Investigation underway after student found dead at Mississippi State University

By Isabel Davis

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    STARKVILLE, Mississippi (WAPT) — Mississippi State University officials and law enforcement agencies are investigating the death of a sophomore from Madison.

Around 1:10 p.m. Sunday afternoon, a phone call was received at Mississippi State University Police Department regarding an unresponsive person in a vehicle in an on-campus parking lot.

Oktibbeha County Coroner Michael Hunt pronounced the male occupant of the vehicle dead on the scene. The body was removed by Welch Funeral Home in Starkville.

MSU officials identified the student as 19-year-old Maxwell Curtis Pennebaker, a building construction science major and member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.

In a statement Monday, MSU Vice President for Strategic Communications Sid Salter said the university community is “deeply saddened” by the death.

“At this time, our community’s thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of the student who has died. The university is offering counseling and other appropriate services to those most closely impacted by this tragedy,” Salter said.

MSU police Chief Kenneth Rogers said there was no danger to the rest of campus related to the incident and normal operations resumed Sunday.

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