Reports revealing the dark truth, including the confession of Lauren McCluskey’s killer, have left people shocked and heartbroken.
According to Dailymail, Melvin Rowland, 37, repeatedly stalked and extorted Univeristy of Utah track star, Lauren McCluskey, in the weeks leading up to her death on October 22, 2018, at an untimely age of 21.
Weeks before the murder, Rowland admitted to a GDIT (General Dynamics Information Technology) supervisor that he had lied to Lauren about his age, manipulated her into sending money, and feared going back to jail.
Despite knowing about his illegal behavior, the supervisor took no action and even allowed Rowland to take a personal leave of absence, which he later used to ambush and murder Lauren in her dorm.
Similarly, two other co-workers were aware of his actions but either refused to cooperate with the police or actively facilitated his extortion.
Lauren met Rowland at an off-campus bar, where he worked as a bouncer, using the name Sean Fields and claiming to be a college student.
After dating for about a month, Lauren discovered his true identity and criminal history, which led to the end of the relationship.
Following the breakup, Rowland began stalking Lauren, repeatedly sending threatening messages and extorting money from her.
Using Venmo, he collected $2,000 in multiple transactions, and he even gained access to her email, allowing him to view the screenshots she sent to campus police, which documented his threats.
Furthermore, Lauren repeatedly sought help from campus authorities, but despite providing her ID and proof of his harassment, campus police failed to check his parole status or take effective action.
On the night of October 22, Lauren was on the phone with her parents when Rowland attacked her, dragging her to a parked car and shooting her seven times at close range.
After fleeing, Rowland took public transportation, went on a date, and ultimately committed suicide via a self-inflicted gunshot at a church.
Melvin Rowland Had Long History of Criminal Offenses
Rowland had a long history of sexual offenses, including at least three assaults, one involving a minor.
A registered sex offender, he spent years in and out of prison and had been paroled three times.
In April 2018, just five months before meeting Lauren, he was released on parole with supervision requirements.
However, Rowland repeatedly violated parole in the months leading up to the murder.
Authorities discovered messages he sent to women he was attempting to date and his use of dating sites, both of which were considered violations.
Despite these violations, he was still able to freely interact with Lauren and commit the crimes that would lead to her death.
After the tragic passing of Lauren, her parents, Jill and Matt McCluskey, filed civil rights lawsuits against the University of Utah, arguing that the institution could have done more to protect their daughter.
The lawsuits were settled for $13.5 million, with a portion of the funds allocated to The Lauren McCluskey Foundation, which aims to enhance campus safety nationwide.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- The late Lauren McCluskey was born on February 12, 1997, in Berkeley, CA, and grew up in Pullman, WA.
- Prior to the University of Utah, Lauren attended Pullman High School, where he earned the 2012 Washington State Championship title in high jump, 19 USATF All-America honors, and numerous other titles.
- Her parents, Jill and Matt, are both professors at Washington State University. She was also a proud sister of Ryan McCluskey.
