A Truett McConnell University student was found dead inside campus housing at Twin Springs Apartments in Cleveland, Georgia, on Sunday afternoon, after officers responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive person at approximately 5:18 p.m. Cleveland Police officers arrived and located the student deceased inside the residence, according to the department.
Cleveland Police Chief Jeff Shoemaker confirmed the following day that the deceased was a Truett McConnell University student and that the student's family had already been notified before any public announcement was made, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Police and university officials have deliberately withheld the student's name, age, and specific cause of death out of respect for the family's privacy, per the same report. The Christian Index also noted that the student's death occurred in student housing on the university's Cleveland campus, according to The Christian Index.
Investigators have said foul play is not currently suspected, though the case remains open. WSB-TV reported that officers entered the campus residence before locating the deceased male student.
GBI Lab Now Handling Forensic Review
The White County Coroner's Office transported the student's body to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory for a full forensic medical examination, according to White County News. The Cleveland Police Department's investigation remains open, the outlet reported, adding that local authorities continue to emphasize that no foul play is currently suspected.
Truett McConnell University confirmed the student's death in an official statement Monday, saying the community is heartbroken and that prayers are with the student's family, friends, classmates, and everyone grieving the loss. University leadership asked the community to focus on supporting grieving students and family members rather than speculating, according to Now Georgia. The university said it is cooperating with authorities and specifically asked people not to speculate or share unverified information online while the investigation continues.
Counseling and Pastoral Support Activated Campuswide
In the wake of the death, the university activated on-campus grief counseling, pastoral care, and other support services tailored for students, faculty, and staff, delivered through the school's student development and chaplaincy offices, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The university also asked the community to keep the student's family and the campus in their prayers as the process unfolds.
The death occurred on Sept. 20, 2026. Truett McConnell is a Christian school in Cleveland.
Teachers College Columbia University's annual campus security report is published on or before Oct. 1 and includes crime data for the three prior calendar years, according to Teachers College Columbia University. No findings from the ongoing GBI review have been released.
