STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — A somber cloud has descended over the Franciscan University of Steubenville after two students were found dead in a vehicle on campus Monday afternoon in what is being described as a “tragic accident.”
The victims have been identified as 20-year-old Luke Reimer of Indian Shores, Florida, and 20-year-old Mary Mich of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. They were discovered around 12 p.m. in a vehicle outside a university residence hall.
In a message to the campus community, University President Father Dave Pivonka stated that the early indication is that the students died from “potential vehicle exhaust or engine malfunction,” suggesting carbon monoxide poisoning.
“We grieve the loss of two young lives, and our hearts ache for their families, friends, classmates, professors, and all who knew and loved them,” Fr. Pivonka wrote. “Please know that we are holding Luke and Mary, and all who mourn them, close in prayer, asking the Lord for comfort, mercy, and peace.”
Fr. Pivonka emphasized that the deaths appear to be accidental. The Steubenville Police Department has opened an investigation to determine the precise cause and circumstances surrounding the incident.
The university, a private Catholic institution located along the Ohio River approximately 30 miles from Pittsburgh, has activated its campus counseling and ministry services. Grief counselors and chaplains are available to support the shocked and mourning student body, faculty, and staff.
This heartbreaking incident underscores the silent danger of carbon monoxide, an odorless and colorless gas that can be fatal when vehicle exhaust systems malfunction or when engines are left running in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces. Authorities are expected to provide more details as their investigation progresses.