Crime Alert Update
Final autopsy, toxicology findings show Spartan Village student died of single stab wound
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Final results of an autopsy show that a Michigan State University student found dead Jan. 28 in his Spartan Village apartment died of a single stab wound to the chest. The manner of death is classified as undetermined, according to the findings released by the Ingham County Medical Examiner’s Office.
MSU Police investigation indicated that the knife wound was self-inflicted based on the on-scene investigation, interviews and toxicology results. The investigation remains open pending final analysis of evidence unrelated to autopsy or toxicology reports.
MSU Police responded to Spartan Village after receiving a report of a suspicious death at 9:15 a.m. Jan. 28, where they discovered Ausman, a senior from Northville, Mich., in his apartment. At that time, police stressed that the investigation showed no reason to believe the community is at risk.
Recent toxicology results reveal that Ausman had THC-COOH (marijuana metabolite) in his blood and urine. Additionally, lysergic acid was detected in the urine which is consistent with ingestion of the seeds of the Hawaiian Baby Woodrose plant. Those plant seeds contain a substance chemically similar to LSD. Ingestion of these seeds can produce features of psychosis, including hallucinations.
Spartan Village is an apartment-style complex located off Harrison Road, southwest of MSU’s main campus. It is part of University Apartments, where priority is given to graduate-level students and above. There are more than 1,800 units in University Apartments.