By Jesse Wood
Jan. 21, 2014. Appalachian State Police identified the deceased student found in her dorm on the evening of Jan. 19 as Mary Catherine Johnson, a 19-year-old freshman from Raleigh, according to a release from Appalachian State University on Wednesday afternoon.
At about 5:45 p.m. on Jan. 19, University Police conducted a welfare check on a student residing in Appalachian PanHellenic Hall. After knocking on the student’s door and receiving no response, officers opened the door with a key and discovered the dead student.
On Wednesday, ASU Police said that the investigation has “uncovered no foul play and the police have no evidence to suggest there is any threat to the university community,” and in addition, the university noted that counseling is being offered to Johnson’s friends and other on campus affected by her death.
This is the second death to occur in a dorm room on Appalachian State University in the past few months. In November, 18-year-old freshman Jeremy A. Sprinkle of Kernersville was found dead in his campus residence hall.
In that death as well, the university announced that no foul play was suspected and no evidence was found to suggest any threat to the university community.