RGR NEWS
Duquesne University Professor Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide
Jan 18, 2023
On Tuesday, tragedy struck Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Marinus C. Iwuchukwu, an associate professor of theology and chair of the Theology Department, was found dead in his home. The death resulted from an apparent murder-suicide involving Iwuchukwu and a woman named Charte Dunn, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office.
The incident began when Allegheny County Police received a 911 call from a third party asking for a welfare check on the couple, who were reportedly engaged in a violent domestic situation inside the home. Upon entering the residence, police discovered the bodies of Iwuchukwu and Dunn, both of whom had sustained lacerations. Dunn also had an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Duquesne University officials have not yet released an official statement but did refer to the deaths as "a tragedy" in an earlier statement. Iwuchukwu joined the faculty at Duquesne in 2008 and was a specialist in interreligious dialogue, inclusive religious pluralism, and media and religion. He was also the chair of the theology department and the Consortium for Christian-Muslim Dialogue.
Iwuchukwu's passing has deeply affected his students and colleagues, with one of his students, Etchi Juliette Besem Oben, expressing her devastation on Facebook. The university community is undoubtedly still in shock and mourning the loss of such a respected and accomplished individual.
