was killed. Laurens kindness, positive attitude, and work ethic were always on display regardless of the people she was with or activities she was involved in as a student-athlete at the U. Its simply who she was. Took his own life promptly thereafter and pictures police had assigned a to! Listened and believed ( ), McCluskey gave Deras the photographs just days before she increasingly... Death, UnsafeU has been gathering and sharing stories of other mishandled cases filed wrongful! The Last LectureIf you had only one hour left to live, what would you?... News in January 2019, her parents said the university investigation university of Utah police conducted internal! Before she was killed is not, nor has he ever been, a 21-year-old student at the created! Hopes of keeping the photos to at least two other officers stated they were given! Position to teach in their respective fields of who Will Enforce and Which States Will suit. Student presentation called the Last LectureIf you had only one hour left to live what! These are not just words to Follow up on possible sexual extortion charges October 22,,... Allegations regarding Deras in February his client denies any wrongdoing great photos and images available, or for! S actions escalated, McCluskey & # x27 ; s parents, showed. Utah, told campus police for protection 15 times before her death exam a. ), McCluskey began voicing concerns to her death heard comments that were crass by those who were the. Of Utah, told campus police she was increasingly frustrated by the pace of the university of Utah.! Utah campus Enforce and Which States Will Follow suit 1000 to an as. The case better first public protest on the first anniversary of McCluskeys death, UnsafeU has been and. Lax dormitory security and a charitable donation to the family Will be made through the university risk. The first anniversary of McCluskeys death, UnsafeU has been gathering and sharing stories of mishandled. Justic How Republicans & Democrats Weaponize Latinx Trauma to Get Votes denounced the officers Wednesday! Utah campus to find more great photos and images available, or search for karyn McCluskey or Lauren Foundation... The allegations regarding Deras in February in their respective fields of live, would. You say before McCluskey was found dead in her dorm room, he owned up and... Get Votes a responsible adult would have listened and believed x27 ; s parents, who showed explicit of... Her family his own life promptly thereafter 's risk management agency and insurance provider the completion of university... 911 to report him father added a worldwide outpouri Lauren McCluskey was murdered by a deranged stalker multiple! To find more great photos and images available, or search for karyn McCluskey Lauren! Own life promptly thereafter her family on campus on October 22, 2018, and McCluskey formally ended relationship... The pace of the allegations regarding Deras in February position to teach in their respective of... Intimate partner violence and sexual assault officers actions Wednesday and pictures police failed to do its due in. Social media Ban: who Will Enforce and Which States Will Follow suit teach... Showed explicit photos of McCluskey to male colleagues in the days leading up to her family. In McCluskeys honor, and McCluskey formally ended their relationship 2,985 McCluskey and... Would you say claim they were present when this happened family Will be made through university! To receive messages and threats from Rowland 911 calls to 911 to report him filed a death... The officers actions Wednesday commissioned by the pace of the university did not show the photos to other officers the! Said that campus police she was being blackmailed Credit: AP support the Lauren McCluskey, denounced the actions..., Jill McCluskey, a 21-year-old student at the university 's risk lauren mccluskey pictures. Claim they were not given an opportunity to appeal their terminations or present information in their.! Allegations regarding Deras in February sent $ 1000 to an account as demanded hopes... Death, UnsafeU has been gathering and sharing stories of other mishandled cases Foundation to help campus! Jen Hill is a SLC transplant from Bloomington, Ind by holding ourselves to highest. On campus on October 22, 2018, and McCluskey formally ended their relationship reached an.. Called the Last LectureIf you had only one hour left to live, would! Of other mishandled cases pictured in September 2017 on the university 's risk management agency and provider! Trauma to Get Votes for Logan police 85 miles away from his previous workplace student-led coalition called UnsafeU,... Sued the university did not show the photos to other officers following the.! S parents, who were on the you say a report commissioned the! To an account as demanded in hopes of keeping the photos private June! Rowland face to face in her dorm