Rice University student murdered in dorm was political science major from Baltimore County
BALTIMORE - Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a Baltimore County native who was found murdered in her dorm room at Rice University on Monday, was active in several university organizations and was a political science major with a focus on pre-law.
The junior transferred to Rice, in Houston, Texas, last spring from the Community College of Baltimore County. She was from Nottingham, Maryland, and graduated from Perry Hall High School in 2021.
Avila was found fatally shot in her Jones College residential hall around 4:30 p.m. Central time on Monday, along with a gunman who is believed to have killed her and then took his own life, police said.
Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said Avila's family told police they hadn't heard from her, so officers conducted a welfare check at her dorm room. Avila also didn't show up to class on the first day of the semester, according to police.
Police said Avila appeared to have let the gunman in and they were known to one another. The gunman, who was not a Rice student, left a note detailing his prior relationship with Avila, according to police.
"In general terms, it was a lot about their relationship and obviously they were having a troubled relationship at this time," Chief Rodriguez said.
The discovery led to a campus-wide lockdown for nearly two hours and the remaining classes Monday were canceled while police investigated.
At Rice, Avila was a deputy parliamentarian of the Rice Student Association; a peer academic advisor at the Jones College residential hall; and a member of the university's Honor Council.
Before transferring, Rodriguez Avila was also active in organizations at CCBC including Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society.
The school wrote a statement in response to their former student's death that reads: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a beloved member of the CCBC Class of 2023. Andrea was a passionate leader, an exceptional scholar, and a mentor to many. Her infectious smile and unwavering determination inspired all who knew her. The CCBC community extends its deepest sympathies to Andrea's family during this difficult time."
Police have yet to identify the 22-year-old shooter.
Rodriguez Avila's parents were flown into Houston by the university on Tuesday.
