Friends and family of a beloved freshman athlete at Kentucky’s University of Kentucky are mourning the death of a wrestling teammate who allegedly strangled him in his dorm room days before the team traveled to Kansas to compete for a national championship. I don’t understand why.
Josiah Kilman, 18, was found dead in his dormitory at Campbellsville University just before 1 a.m. on February 24th. His death was one of four homicides on college campuses across the country in a 10-day period.
Students Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Lane Montgomery, 26, were murdered on February 16 in their dorm room at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs campus. Laken Riley, 22, a nursing student at Augusta University, was killed while jogging on February 22nd. A trail on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens.
“It’s mind-boggling,” O’Brien Bird, Kilman’s soccer coach from eighth grade through high school, told Fox News Digital. “I hope to God this isn’t a pattern that we’re seeing, but I also think this could happen to anyone, anywhere.”
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Josiah Kilman, 18, was found dead in his dorm room at Campbellsville University in the early hours of February 24th. Charles “Zeke” Escalera, a co-worker on the Christian College wrestling team, has been charged with murder in Killman’s death. (Brandon Lopez)
A Campbellsville wrestling teammate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Killman had three roommates in his room in the school’s Southeast dormitory. It is unclear where they were at the time of Killman’s death or how his body was discovered.
The Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office determined Killman’s cause of death was asphyxia due to manual strangulation, Campbellsville police announced Monday.
His sophomore teammate, engineering major Charles “Zeke” Escalera, 21, is charged with murder and robbery and has bail set at $2 million, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital. He is being held at the Taylor County Detention Center.
Campbellsville police have not released a motive for this shocking murder.
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Tyler Gilfry, 19, a childhood best friend of Mr. Kilman’s from his hometown of Columbia Falls, Montana, characterized the slain student as thoughtful, humble, polite and kind. He wrestled with what might have prompted the suspect to commit the “unthinkable” act.
“He wasn’t a guy who started fights, but he was a guy that everyone liked. I could see people being jealous of him for who he was,” Gilfrey told Fox News Digital about Killman. “Somebody who was struggling with themselves to see someone so talented, so outgoing, just such a great human being. That’s all I can think of. No one would want to do that to Josiah. ”
Charles Escalera, 21, was found hiding in a barn by Kentucky State Police after a warrant was issued for his arrest in the death of Josiah Kilman, 18. (Taylor County Jail)
Bird echoed Gilfrey’s disbelief.
“It’s unthinkable. It’s unthinkable. Whatever his involvement is, we don’t know yet. I’m sure it will come out one way or another, but Josiah is in no way an instigator of violence,” Bird said on FOX. He told News Digital. “He was a peaceful person, a loving person and a leader.”
Escalera’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week in Taylor County Circuit Court. Taylor County Attorney John D. Bartram said a public defender has been appointed for Escalera.
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Bertram told FOX News Digital that the robbery charge stems from Escalera’s arrest, not the dorm room violence.
A farmhouse on the Taylor and Greene County border began an hours-long search for Escalera Saturday evening after receiving a report that a wanted man had broken into a barn on the property, around 5:15 p.m. has ended.
Josiah Killman (Courtesy of O’Brien Bird)
Escalera stole food while fleeing, local news station WHAS 11 reported.
Before Escalera’s arrest, students at the Christian university, population 12,000, had been ordered to “shelter in place” under lockdown.
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Members of the school’s wrestling team told Fox News Digital that the entire team was hunkered down at the coach’s house until word of the arrest was received.
“There are little things that happen at any school, but nothing like this,” Bertram said, adding that the incident was “extremely” unusual in the quiet college town.
Police distributed surveillance footage of the Campbellsville Loews where Escalera was seen on February 24th. (Campbellsville Police Department)
Neither Bartram Police nor the Campbellsville Police Department has released a potential motive for the killing.
On Monday, University President Joe Hopkins said Mr. Kilman was known for his “radiant smile” and “daring shaman.”[ing] Christ, strengthen me with love[ing] It’s the faith of those around him. ”
The Campbellsville wrestling team was on its way Tuesday to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics wrestling championships in Kansas.
