Black Penn State Student Murdered
 

Has anybody heard about this? It's quite peculiar that we haven't heard more.

Racial element added to killing
By Pete Bosak
pbosak@centredaily.com

CDT/Michelle Klein

PATTON TOWNSHIP -- A racial epithet was smeared across a wall of a Northbrook Lane apartment, written with the blood of a black Penn State senior whose body was found nearby Monday in a pool of blood, the CDT has confirmed.

"It was smeared across about a 4-foot-by-3-foot section," said a source who was at the scene, speaking on condition of anonymity. "It was a mess."

Langston D. Carraway, 26, died in his living room, where he was attacked, the source said. Carraway's throat was slashed, and he had been stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest area, the source said.

Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/blue/14775447.htm

Here's a blog about the incident:

http://www.marclamonthill.com/mlhblog/?p=439

WOW I just read the article. I see that his girlfriend, per the article, is white and they lived together. Maybe she killed him?:(

Penn State Murder
 

After reading the postings, my first thougth was 180 degrees from above.

Even though this is 2006, there are same people who just still live in the 1700 and 1800's...........and think we all should......And I sure hope that there is some other reason ( none can be called 'good' ) that this man is now dead and his family and friends are now morning his young life.:(

"Pennsylvania has the largest rural population of any state in the nation. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania also consistently ranks among the top states in the country for the number of active hate groups and hate crimes, many of which occur in rural communities. For example, in Westmoreland County there were 47 incidents of hate tensions in 1997-98. In rural York County there were 20 hate incidents reported. Changing demographics and economic status in rural communities throughout Pennsylvania have increased fear and opened the door for hate groups such as the KKK, Aryan Nation, United Fascist Party, skinheads and local militia groups. Rural Pennsylvania has also become a major recruitment site for youth membership in hate groups.

Racism and homophobia motivate many of these hate crimes. A National Institute of Justice report states, the most frequent victims of hate violence today are blacks, Hispanics, Southeast Asians, Jews, and gays and lesbians."
http://www.culturalpartnerships.org/...ubs/oneday.asp

The Penn State campus and the surrounding town, State College, isn't too bad because there's a lot of college students (hopefully more open-minded) and a lot of students from big cities (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York). However, a few miles further outside and it's a whole other story. Whenever my sorority takes roadtrips, we're very careful about where we stop for gas, because it can be very scary in some of the very rural areas.

The link is not working.

my prayers and thoughts to his family. :(

I went to U of Pitt and there was racial tension when I was there then and at Penn State (College Park) and there still is and it's worse now at Penn State....this is such a shame. I remember a few years ago the prsident of the black student union at Penn State was to scared to even go to graduation because her life was threatened.:(

This particular area surrounding the State College campus has the highest concentration of hate groups in PA. They still have KKK rallies at Walmart. Yes, I have seen this. A black man walking around State College with a white woman is putting himself at risk, period. The worst part is when the story was first released, they were not even acknowledging the racial epithet. We all know that universities do not like to release real crime information because that slows recruitment. This is not the first murder in State College in 2006, but they aint gonna let that out either.

Not sure why. It works for me. Here's the text:

Black Student Stabbed to Death - 'NIGGER' SMEARED IN HIS OWN BLOOD
Marc Lamont Hill @ 10:18 am

Langston Carraway, a 26 year old Black man was found murdered in his apartment in State College (Penn State) on Monday, June 5th. He was found with multiple stab wounds to the neck and chest area. On the wall near his body was the word ‘NIGGER’ smeared in his blood!

Why isn’t this major national news?

According to the few news reports that have picked this story up, none of which explicitly mention the ‘nigger’ marking, police officials and the Attorney General will not confirm that the stabbing was race related. Furthermore, they do not want to release any information about the crime scene or the investigation. (Of course, this hasn’t stopped officials from releasing information about Carraway’s prior drug arrests). Apparently, according to my sources, officials worry that releasing information “would be too inflammatory.”

Maybe it’s me, but the idea of a Black man stabbed dozens of times and left in a pool of his own blood with NIGGER smeared across a 4×3 foot space should be inflammatory!!!

From what I understand, the police are operating from the assumption that this is drug-related offense, as opposed to a race/hate crime. Given the extremely hostile racial environment in the area –State College has a very active Ku Klux Klan, as well as other terroristic hate groups– this is a very troubling assumption. Also, experts have shown how crimes against Blacks and Latinos are frequently deemed “drug related” far too early in investigations.

To be certain, none of us knows what happened in that room. It is critical, however, that we demand more public information than we’re currently receiving.

I had seen this and my thought was "hell hath no fury..."

My prayers are with his family :(

:( My condolences and prayers are with his family.

I am really saddened by this incident -and my prayers go out to his family. I too wonder why this hasn't gotten more coverage by the media. Is it because when there is a cloud of suspicion of a racially motivated crime it is not deemed newsworthy?

Article published 6/28/06
 

Investigators tight-lipped in Patton stabbing
By Pete Bosak
pbosak@centredaily.com
PATTON TOWNSHIP -- Detectives continue to interview people about the stabbing death of a Penn State student whose body was found June 5 in a pool of blood in his apartment, but they still have no suspects or motive -- at least none they are talking about publicly.
Langston D. Carraway, 26, died in his living room, where he was attacked, a source close to the investigation has said. Carraway's throat was slashed, and he had been stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest, the source said. A racial epithet had been written on a wall near the body, smeared in blood.
There was no sign of forced entry into his Northbrook Lane apartment, sources said.
"It's difficult," Patton Township Police Chief John Petrick said Tuesday of the investigation. "But our detectives are working very diligently. They are constantly interviewing people."
Authorities remain tight-lipped about the investigation and have released little information about the crime in the weeks since the body was found. Still, police sought to reassure the public that they are working hard on the case and that the general populace is not in danger from a random killer.
"From the evidence at the scene, this did not appear a random act," Petrick said. "A homicide investigation can be very complicated. It may seem very frustrating, but our job is to make an arrest, or arrests."
Police are keeping a lid on the investigation to "protect its integrity," Petrick said. Police want to control what information is made public about the killing so, during interviews, they can tell if a source is credible or if perhaps the person they are talking with is the killer -- if that person knows more than has been reported in the press, Petrick said.
Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira reiterated Petrick's point that the investigation, despite the lack of public information, is ongoing.
"Just because they're not hearing anything doesn't mean police are not working on the investigation," Madeira said.
Carraway's death was the third homicide in Centre County since two happened within a week of one another in February. But in those two cases, a suspect soon was arrested. "We're almost spoiled, perhaps spoiled is not the right word, because the first two homicides we had, there was someone in custody within hours," Madeira said. "This is more like most homicide investigations where they're not solved immediately."
Anyone with information is asked to call Patton Township police, (800) 479-0050 or Centre County Crime Stoppers, (877) 99-CRIME.