HOUSTON, Texas – A former Perry Hall High School student was shot and killed in her Texas dormitory on Monday.
Andrea Rodriguez Avila graduated from the Community College of Baltimore County in 2023 before moving on to study at Rice University in Houston.
According to Avila’s LinkedIn page, she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Police believe Avila’s death was a murder-suicide.
In her dorm room, investigators also discovered the body of an unidentified man who had apparently inflicted a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
University President Reginald DesRoches said the man had no connection to the university.
CNN reported that a note was left at the crime scene indicating that he and Avila had a troubled romantic relationship.
The tragic incident occurred as students were finishing their first day of school.
On Monday evening, a curfew was in place on campus for over an hour so that police could ensure that there was no immediate threat.
Classes were cancelled on Tuesday for healing.
“This is a heartbreaking, devastating incident, and it is important to recognize that this loss will impact our close-knit community in the days and weeks to come,” DesRoches said. I want our students, parents, and the Rice community to know that our campus is safe, that there is no further threat, and that we embrace you with care and compassion. As a parent of a former Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be – for Andrea’s family and our community.