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Tyler Gilfrey is pictured alongside Killman in an undated childhood photo. (Courtesy of Tyler Gilfly)
“It definitely cost us a lot,” Kilman’s teammate told Fox News Digital. “Some of us have been in situations like this before, but it definitely takes a toll on us at this time of the season trying to get our minds right and focus on this tournament. Many will go home and be with their families. But we’re going there to fight for his family. ”
A fellow wrestler said the freshman from Montana State “always brought a different, good energy to the team, no matter if he was injured, no matter when he was wrestling, win or lose.”
“Whenever there was a conflict, he always tried to resolve it by spreading the gospel and trying to be peaceful in any situation.”
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Kilman is seen in an undated photo provided by his high school soccer coach. (Courtesy of O’Brien Bird)
Killman’s cousin, Sarah Cook, told Fox News Digital that Killman was an 18-year-old who attended Campbellsville on a Bible scholarship and “motivated others to follow the Lord through Christian principles.” He said that he had a dream of leading the way.
“Josiah touched the hearts of many and was a true example of compassion, kindness and love,” Cook said. “His example forced many others to make the same change he wanted in the world, and his impact on their lives will never be forgotten. ”
Gilfrey told Fox News Digital that Kilman practices Messianic Judaism, wears a Star of David around his neck and adheres to the principles of both Christianity and Judaism.
“I remember going out to breakfast and all we talked about was religion,” Gilfrey recalled. “We teased him about not eating bacon and he said, ‘That’s me.’ That’s all he wanted to do. He always asked you questions and in everything. He was the kind of guy who made you think deeper, always pushed you to be better at what you were doing, and encouraged you to try something new.”
Josiah Kilman is pictured with high school soccer coach O’Brien Byrd. (Brandon Lopez)
Mr. Gilfrey said he had “protected” Mr. Kilman since his death.[ing] himself and those around him [him] “Just a little bit more,” he said, locking the door and making sure his friends didn’t go out alone.
Mr. Byrd, the Columbia Falls High School soccer coach, said he recognized Mr. Kilman’s outstanding character and maturity and appointed him captain of the school’s team during his senior year.
In addition to wrestling, soccer, weightlifting and being active in Fellowship Alliance Church, Killman also helped teach soccer to young children at an annual summer camp, Byrd said.
“He was a pure American teenager, a rogue like most of us back then. He liked to play pranks and tell jokes. He was just like all his friends in that respect. But he had very good leadership traits,” Byrd said Tuesday.
“He was always able to say something tough to his peers. In today’s society, kids are afraid to speak up or say something unpopular. But Josiah never let that be an issue. He will tell them what they want to hear,” Byrd added.
“He always knew that little children were watching him. … He knew that little children were watching him. And to make the right impression. I wasn’t going to waste that opportunity.”
Ms. Kilman leaves behind two older sisters, an older brother, and a 6-year-old brother, Aurelius.
Josiah Kilman, second from the right, is pictured with Tyler Gilfry, far left, and other members of his high school wrestling team. (Courtesy of Tyler Gilfly)
“Josiah, Alerius calls him Jojo, was his hero, his absolute hero,” Byrd said. ”[The community is] I’m thinking about Aurelius a lot right now. ”
Killman’s parents, Jessica and Joe, raised more than $65,000 on GoFundMe to transport the undergraduate’s body home and cover funeral costs. Byrd said members of the teen wrestling team will fly to Montana to join Killman’s family for the funeral next week.
“I talked to his father almost every day,” Bird said. “He’s in survival mode right now for his family. I can tell you he’s had some really tough times. He now has a huge responsibility to bring Josiah home. He has a daughter he loves and He has a son, a wife to comfort him, and of course he has to get through this on his own.”
Killman’s car was also left in the Campbellsville University parking lot as his family tried to transport his body back to Montana. One of her classmates shared a souvenir photo of her with flowers on her windshield.
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Byrd said Killman was the third youth under the age of 19 to die in Columbia Falls in the past seven years, but the former team captain’s death is “on another level” because of the questions that remain after his “unimaginable” death. Stated.
