Lauren McCluskey

Summary

Truer Crime - Episode: Lauren McCluskey

Release Date: January 20, 2025

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Introduction

In this poignant episode of Truer Crime, host Celisia Stanton unravels the tragic and complex story of Lauren McCluskey, a beloved 21-year-old student at the University of Utah. Through meticulous storytelling and insightful analysis, the episode explores Lauren's life, her relationship with Melvin Rowland—a man with a disturbing past—and the systemic failures that culminated in her untimely death.

Background: Who Was Lauren McCluskey?

Lauren McCluskey was not just another college student; she was a vibrant, dedicated individual deeply involved in her community and athletic endeavors. As Celisia Stanton narrates, “It was September of 2018... Lauren now embraced the spotlight. She built deep friendships, sang at karaoke nights, even tried her hand at performing comedy” ([05:00]). Her enthusiasm and commitment made her a cherished member of the University of Utah community.

The Beginning of a Tragic Relationship

Lauren met Melvin Rowland at the London Bell, a local bar in Salt Lake. Melvin, posing as a charming and mature individual, quickly became a significant presence in Lauren's life. “He was the guy next door” ([01:10]), recalls Lauren's coach, highlighting Melvin's initial benign facade. Their whirlwind romance was marked by Melvin’s thoughtful gestures—dinners, flowers—and his apparent maturity, which initially seemed to complement Lauren's athletic and academic focus.

Red Flags and Rising Concerns

Despite Lauren's happiness, those close to her began noticing troubling signs. Friends like Alex observed Lauren’s rapidly changing behavior and Melvin's controlling nature. “Lauren’s explanation of her outfit raised more eyebrows. Shawn told me to wear a T-shirt and jeans” ([09:30]). Melvin’s insistence on knowing Lauren’s whereabouts and his restrictive behavior began to erode her autonomy, leading friends and family to worry about her well-being.

Attempted Intervention and Institutional Failures

Alarmed by Lauren’s situation, Alex and other friends reported their concerns to campus housing authorities. Unfortunately, the response was inadequate. “They focused on the parts of the story that indicated Lauren might have violated campus housing guest policy” ([10:30]). Technical issues and bureaucratic indifference resulted in the report never being formally filed, leaving Lauren without the necessary support and protection.

Escalation: Blackmail and Threats

As the relationship unraveled, Melvin’s true nature emerged. Lauren discovered Melvin’s real identity—Melvin Rowland—a 37-year-old with a history of sex crimes. “[Melvin] had some big, scary things to hide” ([12:20]). Following their breakup, Lauren began receiving threatening texts orchestrated by Melvin, aimed at blackmailing her. At [19:05], Lauren explains, “I’m being blackmailed for money. It’s a photo of me and my ex. They’re threatening to send it out to everyone and asking for a thousand dollars.”

The Final Assault and Tragic Loss

Despite multiple reports to campus police, Lauren’s pleas for help went unanswered. On a fateful evening, Lauren’s parents received a desperate call from Lauren, who was being physically attacked. “[Matt] My daughter, Lauren McCluskey was talking to her mom and then she just started saying, no, no, no” ([26:50]). Tragically, Lauren was found dead later that evening, having been shot seven times. Melvin, when confronted by police, took his own life, leaving behind a devastated community and unanswered questions about institutional negligence.

Investigation and Unveiling Systemic Failures

The investigation revealed glaring systemic failures within the University of Utah's campus police. Melvin’s parole status was not adequately checked, and his history as a sex offender was not properly communicated or surveilled. “[Melvin] was using dating sites, social media, and even borrowed a gun before killing Lauren” ([34:00]). These oversights and the campus police's lack of coordination with external law enforcement agencies critically hindered timely intervention that might have saved Lauren’s life.

The McCluskey Family’s Advocacy and Legacy

In the aftermath of Lauren's death, her parents, Jill and Matt McCluskey, channeled their grief into advocacy. They established the Lauren McCluskey Foundation and launched Lauren's Promise, a campaign encouraging communities to support and believe victims of stalking and dating violence. Their relentless pursuit of justice led to significant legislative changes, including state bills mandating detailed response plans for such cases in public colleges.

Conclusion: A Call for Systemic Change

Lauren McCluskey’s heartbreaking story serves as a stark reminder of the profound impact systemic failures can have on individual lives. Truer Crime not only memorializes Lauren’s vibrant life but also highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in how institutions handle abuse and stalking cases. The McCluskey family's ongoing efforts underscore the importance of community advocacy and systemic accountability to prevent future tragedies.

Notable Quotes

• Matt McCluskey on Lauren’s Final Call: “My daughter, Lauren McCluskey was talking to her mom and then she just started saying, no, no, no” ([26:50]).

• Lauren's Coach on Her Character: “Lauren was an outstanding young woman... She was genuinely sweet and had a relentless determination” ([29:31]).

