WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A 19-year-old Purdue University student from Zionsville has been identified as the person found dead last week in an academic building on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, according to the Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office.
Coroner Carrie Costello identified the student as Truman Greaves of Zionsville, Indiana. Authorities said Greaves was found the evening of March 11 at the top of a stairway inside the Purdue Physics Building, in the 500 block of Northwestern Avenue, after campus police were called to the scene around 6 p.m. The area where he was located was described as an out-of-the-way stairwell leading to a door marked for authorized personnel only.
The Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office and the Purdue University Police Department say the death remains under investigation. An autopsy determined Greaves died from asphyxia; officials have indicated the manner of death was suicide. No foul play is suspected, and Purdue officials said there is no ongoing threat to the campus community.
Greaves was enrolled as a Purdue student at the time of his death and was a graduate of Zionsville Community High School, tying the incident to Boone County as well as Tippecanoe County. Counseling and support services have been offered to Purdue students, faculty and staff affected by the death.
Authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances leading up to the incident. Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis is encouraged to contact local crisis resources or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day.