Police investigate death of Texas State student from Humble

Matthew Ellis was a business administration sophomore transfer student at Texas State University.  According to the university’s president, Ellis died after attending an off campus social event hosted by Phi Kappa Psi. Ellis was a fraternity pledge.

San Marcos police say Ellis was found unresponsive on Monday morning at an apartment off campus. He was pronounced dead after paramedics were unable to revive him.

“I can’t speak to hazing at this point in the investigation," said Commander Kelly Bomers Bach with the San Marcos Police Department.

Police say their preliminary investigation indicates alcohol may have been a factor in Ellis’s death, but they are awaiting toxicology results from an autopsy.

“Anytime a young person dies its particularly tragic because they haven’t lived a full life,” the commander said. “Alcohol plays a role in college life and I would just ask for moderation in that respect especially with young adults making very adult decisions.”

No arrests have been made, but police are not ruling out possible criminal charges.

“Charges could range from selling alcohol to a minor, on the highend possibly manslaughter. These are the charges we have to work with at this point, but it’s very early in the investigation,” Bomers Bach said.

The president of Texas State University has suspended activities of all Greek fraternities and sororities at the university.

Some students have mixed feelings about that decision.

“All Greek life, no, I think maybe just that one involved in the incident,” said student Stephanie Cloyd.