Law school loses student
By Kimberley Lufkin
Flat Hat Senior Staff Writer
First year law student Elizabeth John died Sunday from what Williamsburg City Police have almost conclusively confirmed as a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Lt. Robert Smith. While the autopsy report will not be confirmed for months, John left a handwritten last will and testament at the scene of her death that led police, along with the gunshot wound, to the conclusion that she had committed suicide.
According to Smith, John's roommate discovered her body the morning of March 23. He said that John's wounds were inflicted with a revolver that she bought one to two days before her death. Smith has interviewed John's family as well as her friends at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law, adding that none of the students said John exhibited unusual behavior in the days before her death.
A funeral service was held for John Tuesday in Richmond, Va., and according to Vice President for Student Affairs Sam Sadler, most members of John's class attended. He added that while John's class is still discussing possibilities for a campus memorial service, there are no plans for any such services in the near future.
"They are still talking about possibilities, but haven't come to any conclusions yet because they'd like to have a little more distance," Sadler said. "They felt that there is no need for a second service because so many of them were able to attend the first one [in Richmond], and were able to focus on what was important about Betsy there."
Sadler also said that anyone seeking counseling can consult resources such as the Counseling Center or Campus Ministries.
"We do our very best to clear the schedule when someone who is struggling with this comes in," he said. "Campus Ministries and the Counseling Center always make themselves available at times like this for people who need an opportunity ... to confront what they're feeling."
John earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill, and was involved the Institute of Bill of Rights Law and the International Law Society at the College.
Meghan Williams also contributed to this article.
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