HOUSTON – A medical examiner has confirmed the identity of the man involved in an apparent murder-suicide in a dorm room at Rice University Monday.
Habeneyom Belai, 22, died from a single gunshot wound to the head, which examiners confirmed was self-inflicted.
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Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a 21-year-old junior at Rice who Belai was believed to have a dating relationship with, was also found dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Belai is believed to be from Florida and was visiting Avila at the time of the murder. It’s unclear how long the two had been inside the room before being found.
KPRC 2 contacted the University of Florida, and an employee from the school confirmed that a student with the same name attended UF from 2019 to 2023. However, the university was unable to confirm definitively if student was the man involved in the murder.
Avila’s family arrived in Houston Tuesday morning and received support from the university’s leadership team. The family has requested privacy as they mourn their loss.
Here’s what we know about Avila
She was from Nottingham, Maryland and attended the Community College of Baltimore County where she was active in many organizations including the college-wide student programming board, Multicultural Student Association, Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and the First Year Experience Mentor program.
Avila transferred to Rice University in Spring of 2024 where she majored in political science, pre-law. While at Rice, she was a Deputy parliamentarian of the Rice Student Association; peer academic advisor at Jones College (residential hall); and a member of the university’s Honor Council.
The Community College of Baltimore County gave KPRC 2 the following statement regarding Avila’s passing:
“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.”'
What happened to Avila?
Police said Avila’s parents called campus police after not hearing from their daughter, which prompted a welfare check at Jones College, a residential building on the campus.
When campus police entered Avila’s dorm, they found her dead with a gunshot wound. They also found a man, who was not a student at the university, dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A note was allegedly found by investigators, which led them to believe the shooting was a murder-suicide.
Rice University implemented a call center for students who need support dealing with the tragedy.
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- National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799−7233
- If you are in immediate danger, call 911.