• Celisia Stanton on Systemic Failures: “We will never know that this tragedy could have been prevented without these deficiencies” ([37:32]).

Final Thoughts

This episode of Truer Crime masterfully intertwines personal tragedy with critical analysis of systemic shortcomings, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of Lauren McCluskey's story. It stands as a compelling call to action, urging societies and institutions to prioritize the safety and well-being of individuals to prevent such heartbreaking losses in the future.

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For more episodes and detailed stories, visit the Truer Crime website or subscribe to the podcast on your preferred platform.

Transcript

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[Celisia Stanton]

He went to a local church. He was going to the grocery store with us.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

He was the guy next door.

[Narrator]

But he was leading a double life.

[Matt McCluskey]

He was certainly a peeping Tom looking.

[Narrator]

Through the windows, looking at people, fantasizing.

[Matt McCluskey]

About what he could do.

[Narrator]

He then began entering the houses.

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He could get into their home, take something and get out and not be caught. He felt very powerful.

[Narrator]

He was a monster hiding in plain sight.

[Celisia Stanton]

Someone killed four members of a family.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

It just didn't happen here.

[Narrator]

Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers.

[Celisia Stanton]

Btk through the voices of the people.

[Narrator]

Who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.

[Celisia Stanton]

To your favorite shows. Hi friends. I am so excited to share this new Season two episode of True Crime with you. If you want an ad free listening experience, subscribe to Tenderfoot [e-mail] or on Apple Podcasts. Hi friends, Celisia here. Before we dive into today's episode, I just want to say a huge thank you for all the love and support that we've gotten since we announced season two of True Crime. It's been really amazing to get to hear from all of you and and before we jump in, I just have a tiny favor to ask. If you're enjoying the show and you really believe in what we're doing. Would you mind just taking a quick moment to rate and review us? You can actually do this on Apple Podcasts or you can even just leave a rating on Spotify. I can't tell you how much every single rating or review really does help us. It genuinely helps keep the show going. It is the number one way you can support us. And not only does it help us reach more folks, but I read every single one and it really means a lot to be able to stay connected with all of you. So if you're not sure what to write, we've got some tips on our Instagram reocrime pod. So head over there and check out the highlight called Review Help. Thanks so much. And without further ado, let's get into today's episode. Please be aware that today's episode contains references to sexual assault and suicide. Please take care while listening. Hi.

[Matt McCluskey]

My daughter, Lauren McCluskey was talking to her mom and then she just started saying, no, no, no, no, no. And it sounded like someone might have been grabbing her or something.

[Celisia Stanton]

When things go terribly wrong, we're taught to take action, to find our courage to reach out.

[Matt McCluskey]

Investigation paints a picture of a desperate.

[Celisia Stanton]

College student trying to find help. But what happens when the people you trust to protect you look the other way?

[Matt McCluskey]

She did the right thing. She tried to get help. She, you know, did the things that you're supposed to do and something awful still happens.

[Celisia Stanton]

I'm pissed. That's just another thing that could have been brought to my attention, that could have changed everything. And in the aftermath of a tragedy, it's never long before the questions begin. How did this happen? Could it have been prevented? And whose fault is it that it wasn't? It's exactly those questions we'll be exploring today. Because this is the story of Lauren McCluskey, university police and security.

[Matt McCluskey]

How can I help you? Hi, this is Lauren. I called a few days ago. I've been getting these texts from these numbers of different people and I think they're trying to lure me somewhere.

[Celisia Stanton]

