Autopsy shows SIU student died from hypothermia

CARBONDALE, IL (KFVS) - Police say foul play is not suspected after the body of a missing Southern Illinois University student was found.

The Jackson county coroner says the autopsy of Pravin Varughese shows the cause of death is hypothermia.

The coroner says the toxicology results are still pending.

Those results will come within 2-3 weeks to find out if there were other substances in the system.

The coroner says there was no noticeable trauma.

The Carbondale Chief of Police confirms Pravin Varughese was found dead at 9:45 a.m. in the 1400 block of East Main Street in wooded area.

Pravin Varughese, 19, has been missing since Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Police say Varughese was last seen at 606 West College Street. He left through the back door and no one had seen him since.

Police say Varughese accepted a ride from a recent acquaintance he met at a party just before midnight on Feb 12. He left the vehicle after a fight and ran into a wooded area. Police say difficult terrain and low temps may have contributed to his death. He did not have a coat. The official cause of death has not been released.

According to the Heartland StormTeam, temperatures were in the teens the night Varughese went missing.

Police say they had very few leads just after his disappearance. Police received a tip late Monday night and followed up on that tip Tuesday morning.

Police searched the wooded area near the Buffalo Wild Wings in Carbondale off of Hwy. 13 on Tuesday and found Varughese's body.

No foul play is suspected at this time.

"We just miss him so much," says Pravin's sister, Priya.

Twenty of Varughese's family members passed out thousands of posters all over Carbondale on Monday.

"We don't think he did this on his own we really feel like someone else is involved," she says. "We just want justice to be served. My brother was a great guy he always had us laughing. I know he always picked on us too. But if anyone else did anything to us he would be there in a heartbeat to protect us," says Priya.

More than a 150 people gathered on campus Monday night for a vigil for Varughese.

Varughese was in his second year of studies at SIU in the Criminal Justice program. He wanted to one day become a police officer.

SIU will work with family about an appropriate way to honor Varughese. Any students who are grieving can reach out to counselors on campus. SIU is planning a moment of silence at the basketball game Tuesday.

The ISP aviation unit and local search and rescue canine team helped in the search.

An autopsy is scheduled to take place Wednesday afternoon.

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