An LSUPD investigation into the Phi Delta Theta fraternity found evidence that University fraternity pledge Maxwell Gruver, who died Sept. 14, was “targeted” by active members of the fraternity during a “Bible Study” drinking game during a pledge hazing event on Sept. 13, according to the arrest reports of 10 individuals.
Ten individuals were arrested Wednesday, Oct. 11 to be booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for hazing, with one individual also arrested for negligent homicide, according to the reports. 
The reports said Matthew Alexander Naquin’s arrest included one count of negligent homicide. The other individuals arrested were Zachary Castillo, Elliott Eaton, Patrick Forde, Sean Paul Gott, Zachary Hall, Ryan Isto, Hudson Kirkpatrick, Sean Pennison* and Nicholas Taulli.
Gott was enrolled at the University at the time of the incident, but is no longer a student. Forde is not a student at the University, according to LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard. 
On Sept. 13, the night of the incident, about 18 to 20 pledges arrived at the Phi Delta Theta house around 9:30 p.m. Gott, an active member at the time, texted the pledges and told them to report for “Bible Study,” a drinking game where pledges are forced to drink alcohol for incorrectly answering questions about the fraternity, the reports said.
The reports said active member Pennison took the pledges’ cell phones. The pledges were told to grab a cup of lemonade to use as a “chaser” for the alcohol.
Several active members said the main members leading the hazing were Naquin, Isto and Gott, saying Naquin was the leader of the hazing event and the most aggressive. The report said that claim was supported during the course of all the interviews of both active members and pledges.
Several pledges said Naquin yelled, “Are you ready for ‘Bible Study’?” He also said “Y’all better do well. I’m already f*cked up,” the reports said.
The pledges were told to make a single file line and go upstairs, where Gott threw mustard and hot sauce at the pledges, the reports said. Pledges were told to place their nose and toes at the wall in the hallway. Strobe lights flashed and loud music played as the lights were out.
One member said he told Naquin and Gott to “cut it out,” because he felt it was getting out of hand, the reports said. That same member said Naquin was yelling and forcing pledges to consume liquor by taking “pulls.” The pledges were consuming “Diesel,” which is 190 proof liquor. 
Another active member said he told Naquin and Gott to “slow it down” several times, but Naquin would not stop, the reports said.
The reports said an active member said he heard Naquin yelling “Pledge drink” and yelling at pledges to take a pull.
Near the end of the event, the pledges were required to recite the Greek alphabet. In the reports, one active member said he believes Gruver kept messing up the alphabet, and Naquin was “forcing” him to drink each time he messed up.  
A pledge said they were required to take “pulls” of Diesel for three to five seconds. They were also told to do “wall sits” and “planks.” According to the reports, the pledge said he felt Naquin and Gott targeted Gruver for being late to events. The pledge said he felt Naquin was taking it too far. 
Another pledge said he felt Naquin was yelling at Gruver more and that Naquin did not like Gruver, the reports said. He said Naquin told the pledge several days before that Naquin wanted to “cut” Gruver from the pledge process. 
An additional pledge was next to Gruver during the event. He said most pledges only took three to four pulls of Diesel, but Gruver took 10-12, the reports said. He said Isto, Naquin and Gott were mad at Gruver for always being late and made him drink more than the other pledges because of it. The pledge said he messed up the Greek alphabet five to six times and was forced to drink every time. 
Members who lived in the fraternity’s house said they checked on Gruver throughout the night, and he was still on the couch around 3 a.m. This is the last time he was checked on until 9 a.m., according to the reports.
East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner William “Beau” Clark said Gruver’s cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication with aspiration. His alcohol level was .495 at his time of death.
*Editor’s Note: Sean Pennison is an employee for Tiger TV in the LSU Office of Student Media. He has been suspended indefinitely. 

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Aurianna Cordero

LSU student Elliott Eaton turns himself in after LSUPD issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, at the LSU Public Safety Annex on University campus.