I'm Celicia Stanton and you're listening to truer crime. Today's story starts with the kind of night that for me felt deeply relatable. It was September of 2018, the warmth of summer still lingering in the air. And on this particular day, 21 year old college student Lauren McCluskey suggested to her friend Alex that the two spend their evening at a new bar in Salt Lake, the London Bell. And while these weren't exactly novel planned for two 21 year olds. It was the kind of thing that Lauren would have never suggested, even just a few years prior. But now, in her final year at the University of Utah, Lauren had undergone a metamorphosis of sorts. Once focused solely on academics and athletics, she now embraced the spotlight. She built deep friendships, sang at karaoke nights, even tried her hand at performing comedy. Now Lauren was in the home stretch, graduation just around the corner. And what better way to soak it all in than a night out with one of her best friends? When they arrived at the London Bell, the line to get in streamed down the block, but Lauren's eyes went straight to the bouncer that manned its front. He was tall, with large muscles and a sense of self assuredness that radiated off him. Cute guy, new bar. It all had the makings of a good night. Inside, the place was packed. But then suddenly, cute bouncer reappeared, finding them seats. His name was Sean, a call center worker and community college student. Something about him intrigued Lauren. She took a chance, slipped him her number on a napkin. As they left that evening, Shawn texted her. It all kicked off a whirlwind romance marked by Shawn's maturity, charm and thoughtful gestures. Nice dinners, flowers. He was the total package for Lauren, who'd always prioritized athletics, school, and a tight circle of friends. Shawn was different. Lauren confided in her mom, Jill, about her budding romance. It was clear to both of them that Lauren was smitten. Jill was excited that her daughter was so happy, but felt a little wary when she discovered Shawn was 28, seven years older than Lauren. But ultimately, she decided to trust Lauren's judgment. She was an adult now, and she wanted her daughter to feel like she had the freedom to navigate her own life choices. But soon it wasn't just Jill who felt wary of the new character in Lauren's life. Alex, who'd been with Lauren the night she met Shawn, had grown increasingly skeptical of her friend's rapidly intensifying relationship. According to Deseret News, within days of their first meeting, Shawn became a near permanent fixture at Lauren's campus apartment, spending almost every night there. But there were other signs, too. Red flags that proved increasingly difficult to overlook. Alex told ESPN about one occasion early on where Lauren said something like, sean told me I could invite a few friends to meet him on Thursday. Alex found the phrasing bizarre. He told her she could. Later, Lauren's explanation of her outfit raised more eyebrows. Shawn told me to wear a T shirt and jeans, so that's why I'm wearing this, she said. Another friend remembered that whenever Shawn called, Lauren was adamant about answering. And when she did, he peppered her with demanding questions, always wanting to know where she was and with who. Once, while in class, she missed his call. Later, he accused her of cheating. Soon, he started dictating her whereabouts, telling her not to go places where there might be other men. So, you know, everywhere. No parties, no friends houses, no nights on the town. Lauren withheld judgment, Though she had empathy for Shawn, he'd been cheated on in the past, or so he told her. Plus, he justified his actions as protection. What would she do if a man came onto her? She needed to buy a gun, he urged. And while all these developments were shocking and scary to learn about, I think what surprised me the most was just how quickly they unfolded. It had only been three and a half weeks since the pair had met. And so on September 29, when Alex met up with Lauren at her apartment, she was taken aback to see her friend in such a state of disarray. She looked nothing like the bold, passionate woman who'd taken her to the London Bell earlier that same month. She was thinner, tired, worn down. Alex knew it was time to take action, so she and a couple of friends reported the situation to campus housing authorities. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, they shared that Lauren was in an unhealthy and controlling relationship with a man who was constantly staying at her apartment, that he talked about bringing guns to campus, that he pressured Lauren even to buy her own. Not softening their fears, they emphasized their worries that Lauren might end up seriously hurt. But instead of reporting what was shared to campus police or the school's behavior intervention team, whose job it was to deal with cases of alleged abuse. The housing coordinator focused on the parts of the story that indicated Lauren might have violated campus housing guest policy, saying that she would chat with Lauren about that. The next day, housing officials determined that a report should be filed, but because their computer system wasn't working, it never did get filed. Ultimately, the housing team concluded that because Lauren was an adult, it was probably best for them to not get too involved. Lauren, meanwhile, remained loyal to Shawn, hopeful that as time went on and their relationship strengthened his trust, issues might fade. But then, according to espn, right before fall break, Lauren caught a glimpse of Shawn's id. It was weird, because the name listed wasn't one he'd ever told her about. She kept it to herself. And then, when she was back in her hometown for break, she tapped the name into her Google search bar. As she sifted through the pages of results, a sense of unease swept over her. Her boyfriend wasn't Shawn. He was a man named Melvin Roland. And he wasn't 28. He was 37. But there was something else too. A picture of Melvin face serious, eyes sullen. It was a discovery Lauren found particularly unsettling because it was a mugshot. Melvin Rowland had just left a 10 year stint in lockup, punishment for multiple sex crime convictions.

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[Celisia Stanton]

