Lauren McCluskey was a 21-year-old University of Utah student-athlete and member of the track and field team. On the night of October 22, 2018, she was shot and killed near her campus dormitory in Salt Lake City.
In the weeks before the killing, McCluskey ended a brief relationship after learning that the man had misrepresented his identity, age, and criminal background. She then reported harassment and extortion to University of Utah police. The university's official timeline records those reports as the context preceding the October 22 attack.
University Police officially identified that man as the person responsible for killing McCluskey. He died by suicide during a police pursuit early on October 23 and was never charged. The identification is an official investigative conclusion, not a court adjudication.
An independent review commissioned by the university and released December 19, 2018, found the campus police department understaffed and identified missed warning signs and investigative shortcomings, while saying it could not conclude at that time that the murder was preventable.
On October 22, 2020, the University of Utah and McCluskey's parents announced a $13.5 million settlement. The university acknowledged that her death was preventable, and the settlement included funding and institutional commitments in her name. The Utah Legislature ratified the agreement by joint resolution in 2021.
Lauren McCluskey was shot and killed near her dormitory on the University of Utah campus.
2018-10-23
The man University Police identified as responsible died by suicide during a police pursuit. He was never charged, and the identification was not a court adjudication.
2018-12-19
An independent review found campus police understaffed and identified missed warning signs and investigative shortcomings, but did not conclude at that time that the murder was preventable.
2020-10-22
The University of Utah announced a $13.5 million settlement with McCluskey's parents and acknowledged that her death was preventable.
2021
The Utah Legislature ratified the settlement by joint resolution (H.J.R. 10).
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Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
Kendall Rae / 1 min
The Search for Lauren McCluskey’s Murderer
People
Dale Brophy
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Chief of University of Utah Police at the time of the killing
Lauren McCluskey
VICTIM
21-year-old University of Utah student-athlete (track and field)
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
University of Utah student-athlete Lauren McCluskey was killed on campus on October 22, 2018, by the man University Police identified as responsible; he died before he could be charged, and the case prompted an independent review and a $13.5 million settlement.
