Current Events > College track star warned police about ex-boyfriend 6 times. Then he killed her

(+) Yeah! (+)

College track star warned police about her ex-boyfriend 6 times in the 10 days before he killed her

New reports show that authorities were given multiple chances to intervene before Lauren McCluskey was murdered.

Women who are in abusive relationships, or relationships they fear will become abusive, are often told to reach out for help to prevent things from progressing further. Lauren McCluskey, a track athlete at the University of Utah who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend on October 22, 2018, did just that.

She alerted the campus police. She showed them threatening text messages from her ex, told them about his criminal record, which she found out about a month into their relationship.

Recent reports by the University of Utah Department of Public Safety and the Utah Department of Public Safety, along with publicly released 911 calls, reveal that McCluskey expressed concerns to police officers six times in the 10 days before she died. None of it mattered. She was left to fend for herself.

The cries for help actually began on September 30, when two of her friends reported their concerns over McCluskeys relationship and safety to the Resident Adviser at their dorm. The following day, an official report was filed to the housing officials, but after a brief review, they decided not to overstep in assistance to Lauren unless she was seeking support.

On October 10, a day after McCluskey broke up with Melvin Rowland after finding out the 37-year-old sex offender had been lying about his age and criminal background, McCluskeys parents called campus police. Rowland was supposed to return McCluskeys car, and they were worried he would hurt McCluskey when he did. Campus police did end up escorting McCluskey to the car exchange, which went off without any acts of violence.

But two days later, McCluskey herself started reaching out for help. On October 12, she called campus police for the first time, about disturbing text messages she was receiving from Rowlands friends, but campus police said they did not rise to the level of harassment. The following day, October 13, she called campus police again, this time with concrete proof of extortion text messages presumably from Rowland and his friends that threatened to post private pictures of her online if she didnt pay them money. The campus police said it would take time to review the materials.

The same day, October 13, she called 911 about the extortion threats. In audio posted online by KUTV, McCluskey is heard telling dispatchers that she is worried that campus police arent acting fast enough. Dispatch responds by telling her campus police has jurisdiction over her case, routing her call back to University of Utah Police.

Six days later after a detective had taken three previously-scheduled vacation days, and according to the university review, spent three days in various case assignments and follow-up investigations unrelated to Laurens case McCluskey finally talked to the the detective in charge of her case. However, she was once again told that it would take time to evaluate and investigate all of the text messages in question.

Later that day, October 19, McCluskey called 911 once again, to express concern to SLCPD over how long the campus police were taking to investigate. Once again, she was told to call campus police dispatch directly.

(continued in next post)

ACAB
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More police failure
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disgusting tbh
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On October 20, McCluskey sent the detectives screenshots of threatening text messages from Rowland, and detailed information about his criminal history that she had found online.

On October 22, McCluskeys dad called the campus police and 911, after overhearing McCluskey get attacked while she was on the phone with her parents. It was too late. Rowland had shot her in the head and killed her. Police pursued him, and he ultimately committed suicide during the chase.

A subsequent review of the case was alarming. A report on how campus police handled McCluskeys case found University of Utah police officers were not familiar with how to conduct criminal background or parole information. Had they conducted a proper check, they would have found out that Rowland was listed on the sex offender registry, and in 2004 was convicted of enticing a minor and attempted forcible sexual abuse. He had spent over a decade in prison, had been released on parole three times, had violated that parole, and had been sent back to prison twice.

Even without that information, campus polices lack of urgency in responding to McCluskeys case was troubling, considering that authorities knew of the threats against McCluskey as early as October 10, and given that approximately 75 percent of women who are murdered by their abusive partner are killed when they try to end the relationship.

The independent review of the University of Utah polices handling of McCluskeys case the same reportthat lays out many of the missteps above was also disturbing. It concluded that campus police had taken McCluskeys reports seriously, and stated that her death was not preventable.

McCluskeys parents disagreed with that analysis.

We respectfully disagree with the conclusion that Laurens murder could not have been prevented, they said in a statement. There were numerous opportunities to protect her during the almost two weeks between the time when our daughter began expressing repeated, elevating and persistent concerns about her situation and the time of her murder.

More than 1,000 women are murdered by intimate partners every year in the United States. The funding for the landmark Violence Against Women Act, however, which assists victims of sexual violence, domestic abuse, and stalking, has currently lapsed, thanks to the current partial government shutdown.

https://thinkprogress.org/mccluskey-university-of-utah-warned-police-about-ex-boyfriend-6-times-bc08aed0fad5/

Important lesson learned here.

Don't rely on the cops and take matters into your own hands.
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all men should be pre-emptively locked up imo

theyre just too prone to violence
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Philoktetes posted...

all men should be pre-emptively locked up imo

theyre just too prone to violence

this is the worst satire I've ever seen

She was really pretty
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wow at the "unpreventable death" conclusion.
wtf
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PowerfulSageIRL posted...

Philoktetes posted...

all men should be pre-emptively locked up imo

theyre just too prone to violence

this is the worst satire I've ever seen

Yeah

HBOSS posted...

wow at the "unpreventable death" conclusion.
wtf

Seriously those idiot cops need to be replaced ASAP.
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SMH @cops
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I mean it doesn't really sound like they did anything wrong. They escorted her to the car exchange and then told her it might take a few days to look into the extortion claim which seems kind of reasonable.

what if they had done a background check? should the police treat people differently if they have a criminal record?

if you think people with records are likely to commit crimes again, why release any prisoner?
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imagine trusting or relying on the police in the USA in 2018/19
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Is sending over a protection squad over a text message like that a normal thing?
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Almost all of her complaints were about extortion. The only complaint about fears for her safety resulted in the police being there.
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What the fuck

This stupid country I swear
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That's really sad. Though I am not entirely sure what police could have done. I guess it depends on what the text threats were. If he was like "I'm gonna kill you bitch" then yeah they should have done something. But if the threats were more vague it's kind of hard for them to act. Also, lol @ the end of the article trying to blame Trump. Classy.

