Medical Examiner IDs woman found dead at UNR

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Update on May 5: The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the woman found dead on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno on Thursday.

They identified the decedent as 21-year-old Quincy Russell of Fernley. She was declared dead on scene. Family members who spoke with KOLO 8 News Now say Russell went by the name “Sky.”

The cause and manner of her death are pending the completion of an autopsy and toxicology tests.

Original Article: University of Nevada President Brian Sandoval says a woman found dead on campus was a student at the college. Her name has not been released. Police say the woman’s body was found by campus workers in the quad near the Mackay School of Mines and the Engineering building around 7:10 Thursday morning. The surrounding area was closed during the investigation. Officials say no buildings were shut down, and no classes were directly impacted by the discovery.

In a letter to staff and students at the university, President Brian Sandoval said, “Earlier today we were deeply saddened to learn that one of our students was found deceased on campus. The death of a student affects our entire University. We mourn this tragic loss. On behalf of the University, I wish to offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased student.”

One female nursing student, who requested to remain anonymous, spoke to KOLO 8 News Now’s Crystal Garcia, recounting her Thursday morning walk to an O-Chem test.

“I was walking by the quad about 7:15-7:20 this morning and two police officers were there, their lights flashing on their cars and then I did look to my left and I saw a body,” said the student. “They (police) just politely asked us to go around the quad to get to our classroom.”

University Police set up a perimeter around the scene as an investigation was conducted. “Medical Examiners arrived, they did their initial exam and then they removed the body to continue the investigation,” said University Chief of Police, Eric James.

Police say but there were no obvious signs of trauma. Investigators are waiting on the the medical examiner’s report for the cause of death.

When asked if these types of discoveries are common at the university, Chief James said, “I’ve been here almost 20 years and I think we’ve probably located about 10 bodies, either on campus or right next to campus in some way.” Noting, UNR’s campus is right in the middle of the downtown corridor.

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