Tough Weekend

Jeff came home early on Friday. He was pretty shaken up, and this weekend was a tough one for him. I've attached the press release, regarding the reason.

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Tippecanoe County officials have identified a man found dead in a Purdue University parking garage Thursday afternoon.

According to a release from the coroner's office, the victim was Nestor A. Rojas, 25.

Police found Rojas in the back seat of a maroon, four-door car with Florida plates, parked at the south end of the Wood Street parking garage's sixth floor about 4:18 p.m. Thursday.

The release stated that the death was a suicide, and there was no suggestion of criminal activity.

Police officials said the investigation began after the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office took a report of a missing person at 12:56 p.m. Thursday.

As police were investigating, they used information from the victim's cell phone to track his location.

Using that technology, police were able to narrow the search to the area of the Purdue campus around the Wood Street Garage.

As police were investigating, they also noticed a suspicious looking backpack in the front passenger's seat.

Police evacuated and shut down the garage, as well as Grant Street adjacent to the garage, for several hours while a bomb squad investigated. Once a robot determined the backpack was no danger, police reopened the garage and the street at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Purdue spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg previously told the Journal & Courier that the victim is believed to be either currently or formerly affiliated with the university, but she could not confirm that.

Purdue's online directory lists Rojas as holding a student service position in the electrical and computer engineering department.

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Nestor was a member of Jeffs lab group.  His professor sent out an official email this morning stating "It is with much sadness that what has been suspected has been confirmed. The body found in the parking garage was announced today to be Nestor Rojas. It was apparently a suicide and no foul play is suspected. Not many more details have been released. He was a terrific person and will be missed dearly. He contributed much to the lab, both with his hard work and his jovial personality. He had a bright future ahead of him and this is truly a tragedy."
 
This was a complete suprise. Jeff has always regarded Nestor as one of the nicest guys in the lab, always asking how everyone is doing. Because of a death on campus when we first moved out here technology was purchased to assist Purdue with missing person reports. While no one is sure how this could have been prevented, we are gratefull for Purdue's timly mannor in working with this case.

Our prayers and thoughts go to his family and friends at this time.