Eleven people have been indicted in connection to the alleged hazing death of Adam Oakes, a Virginia Commonwealth University freshman who died of alcohol poisoning in February.
Eight people have been arrested as of Friday, a Richmond police spokesperson said. Seven of the arrests were made by the VCU Police Department and one was made by Virginia State Police.
The following men were arrested in Richmond by VCU Police and are being held without bond at the Richmond Justice Center:
- Benjamin J. Corado, 19: Charged with unlawful hazing of student, purchase/giving alcohol to a minor
- Quinn A. Kuby, 22: Charged with unlawful hazing of student, purchase/giving alcohol to a minor
- Riley K. McDaniel, 21: Charged with unlawful hazing of student
- Alessandro Medina-Villanueva, 21: Charged with unlawful hazing of student
- Jason B. Mulgrew, 21: Charged with unlawful hazing of student
- Christian G. Rohrbach, 22: Charged with unlawful hazing of student
- Colin G. Tran, 20: Charged with unlawful hazing of student, purchase/giving alcohol to a minor
-
Alessandro Medina-Villanueva, 21 -
Colin G. Tran, 20 -
Christian Rohrbach, 22 -
Jason B. Mulgrew, 21 -
Riley K. McDaniel, 21 -
Quinn A. Kuby, 22 
Benjamin J. Corado, 19
One man, 22-year-old Enayat W. Sheikhzad, was arrested for unlawful hazing of a student by Virginia State Police in Prince William County and released on bond.
Richmond Police said they expect the remaining three suspects to turn themselves in soon.
Oakes, 19, was found dead at an off-campus house on the 100 block of West Clay Street after a Delta Chi fraternity party. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be “ethanol toxicity,” a type of alcohol poisoning, and ruled it “an accident.”
“We are grateful for some measure of justice these charges and arrests may produce, as well as the protection from hazing they may give young, impressionable college students,” Oakes’ family wrote in a statement sent to 8News’ Tyler Thrasher.
Following an investigation, VCU’s chapter of Delta Chi was permanently suspended in June and an external review of VCU’s Greek Life recommended that alcohol be banned entirely at fraternity events.
“This is the first time these young men have been held accountable for their historically toxic and destructive traditions, manipulation of the VCU disciplinary systems, and for Adam’s death,” the statement from Oakes’ family continued.
Officers found Oakes, a Loudoun County native, unresponsive inside the house on the morning of Feb. 27. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. A neighbor told 8News in March that he heard a large party at the Delta Chi the night before.
8News Reporter Tyler Thrasher spoke to the family today and asked them what they would say to Adam if he was able to see the justice beginning to take place.
“I would tell him I would give anything to have him back. I know that is not possible, but if I can fight for other kids in your honor,” his cousin Courtney White said. “I would continue to do that until the day that I die.”
“He made Linda and I better people … I hope that he is looking down on us and is happy with what we’ve done since his passing and the change we’re trying to make,” Adam’s father Eric Oakes said.
He added that he wants to make sure this never happens to another child again – and another family.
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