When Lauren returned to school, it was October 9th. It had been just over a month since she first met Shawn, a man she now knew was actually Melvin Rowland. Deseret News reported that alone in her apartment, Lauren dialed Alex's number. She poured out everything, revealing all the lies she had uncovered. She knew she needed to end things with Melvin, and Alex agreed, telling her she should plan to call it off somewhere public. After they hung up, Lauren caught sight of something outside her window. It was Melvin watching her. Then suddenly he was at her door, reprimanding her for discussing their relationship with others, she confronted him about what she discovered about his sex crime convictions. Ready with an excuse, he claimed that he was framed, that he was innocent, and was forced into pleading guilty. Lauren wasn't buying it. She attempted multiple times to end the relationship and kept asking him to leave, but he refused. Alex told ESPN that when she called Lauren the next morning to check in, the vibes were off. Lauren wasn't saying much, and she just wasn't sounding like herself. Are you alone? Alex asked her. She wasn't. Melvin had forced Lauren into allowing him to spend the night. Sometime after hanging up with Alex, she offered her car to Melvin, and he left to run a few errands. Finally, she was alone. Then later in the day, she started getting texts from unknown numbers. Why'd you break up with the big guy? He really loves you, the first one read. But quickly, they started to get more and more ominous. One demanded that she go kill herself. All allegedly came from friends of Melvin's. She called her mom and relayed everything that had happened, explaining that Melvin now had her car. Jill McCluskey, concerned for her daughter's safety and well being, swooped into action. She contacted campus dispatch, hoping they could assist Lauren in safely retrieving her car. Jill informed the dispatcher that she was very upset and worried, expressing her fear that Melvin might be dangerous. Her panic eventually turned into outright tears as she desperately explained, like any mother would, that she just didn't want anything bad to happen to her daughter. It's going to be okay, Jill, the dispatcher soothed. And while campus security did safely escort Lauren to her car that day, Jill's call was never documented in a centralized location, meaning that campus police never had any record of Jill or Lauren's safety concerns. That evening, two days later, Lauren's phone lit up. The strange text messages had geared up again. But this time they were even more outrageous, claiming that Roland had died, that it was all her fault, that she needed to leave her apartment to go to his funeral. It was at this point that Lauren again called campus dispatch.

[Matt McCluskey]

Yeah, we're seeking security. How can I help you? Hi, this is Lauren. I called a little a few days ago about a situation, and I wanted to kind of give an update.

[Celisia Stanton]

Lauren explained what happened two days prior with her car and said she'd been receiving weird text messages about her ex.

[Matt McCluskey]

I've been getting these texts from these numbers of different people saying that they were saying that he was in the hospital and then saying that, like, that he passed away. But then I got texts from him, and he seems to be alive, so. And then I got a text, you know, asking if I wanted to go to a funeral, his funeral. And I think they're trying to lure me somewhere.

[Celisia Stanton]

The dispatcher told Lauren that an officer would call her about the case. And shortly after, the University of Utah police opened a formal investigation. But the next day, the threatening messages continued. It was a Saturday, four days after her breakup with Melvin and only six weeks since the two had first met. On that morning, Lauren received a barrage of emails and texts with intimate photos of herself attached. The sender claimed they planned to publish the photos online unless Lauren sent them $1,000. According to ESPN, Lauren suspected Melvin was behind the text, but when she reached out to him about it, he denied it outright, saying he was also being blackmailed. Terrified and faced with what felt like limited options, Lauren caved the blackmailer and sent the requested thousand dollars through Venmo. Then, for the second time, she called campus police, university police, and security.

[Matt McCluskey]

How can I help you? Hi. So I am dealing with a situation where I'm being blackmailed for money. It a photo of my me and my ex. They're threatening to send it out to everyone and asking for a thousand dollars.

[Celisia Stanton]

Lauren told the dispatcher she suspected the blackmailer was her ex boyfriend, Melvin Rowland. And just like her call the day before, she was told an officer would follow up. That afternoon, though, Alex urged Lauren to visit campus police in person. The two went together, and when they arrived, a pair of officers met with them in the station's reception area. Almost immediately, the women sensed their concerns weren't being taken seriously. And, I mean, who could blame them? The officers didn't even bother to bring them to a private room to discuss what was obviously a sensitive situation. Hoping to convey the gravity of their concerns, Alex told ESPN that she Googled Melvin right there in the station's lobby. Showed the officers her screen. This guy had a history. They insisted he was a known sex offender with a criminal record, and now here he was, acting erratically. Maybe Lauren even needed to move, Alex said. But the officers were unfazed. The texts were probably just a scam, they assured. Maybe Melvin's phone was hacked. Still, Lauren filled out a police report, and the case was assigned to on call Detective Kayla Dallef. But since Dallef was out of office that day, Lauren didn't get to connect with her directly. Later that same day, feeling unsatisfied and increasingly concerned for her safety, Lauren decided to take matters into her own hands. Maybe if she called Salt Lake City police, they would actually do something. But when she phoned them, they explained that because she lived on university grounds, her report was under the jurisdiction of campus police. She'd have to stick with them, they said, before transferring her to campus dispatch.

[Matt McCluskey]

All right, what's going on? Well, I came in earlier today, and I filled out a report for the threat. You know. You came. You came into our building? Yes, I did. Okay. I called 911 because I was. I was just concerned, and I wasn't sure. Yeah, like, help speed things up. I don't know. Yeah, that totally makes sense. Okay. Yeah, if you call 911, the call will just come back to us and do the exact same thing. Yeah. Okay. Do you know when an arrest would be made? You can talk to an officer if you want. I can arrange that if you want that. Okay. Yeah, that. That sounds.

