UTx Zeta Psi: "I'll miss you," said another. "Bye bro."

[hoosier]

UT student fatally shot at campus-area apartment

Police seeking two men seen fleeing scene.
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By Tony Plohetski
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, November 2, 2005

At 5:26 p.m. Monday, William "Trey" Ehrhardt III called 911 and said someone was trying to kick in the door of his apartment near the University of Texas.

Police say he hung up a couple of minutes later after telling the operator that the intruder apparently had given up and hearing that officers were on the way.

Then, neighbors said, they heard the sound of breaking glass and a gunshot.

On Tuesday, after a 16-hour vigil by fraternity brothers and friends, Ehrhardt, a 22-year-old UT senior and San Antonio native, died at Brackenridge Hospital.

Police have not arrested anyone in the case. Austin police homicide Sgt. Hector Reveles said Tuesday that investigators are trying to track down leads and asked for help from anyone who might have information about the shooting.

He said it appears as though Ehrhardt, a computer engineering major who had served as rush coordinator for his fraternity this semester, was not the victim of a random attack and might have known his killer.

Police arrived at his second-floor apartment Monday evening, minutes after Ehrhardt hung up with the 911 operator. He was immediately taken to Brackenridge.

Reveles said neighbors in the apartment complex at 2812 Nueces St. in the West Campus area were standing at the door of Ehrhardt's home, which still bore faint footprints Tuesday evening.

"It's always loud around here, so me and some other people just thought that someone had broken into a car downstairs," said Jane Mash, 20, who was at home and heard the breaking glass.

Reveles said several neighbors told police they saw two young men flee the area heading west on foot. They described one of them as looking like a normal college student.

"Anytime you start with not having an idea about a motive, you are really at square one," Reveles said. "Generally speaking, with almost any case, if we start to develop an intelligence base, generally we get directions to go in and leads to follow."

The case is the second homicide involving UT students in recent months.

In August, 21-year-old Jennifer Cave was found dismembered in the bathtub of UT student Colton Pitonyak's apartment after her family had reported her missing. Police charged Pitonyak in her death days later.

Reveles said police are investigating whether Ehrhardt's death might be connected with the theft of his car last month.

Ehrhardt called police Oct. 16 to say that his 1997 red Isuzu with the license plate 947CPB had been stolen from his apartment complex, according to police records. The car has not been recovered.

Reveles said investigators have questioned some of Ehrhardt's friends and hope to talk to more this week.

"It's just a sad, sad time right now," said Erik Morales, who was in the Zeta Psi fraternity with Ehrhardt and said he depended on Ehrhardt for advice about anything from schoolwork to dating. "I looked up to him for everything."

Morales said he had last seen Ehrhardt late Saturday or early Sunday at a Halloween party.

"He was happy," he said. "I had never seen that guy in a down mood, ever. He was always outgoing."

When he learned that Ehrhardt had been shot, Morales said, he rushed to Brackenridge, where more than a dozen fellow students had gathered. He said a nurse met with the group and told them their friend likely would not survive.

"I broke down," Morales said. "It was the worst thing I've ever heard someone tell me. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to leave."

By Tuesday evening, dozens of friends had posted farewell messages on facebook.com, an online directory for college students.

"I have no doubt that you are looking down on us all in a much better place," one message said. "I'll (remember) you always."

"I'll miss you," said another. "Bye bro."