Penn State freshman Joseph "Joe" Dado was found dead at about 6 p.m. Monday at the bottom of an exterior stairwell between two campus buildings, 39 hours after he went missing from an on-campus fraternity.
Dado's 15-foot fall down a stairwell between the Hosler and Steidle Buildings appears to have been accidental, and authorities do not suspect foul play, Penn State spokesman Geoff Rushton said.
"Police will continue investigating the scene and try to come up with a conclusion," Rushton said. "It's tragic. It's certainly been a gut-wrenching 40 hours, and to see it end like this -- it is certainly devastating. Our hearts go out to his family and friends."
Dado, 18, of Latrobe, was last seen leaving Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) fraternity, 319 N. Burrowes Road, alone at about 3 a.m. Sunday, the Penn State Police Department said.
Eric Hayes (freshman-engineering), who was with Dado that night, said Dado had been drinking alcohol but not enough to require medical attention. Neither university officials nor police could confirm whether alcohol played a role in Dado's death.
Dado suffered severe head trauma from the fall, Rushton said, adding his body was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center for an autopsy. An official toxicology report will be ordered, and the cause of death has yet to be determined, Rushton said.
Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers said his office had been notified of Dado's death and
an autopsy will be performed today.
The FBI and State College Police Department joined Penn State police in a widening effort to locate Dado, sending search dogs and a helicopter across campus Wednesday.
Workers called to the Hosler Building on the corner of Burrowes and Pollock Roads to repair a broken pipe discovered the body near the entrance of the building's mechanical room, Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said.
A crowd of about 100 people stood in silence as they watched the events unfold outside the Hosler Building. Some cried, and a few held hands as a yellow Penn State HazMat truck blocked the view of the back entrance to the building.
At about 6 p.m., authorities blocked off the front and back of the Hosler and Steidle Buildings with yellow caution tape, waving in an ambulance and about six police vehicles.
Almost two days earlier, Dado left Tener Hall in East Halls at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday with three other male Penn State students, said his roommate, Ryan Stroup, who was one of the three with Dado.
The group took the White Loop to Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 321 E. Fairmount Ave., before visiting Dado's sister's Burrowes Corner apartment, 119 S. Burrowes St., at about 1:45 a.m, Stroup said.
The group then walked to Fiji fraternity, where a party was ending, Stroup said. Dado stayed at the fraternity with people he knew while his three friends returned to East Halls, Stroup said.
Fiji members saw Dado leave the house at about 3 a.m. and head for East Halls, Fiji fraternity president Soham Pandit (senior-political science) said.
Authorities interviewed about 10 Fiji fraternity members Monday afternoon in the fraternity's parking lot, later searching a dumpster, vehicles located in the fraternity's parking lot, and two nearby manholes.
Rushton said they also checked Dado's ID and ATM cards earlier in the day, but neither had been used since his disappearance.
Earlier in the day, family and friends posted fliers downtown and inside the HUB-Robeson Center in attempts to locate Dado.
Dado's parents drove to Penn State from Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon and spent Sunday night driving across campus in an attempt to locate their son, sister Natalie Dado said.
Family and friends used flashlights to search for Dado on Sunday night and attended some of his classes Monday to notify students and faculty of the search, Rushton said.
Penn State officials used Facebook, Twitter and the university newswire to help get the word out about the search, Rushton said.
A "Be on the Lookout" alert was sent to Centre County officials notifying them of the search, Penn State spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz said.
Residence Life officials met with students living in Tener Hall on Monday night, Rushton said.