[Celisia Stanton]

Over the next several days, the harassing text messages persisted. Each time she received a new one, Lauren promptly forwarded it to law enforcement. Yet she still hadn't heard a single word from Kayla Dallef, the detective assigned to the case. With each passing day, Lauren's stress mounted. Then on Friday, five days after she and Alex had visited campus authorities, her worries escalated upon reading the newest disturbing text message. This time, the sender claimed they knew all about Lauren's police reports. In a panic, she called Salt Lake.

[Matt McCluskey]

City PD I'm worried because I. I've been working with the campus police at the U. And last Saturday, I reported, and then. And I haven't gotten an update. Okay, but. But someone contacted me today, someone who said that. That they know everything about the police. Okay, so you already spoke to the campus police. Did some. Did this happen on the University of Utah campus? Yes, and they haven't updated or done anything. Okay, so have you notified the campus police about this? Yes, I have. Okay. What prompted you to call Salt Lake City police? Well, I thought it was weird that there are people who know about the entire case, and the harassers seem to know about it more than me, and I'm concerned there might be an insider who's letting them know about the case. Okay, so it sounds good. I haven't gotten updates. Yeah. And it's been a week.

[Celisia Stanton]

The dispatcher once again directed Lauren to campus police and suggested she ask for a detective or the detective supervisor if she was concerned about how the case was being handled. Following those instructions, Lauren reached back out to campus police that same day, finally prompting a call from Detective Dallif, who provided no explanation for the delay. According to espn, Lauren was forced to re explain details about her case, information she felt the detective should have already known. That same night. Remember, it's still Friday. Lauren sent a long email to Detective Dallef detailing the situation. But as the Salt Lake Tribune reported, the detective was scheduled for three days off, starting the very next day. And while she was gone, no one was assigned to cover Lauren's case. That Monday, while Detective Dallef was still out, Lauren received yet another suspicious text. This time, the sender claimed to be the deputy chief of campus police. They said there'd been a development in her case, that they had something at the station she needed to come look at. But as ESPN reported, Lauren didn't trust it. The grammatical errors in the message matched the ones Melvin often made in his own writing. Lauren contacted campus police yet again. The message officers confirmed hadn't come from them. Just ignore it, they told her. That evening, Lauren called her mom on her way home from class. Despite the drama of the day, she was in pretty good spirits. According to Deseret, she was excited about a quiz she'd done well on and was on her way home, planning to utilize the resulting motivation to finish another assignment early. As the call wrapped up, Lauren told her mom she loved her. Then suddenly, Lauren started screaming. The sounds of Lauren yelling no, no, no. Blared through Jill's speakers. Next, a clatter as her daughter's phone dropped to the ground. As Jill told Deseret, she was immediately immediately catapulted to another moment years earlier when Lauren's brother was hospitalized after an aneurysm had ruptured in his brain. I had that same feeling, she said, like I knew he could die. I just felt like Lauren could die tonight. Lauren's dad, Matt McCluskey, overheard his wife's speakerphone exchange and rushed in to help. They acted swiftly, choosing not to disconnect from Lauren's line in case she returned. Using Matt's phone, they dialed the police.

[Matt McCluskey]

Hi, my daughter. Lauren McCloskey was talking to her mom, and then she just started saying, no.

[Celisia Stanton]

No, no, no, no.

[Matt McCluskey]

And it sounded like someone might have been grabbing her or something. Okay. How long ago was this? This was just two minutes ago.

[Celisia Stanton]

Matt tried his best best to explain where Lauren lived and where her phone might have been dropped. While he was answering the dispatcher's questions, a voice suddenly came through Jill's phone.

[Matt McCluskey]

Oh, someone talking on her phone. Hello?

[Celisia Stanton]

Hi, I have a bath blast and I.

[Matt McCluskey]

Okay, could you just stay there? I think she was mugged.

[Celisia Stanton]

Police began a campus wide search that continued late into the evening. And as the hours passed, Matt clung to the hope that his daughter would be found and returned to them safely. He told espn, I'd look out the window and as long as I didn't see any police cars heading towards us, I thought we were okay. But then at almost 10pm Jill got a call from Lauren's coach. Lauren had been found dead in the backseat of a car parked in a lot near her dorm. She'd been shot seven times. Watching Jill's face on the call, Matt knew immediately that Lauren was gone. The moment he told Deseret felt like physical trauma, like he'd been hit with a baseball bat. Melvin Roland was immediately investigators number one suspect. So that night they released his photo and a description of the car they believed he'd left campus in. It didn't take long for them to track him down. And just before 1am the police followed him as he slipped inside a local church. But as they entered, Melvin shot himself, taking his own life just hours after Lauren had been ripped from from hers. Lauren's death sent shock waves across the University of Utah campus as her community processed the unimaginable series of events that had taken the life of someone they loved deeply. Someone so many students could see themselves in. At an on campus vigil, Lauren's coach and teammates expressed their grief.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

Lauren McCluskey was an outstanding young woman. She was a joy to coach. When you recruit a student athlete, you try to understand them, get to know them, and when you bring them on campus, you have an idea of what you want them to be or what you think they can be. And I think Lauren exceeded in all those areas. She was just genuine and sweet and she had a relentless determination at practice that showed up every day. She was an incredible teammate. She was incredibly caring. She cared about everybody. She was an excellent student all the way around. She just did everything the way that you would hope a student athlete would.

