It wasn’t supposed to end like it did. George Huguely V, 22, and Yeardley Love, 22, standout athletes from Maryland who played lacrosse for the University of Virginia, were seniors scheduled to graduate May 23. As members of the #1-ranked men’s lacrosse and #4-ranked women’s lacrosse teams, both were expected to participate in the upcoming NCAA playoff games. Reportedly once romantically involved, it was unclear whether that was still true.
It all ended tragically in the wee hours of Monday morning when Yeardley Love’s roommates called police to their off-campus Charlottesville apartment for a possible alcohol overdose. Police found Ms. Love unresponsive in bed, face down in a pool of blood on her pillow. Within hours police had charged Huguely with first degree murder.
New details that emerged in court Tuesday revealed Huguely reportedly kicked in the door of Ms. Love’s room, shook her and repeatedly beat her head against a wall, according to the Washington Examiner. Huguely’s Charlottesville attorney, Francis Lawrence, called it a “tragic accident.”
Huguely participated in Tuesday’s court hearing by videoconference from the Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Jail as his parents sat in the courtroom. No bond was requested by Huguely’s lawyer. The next court hearing is on June 10.
Meanwhile, a college community mourns. Worldwide news outlets picked up on the tragedy and photos of the two smiling, attractive athletes. UVa President John Casteen issued a statement while Charlottesville police refused to release a cause of death until after an autopsy was completed. Graduation on May 23, will be minus two members of the Class of 2010.
