EDINBURG — An autopsy has been ordered after roommates of a University of Texas Rio Grande student found him unresponsive in his room, police said.
The 21-year-old UTRGV student, who was found lying on his bedroom floor by a roommate returning from class just before noon, was last seen alive at about 7 p.m. Tuesday, UTRGV Police Chief Raul Munguia said.
The man, who has not been identified, was a senior at UTRGV, UTRGV spokesman Patrick Gonzalez said. Officials said the man’s family was notified of his death.
Wednesday afternoon UTRGV police officers stood outside the second floor apartment inside the Village Apartments, formerly known as Bronc Village, making sure local media stayed back as emergency medical personnel worked inside the apartment to clear the scene.
A few residents could be seen walking to their vehicles; unaware of the scene on the second floor of the apartment complex.
The parking lot that corresponds to the apartment units, which sit between the university’s recreation center and police station, was nearly full but only a handful of students were seen walking around.
One student, who declined to give her name, said she didn’t know of any incidents Tuesday night and that she did not know of any of the residents who lived in the particular apartment.
Justice of the Peace Homer Jasso, who arrived at the complex just after 1 p.m., declared the 21-year-old male dead but said he could not determine the manner of death. Jasso also ordered for an autopsy to be performed.
Munguia said they do not believe the death was a result of foul play, based on the appearance of the scene inside the apartment.
“We took a quick look at the deceased and there doesn’t appear to be anything to indicate that there was any violence that occurred in the apartment, either on the person or in the apartment,” the chief said.
The chief said the man died of natural causes but that the investigation is ongoing.
“We will continue to investigate and interview some of the roommates — the last time the deceased was seen alive was around 7 p.m. last night,” Munguia said. “From there, we have to work on who has been in the apartment, the comings and goings, and exactly what occurred. What we want to get down to the truth of what occurred in this particular instance.”
When asked if the death could be a result of a drug overdose the chief declined to speculate.
Autopsy results could take weeks to produce, according to police.
Staff writer Danya Perez-Hernandez contributed to this report.
