Student found dead at JUST lab; foul play ruled out

AMMAN — Authorities on Sunday said a 26-year-old student, who was found dead at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) lab, died of illness.

The victim was found laying dead in the lab by family members who went to check on him on Saturday night after he failed to return home, a senior medical official source said.

A post-mortem conducted by a team of pathologists at the Irbid National Centre for Forensic Medicine headed by Ali Shotar concluded that the student died of respiratory failure, the medical source said.

“Foul play was ruled out by the team of pathologists and coroners, who estimated that he had been dead for 12 hours,” the medical source told The Jordan Times.

Shotar also sent blood and tissue samples to the crime lab for further analysis, according to the medical source.

Director of Public Relations and Media at JUST Muhannad Malkawi said the student “obtained a special permit to use the lab on Saturday since campus is closed on that day”.

The student, who was completing his postgraduate degree at JUST, locked himself inside the lab and “was working on a project when he was found dead”, Malkawi told The Jordan Times.

“Investigators informed us that murder was ruled out and that his death was caused by respiratory failure,” the university official said.

Public Security Department Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi was unavailable all day on Sunday to comment on the incident.