Decomposing body of USC grad student found in residence hall

The decomposing body of a graduate student was found in a USC Health Sciences Campus dorm room Wednesday afternoon, coroner’s officials said.

About 2:20 p.m., a maintenance worker found the man’s body in a single-bed dorm room in Seaver residence hall in the 1900 block of Zonal Avenue, said Ed Winter, spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

In a letter sent to the campus community Thursday, the dean of USC’s Keck School of Medicine identified the man as Jacob Kelley, a first-year student who was working toward a master’s degree in medical physiology.

“We encourage anyone in need of support to contact the counselors at the Eric Cohen Student Health Center,” Rohit Varma wrote to Keck students, staff and faculty. “Please keep the Kelley family in your thoughts during this difficult time.”

It’s unclear when Kelley died, though officials said it appears he died of natural causes. An autopsy is pending.

LAPD Officer Drake Madison said the death is not a criminal matter.

This post will be updated as more information becomes available.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

ALSO

Deaths in Bloomington house fire were murder-suicide, authorities say

Gunman kills himself after hours-long standoff with police in South L.A.

Man, 70, leaps to his death from eighth floor of Fresno hospital

UPDATES:

4 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from the dean of USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

This article was originally published at 3:20 p.m.