How officials recovered deleted video in frat death
“Clear All Data 2/6/2017 10:09:39.”
That was the message on the data page for a box labeled “DVR 2.” It showed basement camera angles in the Beta Theta Pi house near Penn State University where Timothy Piazza spent some of his last agonizing hours — angles police investigating his death had never seen.
Only there was a problem: The video was gone.
How investigators got from that seeming dead end on July 27 to Monday’s announcement of new charges in Mr. Piazza’s death — including a fraternity brother now accused of deleting the video — apparently was an odd mix of sleuthing, forensics and plain old math.
The ability of FBI agents to restore the video, and a flurry of text messages between fraternity brothers captured by police — some from the day Mr. Piazza was hospitalized discussing how the video could be erased — have further re-ignited an already explosive case, one that has attracted national attention.
According to court records, the now-recovered video from the basement showed much of the alcohol consumption that night, including a hazing ritual of forced drinking called “the gauntlet” that Mr. Piazza and 13 other fraternity
was injured by falling down the basement stairs, then left by his fraternity brothers for hours despite the fact that he was badly injured, and unconscious at times.
That night pledges had to drink vodka three times quickly, then chug a can of beer, then chug wine from a winebag, then drink a cup of beer if they missed throwing a pingpong ball into a cup. The footage revealed that Mr. Piazza never served himself, and that he consumed at least 18 drinks in a period of 1 hour and22 minutes.
In the 12-page affidavit supporting Mr. Becker’s arrest, Detective Scicchitano described images showing “that the hazing activity by brothers continued during what was supposed to be the ‘social.”’ He stated that numerous brothers gave additional alcohol to the pledges, among them Mr. Piazza:
One brother gave him a can of beer: “Piazza drank from this can.”
Another brother held a winebag up to him: “Piazza chugged from it.”
Still another held a winebag up to him: “Piazza chugged from it.”
One more held up a winebag up to him: “Piazza chugged from it.”
Another brother gave a handle of vodka to him: “Piazza chugged from it.”
The document later states that “Piazza staggered through the crowded dance floor to the home bar room.”
At another point, the document describes Mr. Piazza as having no shirt or shoes as he staggered down a hallway.
“Piazza was seen on his hands and knees in the away bar room,” the detective states in the affidavit. “[Mr. Piazza] buried his head in his hands on the floor...”
According to a text exchange Feb. 3, Mr. Becker was asked by another fraternity brother if tape taken so far included the obstacle course.
Becker: “Nah. They took tapes from 7 and 9:30 a.m.”
“[Expletive] yes” came the reply, to which the affidavit quotes Mr. Becker as saying, “We should be good ... On that front at least.”
After Mr. Piazza’s death, Mr. Becker texted to another fraternity member: “It’s awful jeff. We got sloppy. Nugget for the last few days was saying we shouldn’t get the kids this [expletive] up on their first night but no one listened.”
••• Co-defendant data sheets filed along with the affidavit listed the following individuals: Brendan P. Young, Malvern, Pa.; Daniel Casey, Ronkonkoma, N.Y.; Jonah D. Neuman, Nashville, Tenn.; Nicholas J. Kubera, Downington, Pa.; Michael Bonatucci, Woodstock, Ga.; Gary A. Dibileo, II, Scranton, Pa.; Luke K. Visser, Encinitas, Calif.; Joseph M. Sala, Erie, Pa.; Michael Angelo Schiavone, Yardley, Pa.; Craig A. Heimer, Port Matilda, Pa.; Lars E. Kenyon, Barrington, R.I.; Parker J. Yochim, Waterford, Pa.; Edward J. Gilmartin III, Scranton, Pa.; Ryan T. McCann, McCandless; Lucas D. Rockwell, Bolling AFB, D.C.; Beta Theta Pi fraternity; Ryan K. Foster, Bedford, Pa.; Joseph G. Ems Jr., Philadelphia; Joshua Kurczewski, Erie, Pa.; Donald M. Prior III, Westport, Conn.; Jonathan Kanzler, Coopersburg, Pa.; Patrick E. Jackson, Bethlehem, Pa.; Reginald Goeke, State College, Pa.; Brian A. Gelb, Bethesda, Md.; Michael Fernandez, Randolph, N.J.; Ryan Burke, Scranton, Pa.; Aidan O’Brien, West Chester, Pa.; and Bo Han Song, Wayne, Pa.