Pullman woman killed in shooting at University of Utah

The 21-year old daughter of Washington State University professors was shot and killed by a former boyfriend Monday night.

Lauren McCluskey was a senior at the University of Utah, and was on the phone with her mother, Jill McCluskey, when she disappeared Monday night.

Jill McClusky and her husband contacted campus police, who then searched for the girl, eventually finding her body was found in the back seat of a car on campus.

At a press conference Tuesday morning, University of Utah Dean of Students Dr. Lori McDonald said the entire campus is feeling the impact of Lauren's murder.

"Lauren was an outstanding scholar, and an outstanding student athlete. The students, staff, and faulty who knew her are feeling a profound sense of loss," Dr. McDonald said.

Jill McCluskey said in an online statement that Lauren knew her killer, and had dated him for a short time before learning that he had lied to her about his name and age.

"She ended the relationship with her killer on October 9, 2018," reads the statement. "She blocked his and his friends' phone numbers and complained to University of Utah police that she was being harassed."

Campus Police Chief Dale Brophy confirmed that Lauren had filed two reports last week claiming that the 37-year old registered sex offender was harassing her.

He said Melvin Rowland had stopped reporting in at a half-way house in Salt Lake City, where he had been living, and so they hadn't been able to interview him as part of the investigation into the harassment allegations.

When campus police found Lauren's body in the back seat of a car, dead from a gunshot wound, they immediately started looking for Rowland.

"Through an investigative lead, at about 1:15 am, the suspect was located by the Salt Lake City Police Department," Chief Brophy said at Tuesday's press conference. "A foot pursiut ensued. The suspect ran into a church, at which time he took his own life."

McDonald said it's been nearly a year since another shooting claimed the life of a University of Utah student.

In October 2017, ChenWei Guo was killed during a failed car jacking incident.

The man charged in the shooting was facing the death penalty until the State Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the death penalty was unconstitutional.