College Wrestler Accused of Murder in Relation to Teammate’s Death
The Campbellsville University community is reeling after a shocking incident on campus.
Charles E. Escalera, a student at the university in Kentucky, was charged with the murder of fellow student and wrestling teammate Josiah Malachi Kilman, Taylor County Clerk Susie Skaggs told E! News.
Escalera, 21, was arrested Feb. 24 after Kilman, 18, was found dead in his dorm room, NBC News reported. Kilman was a current athlete on the men’s wrestling team, while Escalera—who went by Zeke—was also on the team from 2021 to 2022, according to the school’s roster.
While Escalera was charged with Kilman’s death, Campbellsville Police said in an update to the outlet Feb. 26, “A motive for the crime is still undetermined at this time, however the case is on-going.”
Online records obtained by E! News show that Escalera was booked into the Taylor County Detention Center on a charge each of murder and second-degree burglary with a bond set at $2 million. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Kilman died of asphyxia by manual strangulation, the Taylor County Coroner’s Office announced in a press statement Feb. 26.