[Matt McCluskey]

There are no words to describe the pain and loss we're feeling as a team right now. Lauren was always a driven athlete and gave 110% in everything she did. The loss of her sweet spirit to our team is truly devastating. We were beyond blessed to have her as our teammate and as our sister. And we'll always, we'll always miss her and we'll always, always love her.

[Celisia Stanton]

In the days following Lauren's death, a clearer picture of what had been going on over the last few weeks started coming together. Police confirmed that all of the threatening and hostile text messages that Lauren received had in fact come from Melvin. It's now believed that he was using spoofing technology to send fake threats from multiple numbers. I also wondered about the messages that had referenced Lauren's police reports. How had Melvin known about those? Well, according to espn, that had been rather simple. Before the two broke up, Lauren had logged into her email on Melvin's phone. After she ended things, he used that access to monitor her. But that wasn't the only way he kept tabs on her. Unbeknownst to Lauren, he'd also been stalking her. A review of security footage revealed video of Melvin walking around campus in a full Deadpool costume, his identity obscured. On the day of Lauren's murder, Melvin had spent much of the morning and afternoon around Lauren's residence hall, waiting for her. When she finally returned home that night, Melvin grabbed her outside of her building and dragged her into a car, where he shot her seven times. Next, he ditched the vehicle and made a call to a woman he'd met on a dating site. He asked her to come pick him up, and the two went on a dinner date. Back at the woman's house, Melvin took a shower and then asked to be dropped off at a coffee shop. That night, when Melvin's photo began circulating on the news, it was the woman from the dating site who recognized him. His name and age were different than what he'd told her, but his face was the same. And the car they were saying he'd been picked up in, it was her car. Afraid for her safety, she reported everything to police. It was a horrifying series of events. But as the community grieved, a new question began circulating in whispers. And then, before long, in public demands. How could something like this have happened? And why wasn't it prevented?

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[Celisia Stanton]

Build a routine with Ollie that supports your wellness needs, like getting your daily vitamins and minerals with Ollie's multigummies or keeping your mood upbeat with all the vitamin D and hello happy. Give your gut health some support with probiotics and wake up feeling refreshed after taking Ollie sleep. Do wellness on your terms. Find Ollie at a Walmart or Target near you [e-mail] these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Hi Tenderfoot listeners. By now we all know that when it comes to true crime, there's always more to the story. That's why I'm so excited to tell you about Fruit Loop Serial Killers of Color Hosted by dynamic duo Beth and Wendy, this podcast dives into the untold stories of serial killers of color and the victims whose lives and legacies are often overlooked by mainstream media. What I love about this show is how it goes beyond the crime itself, exploring the cultural and societal factors that shape these cases and the communities impacted by them. Beth and Wendy bring empathy and heart to their storytelling, weaving in thoughtful research, community insights, and a little bit of banter to keep things balanced. It's a fresh perspective on true crime that challenges the way we think about justice and representation. So if you're ready to broaden your understanding of true crime and hear some truly compelling stories, check out Fruit Loop Serial Killers of Color Wherever you listen to podcasts, trust me, you won't regret it. Lauren and her loved ones had reported Melvin Rowland's abuse, and they'd done so many times. And so, as new details were revealed about Melvin's past offenses, community outrage grew. When Melvin met Lauren, he was still on parole. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, he'd first landed in prison in 2004 after soliciting sex from a 13 year old girl in a chat room. When he went to meet up with the girl, Melvin learned that it had all been a sting operation. He'd been talking to an undercover cop. During that investigation, police also learned that Melvin had sexually assaulted a 17 year old girl just a few days earlier. He was charged with both crimes. Originally, his sexual assault of the 17 year old was charged as a first degree felony, but a plea deal reduced it to third degree. This meant that instead of facing life in prison, Melvin's maximum sentence was five years. In contrast, he faced up to 15 years for his messages with the undercover cop. During his time in prison, Melvin was sent to sex offender treatment but failed to complete it and was denied parole. According to the Salt Lake Tribune. When he tried treatment again, he admitted to intentionally seeking out underage girls and vulnerable women, saying that he was sexually attracted to them. He completed treatment in the spring of 2012, making him once again eligible for parole. During his hearing, the parole board officer asked Melvin about his crimes.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

I'D like you to give me kind of a idea of what we're looking at, victim wise.

[F]

Is that including the women I dated in college or just women that you.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

Felt you took advantage of?

