Two fraternity members charged in Stone Foltz hazing death acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide

By Rebekah Riess and Zoe Sottile, CNN

Two fraternity members charged in the 2021 hazing death of Bowling Green State University student Stone Foltz were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter and reckless homicide by a jury on Friday.

Although acquitted of the most serious charges, Jacob Krinn and Troy Henricksen were convicted of lesser charges, including hazing-related counts, according to their attorneys.

Eight people between the ages of 19 and 23 were indicted on April 29 on various charges related to Foltz’s death. Foltz, 20, died in March 2021 from alcohol intoxication that prosecutors alleged stemmed from a hazing incident for the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity’s Delta Beta Chapter in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Krinn was found not guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide and felonious assault, but was convicted of obstruction of official business, hazing, and failure to comply, his attorney Samuel Shamansky told CNN.

“Jacob Krinn and I are eternally grateful to the jury for their hard work and commitment in reaching a verdict which absolved him of responsibility for the death of Stone Foltz. Mr. Krinn should never have been indicted for these serious felonies as the evidence to support the same was non-existent,” Shamansky said.

“Jacob, his family, and counsel recognize the tragic loss suffered by the Foltzs and hope that the conclusion of the criminal proceedings provides a measure of closure.”

Henricksen was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide and tampering with evidence, but was found guilty of eight counts of hazing and seven counts of failure to comply, according to his attorney Eric Long.

“My colleague, Tyler Walchanowicz and I, as well as the Henricksen family are extraordinarily grateful to the jury for their commitment to justice in what were difficult circumstances for everyone involved,” Long said in a statement to CNN. “It is a shame that Mr. Henricksen was falsely accused in the first place, but this verdict confirms that when the evidence is heard, and the truth — rather than accusations and public sentiment — are sought, the justice system works. This is a welcomed and just exoneration of the most serious allegations.”

In addition to the criminal charges, Foltz’s death has also led to a wrongful-death lawsuit against the fraternity, the expulsion of 3 students and the suspension of 17, and the permanent expulsion of the fraternity from Bowling Green State University.

The autopsy found that Foltz had a blood alcohol content of .35, which is more than four times the legal driving limit.

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CNN’s Aya Elamroussi contributed to this report.