20 calls for help: How Utah student Lauren McCluskey's life ended up as an avoidable campus tragedy

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: Lauren McCluskey, 21, was found dead in a car parked near her dorm at the University of Utah. She was shot seven times on October 22, 2018.

Since Lauren's death, it has come out that she tried to get help from the university police because she was scared of her ex-boyfriend, Melvin Rowland, who was stalking her but her requests were seemingly ignored.

Before the tragic incident, she called the police over 20 calls regarding her concerns about Rowland, according to True 911 calls.

The Sunday, April 14 episode of Dateline NBC underscored how Lauren's death could have been prevented. 

What happened to Lauren McCluskey?

On October 22, 2018, in the moments leading up to her tragic death, Lauren's ex-boyfriend, Rowland, waited for her in her dormitory hall for several hours.

While Lauren was speaking with her mother, Jill McCluskey, on the phone at 8.20 pm, Rowland confronted her, violently dragging her across the parking lot outside her dormitory, causing her to drop her phone and belongings.

At 8.23 pm, her father, Matt McCluskey, alerted campus security that his daughter was in danger. However, by then, it was too late.

Police arrived at the scene at 8.32 pm and her body was found inside a car about an hour later. 

Rowland killed himself hours after Lauren's death. The individual who lent him the gun he used to kill the 21-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison.

Officers missed several opportunities to prevent Lauren McCluskey's death

Officer Miguel Deras brought Lauren's case to campus police on October 12, 2018, to report she was being harassed by Rowland. Subsequently, on October 13, 2018, she reported extortion, as per Salt Lake Magazine.

However, the police, including Officer Deras, never investigated her claims. At one point, Deras made a strange request, asking her to provide him with questionable and explicit photos related to the case.

It later emerged that Deras had downloaded these pictures onto his personal phone and was heard boasting to colleagues about her appearance.

In hindsight, there were many opportunities to prevent the horrific murder.

Lauren's mother, Jill, stated, "The officers never checked Lauren’s killer’s offender status. After the police took her statement, they could have easily found out that Rowland was on parole and put him in jail right then. I just wish a responsible adult would have listened and believed. Rowland was on parole and could have been taken into custody."

On October 19, 2018, Lauren emailed Detective Kayla Dallof with Rowland's offender information, but the latter did not read the email until the murder.

Lauren's friend Shelby Gonzalez shared, "On Thursday before we lost Lauren she asked me to come to the library to meet her because she needed help. She said the police didn’t believe her about her scary ex and she didn’t know what to do."

"The U has never admitted that Lauren’s death could have been prevented, or apologized or taken responsibility for their failures. It’s hard for them to change if they don’t acknowledge their failures, and that has to happen going forward," further remarked Jill. 

Lauren McCluskey's death led to the establishment of a student-led coalition called 'UnsafeU'

After Lauren's tragic murder, her teammate and friend, Brooke Martin, was initially stunned. However, as time passed, she noticed little to no improvement in campus safety or policy.

Martin took action by creating a mural in honor of her friend and helping establish a student-led coalition named "UnsafeU."

Since their inaugural public protest on the first anniversary of Lauren's death, UnsafeU has been collecting and sharing accounts of mishandled cases.

Martin emphasized, "Students are demonstrating with their voices and standing up for what’s right and not forgetting, and not accepting the empty words or quick Bandaids from a system that’s completely broken."

Numerous professors at the University of Utah and across the nation have incorporated "Lauren’s Promise" into their course syllabi, "I will listen and believe you if someone is threatening you."

Former Utah State Senator Jani Iwamoto, long invested in public safety and sexual assault issues, commended the activism, noting, "As many students have continued to express that they don’t feel safe and demand real change in their places of higher learning. We need safeguards in place to help our students."

She spearheaded SB 134, signed by ex-Utah Governor Gary Herbert on May 19, 2019, which mandates campus safety requirements and accountability measures, with institutions obligated to provide annual updates to the Legislature for assessment.

Iwamoto stressed, "Lauren’s death, her pleas for help, of course, her tragic death does not go away, and nothing is going to work unless we have some real change with the police and policy, and that the students believe in it because now there isn’t trust at all in them."

"Seamless communication is also important for the victims because it’s hard enough to navigate where to go and what to do when they are going through an experience," added the Democrat. 

She also sponsored SB Bill 80, which focused on enhancing communication between law enforcement, students, campus police dispatch, and departments.

As a Communications major, Lauren was enrolled in Professor Dan Clark’s Advanced Public Speaking class at the University of Utah. Her final exam involved a student presentation titled, "Last Lecture—If you had only one hour left to live, what would you say?" Lauren volunteered to go first.

Clark recalls, "She shared her stories about being on the track team, the thrill of victory as well as her injuries and enduring disappointment and physical pain. Her message was one of keeping hope alive, that overcoming obstacles is part of life, and that practicing self-love is the way for you to fully love others."

Who was Lauren McCluskey?

When Lauren chose to enroll at the University of Utah, she was recruited to join the Women’s Track & Field Team.

She was a Washington State Champion in the high jump and ranked 10th in the heptathlon at the USATF Outdoor Junior Championships.

"Lauren was a star athlete from when she was a youth, climbing trees at the age of two," noted her mother, Jill.

Lauren was highly respected by her teachers, coaches, and teammates as a multi-event athlete with a strong GPA, as well as for her character.

"She genuinely cared about others and her friendships," mentioned her mother.

Though somewhat introverted, those who knew her discovered she had much to say and a deep concern for others. 

In addition to athletics, she enjoyed karaoke and dancing with her close friends. During her time at the University of Utah, she was a member of the Capital Church in downtown SLC, often inviting others to join her and encouraging them to sing.

After living in Salt Lake City for a few years, Lauren met Melvin Rowland at a popular downtown bar where he worked as a bouncer.

Who was Melvin Rowland?

Rowland, as per the Utah Department of Corrections, was a registered sex offender, as reported by CNN. 

Records indicate that he was convicted in 2004 for enticing a minor, a felony, and attempted forcible sexual abuse, also a felony, according to the Utah Department of Corrections sex offender registry. His release date was noted as 2013.

In a X (formerly Twitter) statement, Jill revealed that her daughter had dated him for approximately a month, but ended the relationship on October 9 after learning about Rowland’s criminal past from a friend.

"He lied to her about his name, his age, and his criminal history," stated Lauren's mother.