Philoktetes posted...

what if they had done a background check? should the police treat people differently if they have a criminal record?

if you think people with records are likely to commit crimes again, why release any prisoner?

A background showing repeated violence is cause for treating claims against him more seriously.

It's sad but TBH, the only indication of possible physical danger resulted in police action. Cops were not going to roll up to the scene because someone is talking about leaking nudes.

Maybe the school should have changed her room.
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PowerfulSageIRL posted...

Philoktetes posted...

all men should be pre-emptively locked up imo

theyre just too prone to violence

this is the worst satire I've ever seen

Look who said it...
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Not her fault that she died. But dont let people you barely know get naked pictures of you. And dont get intimate with them.
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Fony posted...

It's sad but TBH, the only indication of possible physical danger resulted in police action. Cops were not going to roll up to the scene because someone is talking about leaking nudes.

Maybe the school should have changed her room.

That is a point. She probably should have been lying low. Like if my sister was getting harassed by a crazy ex I'd tell her to come stay with me for a while. Granted, hindsight is 20/20.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/10/26/timeline-extortion/

Just failures all around. Way too typical of shit like this.
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HBOSS posted...

wow at the "unpreventable death" conclusion.
wtf

to be fair, american cops seem to be unable to prevent it, and at times even cause deaths themselves.
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Fony posted...

It's sad but TBH, the only indication of possible physical danger resulted in police action. Cops were not going to roll up to the scene because someone is talking about leaking nudes.

Maybe the school should have changed her room.

Grischnak posted...

Fony posted...

It's sad but TBH, the only indication of possible physical danger resulted in police action. Cops were not going to roll up to the scene because someone is talking about leaking nudes.

Maybe the school should have changed her room.

That is a point. She probably should have been lying low. Like if my sister was getting harassed by a crazy ex I'd tell her to come stay with me for a while. Granted, hindsight is 20/20.

He was literally trawling the campus looking for her and found her one night returning from a night class.
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The blame obviously goes on the lying convict most of all, but the local authorities played hot potato until she dropped unfortunately.

Bottom line, student safety is the school's responsibility.
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Reminder that the police have no duty to protect you. The only person responsible for your safety is you.
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Zerocide posted...

Important lesson learned here.

Don't rely on the cops and take matters into your own hands.

This. Never call the cops. They will never make the situation better, and at times they'll make it worse by showing up and shooting you or your dog

Zerocide posted...

Important lesson learned here.

Don't rely on the cops and take matters into your own hands.

I know this is probsbly not 100% serious, but its actually somewhat true.

There is so much red tape and incompetence in the police force that it's actually best to know that you may habe to do just that. Take matters into your own hands.
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pres_madagascar posted...

Zerocide posted...

Important lesson learned here.

Don't rely on the cops and take matters into your own hands.

I know this is probsbly not 100% serious, but its actually somewhat true.

There is so much red tape and incompetence in the police force that it's actually best to know that you may habe to do just that. Take matters into your own hands.

Enjoy prison.
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Zerocide posted...

Important lesson learned here.

Don't rely on the cops and take matters into your own hands.

This. Cops mainly are on the scene AFTER the damage has been done and the crime has been committed.

The police aren't your personal bodyguards or guardian angels so not sure why people seem to take such a laissez faire attitude when it comes to their own life and protection.
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i'd rather have violence done against me than do violence to someone else

Jesus says turn the other cheek
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Going, going, gone
Now I dialed 911 a long time ago
Don't you see how late they're reacting
They only come and they come when they wanna
So get the morgue truck and embalm the goner
They don't care cause they stay paid anyway
They treat you like an ace they can't be betrayed
A no-use number with no-use people
If your life is on the line then you're dead today
Latecomers with the late coming stretcher
That's a body bag in disguise y'all, I'll betcha
I call 'em body snatchers cause they come to fetch ya
With an autopsy ambulance just to dissect ya
They are the kings cause they swing amputation
Lose your arms, your legs to them it's compilation
I can prove it to you watch the rotation
It all adds up to a fucked up situation

So get up get, get get down
911 is a joke in yo town
Get up, get, get, get down
Late 911 wears the late crown
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Philoktetes posted...

i'd rather have violence done against me than do violence to someone else

Jesus says turn the other cheek

and how did that turned out for him?

If she had a firearm she would still be alive.
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Zerocide posted...

Philoktetes posted...

i'd rather have violence done against me than do violence to someone else

Jesus says turn the other cheek

The fuck is this?

PowerfulSageIRL posted...

the worst satire I've ever seen

PowerfulSageIRL posted...

It concluded that campus police had taken McCluskeys reports seriously, and stated that her death was not preventable.

Lol what???
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HBOSS posted...

wow at the "unpreventable death" conclusion.
wtf

The real life version of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG8Yr5tkyTg" data-time="
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PowerfulSageIRL posted...

Philoktetes posted...

i'd rather have violence done against me than do violence to someone else

Jesus says turn the other cheek

and how did that turned out for him?

According to the religion he became prince of the entire universe after he respawned

This is why domestic issues are so scary to me. It often seems like there isn't much to actually act on for police until it is too late
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