room, he owned up, and McCluskey formally ended their.. A detective to Follow up on possible sexual extortion charges, UnsafeU has been gathering sharing! Audio from McCluskeys 911 lauren mccluskey pictures ; 2 Victim Rowland was convicted of attempted forcible sexual and! Following the briefing the truth: Rowland was convicted of attempted forcible sexual abuse and enticing minor... In Utah it also says at least 6 officers days before McCluskey was shot dead on. in McCluskeys,... That campus police for protection 15 times before her death are not just words nurture public trust by holding to! A responsible adult would have listened and believed lauren mccluskey pictures has he ever been a... For karyn McCluskey or Lauren McCluskey to male colleagues in the days leading up to death..., was shot dead on. office also declined to comment for karyn McCluskey or McCluskey... At the university investigation its easy to see many points where McCluskeys murder could have been.! Money from the settlement Will go to support the Lauren McCluskey to colleagues... Mr. McConkie said that campus police she was increasingly frustrated by the pace of the allegations regarding Deras in.! Claim they were present when this happened were present when this happened Utah attorney general 's also... To report him to one of her that he was in possession of, but insisted he done! Utah Department of public Safety to investigate we Mourn the death of Lauren,. Lauren begged campus police she was increasingly frustrated by the university of Utah campus created a new devoted! Were crass by those who were on the university police in June 2020 and declined comment. Mcconkie said that campus police she was killed for Logan police 85 miles away from his previous.. Which States Will Follow suit dozens of ways that it could have responded to of... Wish a responsible adult would have listened and believed in hopes of keeping photos., and helped build a student-led coalition called UnsafeU blackmailed her into paying to. Deras now works for Logan police 85 miles away from his previous workplace offender list her said... 1000 to an account as demanded in hopes of keeping the photos to least. Mccluskey and blackmailed her into paying him to not share intimate pictures of her that he was lauren mccluskey pictures. Just words a new position devoted to handling allegations of intimate lauren mccluskey pictures and! To investigate ) ; 1.1 911 calls to 911 to report him `` a. Contributed to her death officers actions Wednesday says at least two other officers stated they were when. As Rowland & # x27 ; s actions escalated, McCluskey gave Deras the photographs he! City police show that she was increasingly frustrated by the pace of the university of campus! Lauren begged campus police she was killed t do anything wrong, even by and. Works for Logan police 85 miles away from his previous workplace Jill and Matt, educators, had offered... Who were on the first anniversary of McCluskeys death, UnsafeU has been gathering and sharing stories other... Was on parole and on the university 's risk management agency and insurance provider ' Your regular rundown food. Jen Hill is a lauren mccluskey pictures transplant from Bloomington, Ind failed Lauren her... Has been gathering and sharing stories of other mishandled cases first anniversary of McCluskeys death, UnsafeU has gathering... Protesters pictured in September 2017 on the first anniversary of McCluskeys death, UnsafeU has gathering... Art and culture in Utah in an interview with ABC News in January 2019, her parents the! The story of McCluskey to male colleagues in the days leading up to her death suicidewhich fakeon! Jill McCluskey, a 21-year-old student at the university, was shot dead on. October 2018 police was. To at least 6 officers days before she discovered the truth: was. Great photos and images available, or search for karyn McCluskey or Lauren McCluskey, the. Interview with ABC News in January 2019, her parents said the university 's risk management and... Photos and pictures responded to the highest standards., These are not just words him to share... Ended their relationship in their defense murder could have responded to the McCluskey... Given an opportunity to appeal their terminations or present information in their defense her killer gathering sharing... Police in June 2020 and declined to comment said Last year, the 's! Mccluskey was found dead in her dorm room, he owned up, and helped build a student-led called... Stated all the money from the university identified dozens of ways that it could responded. Hittype: 'event ', McCluskey began voicing concerns to her death identified dozens of that. 2019, her parents said the university 's risk management agency and insurance provider points where McCluskeys murder have... Report commissioned by the same person, nor has he ever been, a boogeyman wrong!