Autopsy Finds 0.425% BAC in Northern Arizona University Hazing Death
An autopsy released Monday shows that Northern Arizona University freshman Colin Daniel Martinez, 18, died of alcohol poisoning with a blood-alcohol level of 0.425% after a Jan. 31 Delta Tau Delta fraternity rush event at a house near the Flagstaff campus. Police say Martinez was one of four fraternity candidates told to share two bottles of vodka until they vomited, and witnesses later described repeatedly checking his breathing and searching online for alcohol-poisoning symptoms before he was found unresponsive and could not be resuscitated. Three chapter officers — new member educator Carter Eslick, vice president Ryan Creech and treasurer Riley Cass, all 20 — have been arrested on suspicion of hazing, and the Coconino County Attorney’s Office is now reviewing the case to decide on formal charges. NAU has suspended the chapter and the national Delta Tau Delta organization has since voted to permanently close it, while both the university and the fraternity issued statements condemning hazing and stressing their anti-hazing policies. The case adds to a long pattern of fraternity-related deaths that have driven anti-hazing legislation in multiple states and is likely to fuel fresh calls for tougher criminal penalties and stricter enforcement of campus Greek-life rules.
📌 Key Facts
- Autopsy found Colin Daniel Martinez, 18, had a 0.425% blood-alcohol level and died of alcohol poisoning after a Jan. 31 fraternity rush event in Flagstaff, Arizona.
- Police and court documents say four fraternity candidates were made to share two bottles of vodka as part of a Delta Tau Delta event, with bystanders attempting CPR and monitoring Martinez through the night.
- Three chapter leaders — Carter Eslick, Ryan Creech and Riley Cass, all 20 — were arrested on suspicion of hazing, and prosecutors are reviewing the case for formal charges.
- Northern Arizona University suspended the Delta Tau Delta chapter, and the national fraternity has moved to shutter the NAU chapter permanently, publicly reaffirming its anti-hazing stance.
📊 Relevant Data
Between 2000 and 2025, there have been at least 122 hazing-related deaths in US colleges, averaging about five per year.
College Hazing Death Database: 122 People Have Died in Last 25 Years — Campus Safety Magazine
Since 2000, at least 50 college students have died from hazing, with the majority of those deaths related to alcohol.
What Is Hazing in College? Facts, Statistics, and Prevention Efforts — BestColleges
Fraternity and sorority members are disproportionately White, with 18% of White students being members compared to 10% of Students of Color.
New Perspectives on Fraternity and Sorority Life — North American Interfraternity Conference
American Indian and Alaska Native people had the highest rate of alcohol-induced deaths at 57.9 per 100,000 in 2024, more than four times the rate among White people.
Alcohol Deaths: National Trends and Variation by Demographics and States — KFF
At Northern Arizona University, White students comprise about 52% of the undergraduate population, Hispanic students 27%, and students of color overall 43%.
Northern Arizona University Diversity: Racial Demographics & Other Stats — College Factual
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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