[F]

I would say every female that I came across dating or met on Internet, I'd say every woman I've met or may come across, I used my manipulation tactics to get what I wanted.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

How many did you out and out rape like the one young lady?

[F]

Well, not like that, but me being a womanizer, you know, I use other taxes to get what I wanted with them. Manipulated and used women in general.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

How many women in general did you convince to have sex with you? By manipulation.

[F]

That I come across with and I had sex with. I got locked up at 22, and my sexual experience, I'd say about 50.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

Okay.

[Celisia Stanton]

The parole board officer asked Melvin about his treatment and his plans if he were to be released from prison. At the end of the hearing, he told Melvin he'd recommend his parole to the board and hoped this was the last he'd ever see of him.

[Lauren McCluskey's Coach]

Well, hopefully when you get out, you'll have learned from this experience. Only time's gonna tell. And the therapist put that right in his report. I know he doesn't know whether you're just blowing smoke and you're smart enough, you know what you had to do to get out. So we'll find out soon enough. Because once you hit the street, if you start doing the same things, if you come back, you know where you'll spend the rest of your life.

[F]

So I caught my charge at 22, got locked up at 23, and I'm 31 now. Yeah, I know I have that capability of reoffending, but again, it's something I'll have to prove.

[Celisia Stanton]

As part of his parole, Melvin was required to abstain from pornography and social media. But just a few months later, he violated these conditions and landed back in prison. Fast forward to 2013. Melvin was paroled again. ESPN reported that he had a few run ins with the police during this period, but none of those encounters landed him back in prison. Then in October 2015, things took another turn. Melvin was driving when he rerended another car. A passerby, concerned, pulled over to check on everyone. Instead of staying put, Melvin scrambled into the passenger seat of the Good Samaritan's car and demanded that he drive them away from the scene. When Melvin's parole officer caught wind of this incident, they recommended arresting him for a laundry list of violations, kidnapping, fraud, damage to property, and leaving the scene of an accident. But because the driver didn't press charges, the parole board decided an arrest wasn't warranted. Come February 2016, Melvin's troubles continued. During a routine visit, he bolted from parole officers. According to adult probation and parole records obtained by espn, Melvin made it clear he was done with parole. He even warned that he'd act aggressively if another officer showed up. It wasn't long before officers discovered a second phone Melvin had been using to store explicit photos and message women on social media. He was arrested for skipping his mandated sex offender therapy, fleeing from officers, possessing pornographic material, and using social media without approval. At his parole board hearing, Melvin insisted that his threats to officers were just heat of the moment frustration. Despite his claims, the board decided it was time for him to go back to prison. In April of 2018, Melvin was granted parole one final time. His sentence was set to expire the following spring, and he was only out of prison for a handful of months before meeting Lauren. Three days after Lauren had reported being blackmailed, Melvin had actually met with his parole officer. But because campus police never checked Melvin's offender status, they didn't even know he was on parole. Checking parole status just wasn't a part of campus police protocol. In fact, according to espn, the University of Utah's internal investigation discovered that officers didn't even know how to check correction status in the first place. Some sources even reported that the university police chief didn't trust Utah's Adult Probation and Parole Board and that it was basically unofficial policy to avoid communicating with them out of fear they might negatively interfere with ongoing investigations at the university. It's all a shame because the fact is, Melvin had social media, was using dating sites, and even borrowed a gun before killing Lauren, all of which were in direct violation of his parole terms. In the aftermath of Lauren's murder, the University of Utah hired an independent team to review the university officer's handling of her case. Their report highlighted several shortcomings by officials and recommendations for improvement, including hiring victim advocates and providing officers with adequate training related to interpersonal violence. The report concluded, we will never know that this tragedy could have been prevented without these deficiencies. What we can say is that correcting the issues we have identified in this report might lessen the probability of such a tragedy occurring again. But according to the Salt Lake Tribune, the university president took her own interpretation of the report at a press conference. She claimed, quote, the report does not offer any reason to believe that this tragedy could have been prevented. It was a statement that didn't sit well with Lauren's loved ones. Lauren's parents filed a $56 million lawsuit the following summer. At the time, they said they viewed it as a last resort after months of trying to work with the University of Utah directly. But in the years following Lauren's murder, it became clear that issues with the university police department stretched far beyond the mistakes made in Lauren's case. Just five months after Lauren's murder, Detective Dallef was fired for taking insufficient and delayed action on yet another domestic violence case. Similarly, Officer Miguel Derres, one of Lauren's primary points of contact within the department, was disciplined for mistakes he made in a similar case, according to his discipline letter. In that case, he didn't check the suspect's parole status and even interviewed the victim while the suspect was still in the room. To make matters worse, the Salt Lake Tribune reported that Officer Daras had shown Lauren's intimate photos to a co worker. Yep, the same photos Melvin used to blackmail Lauren. And no, Officer Darres wasn't showing the photos in some kind of professional capacity. Instead, he was bragging about, quote, getting to look at them whenever he wanted. The university