Staff Writer

gjohnson@theeasleyprogress.com

CLEMSON - Initial reports indicate that foul play is not suspected in the hanging death of first-year industrial engineering student Rey G. Gonzales.

Gonzales, 42, was found dead in Freeman hall early Monday morning, according to information released by Clemson University's News Services.

Gonzales is listed as living at 900 Georgetown St., Clemson, according to a Pickens County Coroner's release.

University Police Chief Johnson Link said that agents from the state Law Enforcement Division and the Pickens County Coroner were handling the case.

In the campus release issued to faculty, staff and students, officials said that Gonzales' body had been found and that "Link said there was no evidence of foul play."

A release by the Coroner's Office seems to back up that assessment saying Gonzales "died from hanging (and there was) no sign of foul play."

According to the campus release, SLED was called in to investigate, along with Coroner Dr. Jim Mahanes.

He and Chief Deputy Coroner Kandy Kelley were awaiting autopsy results from Greenville Memorial Hospital Monday afternoon.

"Mrs. Kelley and I are involved in the investigation of this along with SLED and other agencies and information will be released as soon as the investigation is complete," Mahanes said, adding that the autopsy had not yet been completed.

"I don't know the results of that yet either," Mahanes said Monday.

Kelley issued the release a few hours later.

Mahanes and Kelley were unavailable for comment Tuesday because they were in court in an unrelated trial.

University officials will tell the campus community where condolences can be made and when services have been scheduled, the release said.