Wrestling champ murdered fellow student in Baptist college dorm: cops

A high school wrestling champ has been charged with murdering a fellow student in a dorm at a small Baptist college in Kentucky — but authorities have been mum on any details on the brutal killing that rocked Campbellsville University.

Charles Escalera, 21, was arrested Saturday evening after hiding out in a barn following the killing of 18-year-old freshman Josiah Malachi Kilman, who was found unresponsive in a dorm room just before 1 a.m., Campbellsville City police said.

Kilman, 18, was taken to Taylor Regional Hospital where he died, according to authorities.

Police located Escalera hours later at around 5:15 p.m. after receiving a call of a suspicious male hiding out in a nearby barn. Kentucky State Police responded and made the arrest.

Escalera is also a student at Campbellsville University, a private Christian university about 85 miles south of Louisville.

Escalera is a champion wrester, and won the 106-pound wrestling state title with Union County in 2017, according to 14 News. He also wrestled for Campbellsville University, according to at 2021 roster.

He is being held at the Taylor County Detention Center.

The alleged murder has rattled the Southern Baptist school of 12,000 students. Police urged students to exercise extra caution even after a lockdown at the university was lifted.

“Secure your residences, secure vehicles, and increase awareness of your surroundings,” authorities said.

Police have not released a motive in the killing, or given details on Kilman’s cause of death.

A GoFundMe set up by Kilman’s family to pay to transport his body back home to Montana had raised more than $33,000 by Sunday.

Kilman’s body was transferred to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville for an autopsy, police said.

It’s unclear whether Kilman and Escalera knew each other.

Campbellsville University President Dr. Joseph Hopkins said the university is grieving and their “hearts are broken.”

“During this devastating time, the continued safety of our students and the residents of our community are our primary concern,” he said. “With consultation from local law enforcement, we will continue to implement every measure necessary to protect and support students and our community.”

The student counseling center on campus is open and counselors are available to students seeking emotional support, the university said.

All campus events and sports were canceled shortly after the information was released. Students and staff were invited to pray together at the Ransdell Chapel.

All scheduled activities were set to resume on Sunday.