responded, saying they were aware of Daras behavior, but had only learned of him sharing the photos after he transferred to a different police department. The Salt Lake Tribune also published its own investigative report, one that illuminated a long history of officers downplaying and ignoring cases of dating and domestic violence. According to discipline records they obtained during their investigation, many officers failed to contact victims on reasonable timelines, some even ignoring reports completely. Former staff members told the Salt Lake Tribune that they had instructions to, quote, downplay the number of domestic violence cases by not creating a record for some calls or altering dispatch log entries for others. Similarly, female students who had reported rape, sexual assault, and harassment said they felt their concerns weren't taken seriously. Hearing about all these egregious errors had me reflecting on accountability. It's abundantly clear that so many, many individual people failed at their jobs. Countless singular missteps with dire consequences. And while those folks certainly must be held accountable for their role, I also believe that the easiest thing we can do as a society is to scapegoat one or few individuals. The harder and perhaps more crucial task is to recognize the ways in which entire systems failed to protect Lauren. Because individuals operating in broken systems are bound to fail. And it's for that reason that Lauren's parents continue fighting for change in her memory. In 2020, the McCluskeys won a $13.5 million settlement from the state and University of Utah. Soon after, they shared their intention to donate all of the settlement money to the Lauren McCluskey foundation, an organization they founded in 2019 with a mission to increase awareness of stalking and dating violence at colleges and universities across the country. As a part of that work, they also created Lauren's Promise, a campaign that encourages faculty, staff, students, parents and community members to publicly pledge their support with a statement of solidarity that indicates to others that they will listen and believe victims of sexual assault, dating violence and stalking that they can be a trusted source ready to connect folks with needed resources. The McCluskey family has also been critical in the adoption of several state bills, including one that requires Utah public colleges to create detailed response plans for cases of stalking, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence. Amid student protests and the work of Lauren's loved ones, the University of Utah has also made a number of meaningful changes. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, In 2020, the school opened a Center for Violence Prevention, an institution that will research intimate partner violence like that which Lauren experienced. And truly, all of what I just shared is the tip of the iceberg. Despite the overwhelming pain of Lauren's death, the McCluskeys have been fueled by their unimaginable loss to make a meaningful difference. And still there is so much work to be done. In fact, another University of Utah student, 19 year old Xifon Dong, was killed by her ex In February of 2022, less than a month after she reported to campus police that this same ex had assaulted her. As Lauren's dad told espn, there are so many, many young women like Lauren who are just as precious to their parents, women whose stories don't get the same attention. And for me, it's that acknowledgment that should fuel the rest of us. Lauren's legacy has and will continue to be absolutely transformative. And if a single story can spur so much action, what might be possible? If we afforded every young person the same level of care and recognition, maybe then we could understand the full picture a little more deeply. That these stories have happened, are happening, and will continue to happen unless and until we decide to stop treating community problems as individual problems and transform systems that keep us trapped in patterns that ultimately hurt all of us. Before you jump away, just a couple more things I wanted to share with you. One thing that really stuck out to me about today's story is Lauren's parents, Jill and Matt McCluskey, and just their commitment to advocating for folks like Lauren across the country. We told you in the episode, but in her honor, they founded the Lauren McCluskey foundation, whose mission is to let Lauren's light shine by supporting her passions, which were things like animal welfare, amateur athletics, and of course, by making sure that campuses across the country are a place where students are safe, supported, and have the ability to thrive. So I really recommend that for today's action item. Check out their website. They offer advocates and allies a plethora of amazing resources, even things like a student toolkit for those who'd like to push for change and create a culture of safety on their own campuses. Much of their work also centers around forwarding Lauren's Promise, which is that pledge that basically says I will listen and believe you if someone is threatening you. So you can make Lauren's promise, learn how to volunteer and donate to support the rest of their incredible [e-mail] as always, you can keep up with Truer Crime on Instagram and xrewercrimepod, and you can also find me on Instagram and TikTok, Alicia Stanton and through my weekly newsletter, sincerelyceleciaincerelycelecia.substack.com for a full source list and links to all of today's action items, make sure to visit our [e-mail] Truer Crime is created, hosted and written by me, Celisia Stanton and is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Additional writing and research by Olivia Heusingfeld. Executive producers are myself, Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Additional production by Olivia Hussingfeld and Jamie Albright. Editing by Liam Luxon with additional editing support by Sydney Evans and Jaja Muhammad. Our supervising producer is Tracy kaplan. Artwork by Station 16 Original music by Jay Ragsdale Mix by Dayton Cole. Thank you to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at uta, Beck Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. For more podcasts like True or Crime, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening to this season two episode of True or Crime. If you want an ad free version of this show and other great shows from Tenderfoot TV, you can subscribe to Tenderfoot plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts.

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