Rice University student found fatally shot in dorm room on first day of class

HOUSTON — Two people are dead in an apparent murder-suicide at Rice University in Houston.

University police say a female student was found shot dead Monday in her dorm room and a man, who was not a student was also found dead with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

University Police identified the student as Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior at the university.

"This is a speech that no president ever wants to make," said University President Reginald DesRoches "As president of Rice University I'm heartbroken to share the loss of one of our students, Andrea Rodriguez Avila. Rice University Police responded to a welfare check this afternoon at around 4:30 p.m. and found Andrea deceased in her room along with an unidentified male with a self-inflicted gunshot wound who was not a member of the Rice community."

Clemente Rodriguez, the Rice University Police Chief, said a family member had not heard from Avila and asked the police to check on her and make sure she was ok.

Rodriguez said officers checked to see if Avila had been in class and found that she had not gone to class. It was around 4:30 p.m. when officers went to check her dorm room and see if she needed anything.

"So we made entry to the room and that's when we discovered her," said Rodriguez.

Police say there was no sign of forced entry to the dorm room and Rodriguez said the man found in Avila's room was not a registered visitor.

Students and staff were locked down for roughly two hours before a shelter-in-place order was lifted around 7 p.m.

"As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be," DesRoches said. "We are communicating with Andrea's parents and are flying them out early tomorrow morning. We ask the community to keep us in your prayers as we comfort each other this evening."

Monday was the first day of class.  All remaining classes and activities were canceled for Monday and Tuesday and began offering counseling and services to help students cope.

Authorities have not identified the man, but University police say the 22-year-old man left a note describing his troubled relationship with Avila.