Indiana police described the crime as an “unprovoked and senseless” murder.
University police have confirmed with WTHR that Chheda was online gaming with pals the night he died.
One of the friends, Andrew Wu, told the news outlet that he had been participating in a game with Chheda when he heard screaming through the gaming platform.
Another pal, Arunabh Sinha, told NBC News that Chheda had been playing and chatting online through Discord late Tuesday when they also suddenly heard screaming on the call.
The students were there for Varun Manish Chheda, a 20-year-old from Indianapolis who was stabbed to death earlier that day in his first-floor dormitory on Purdue’s campus. Purdue University Chief of Police Lesley Weite said police arrested Chheda’s roommate, 22-year-old Ji Min “Jimmy” Sha, on preliminary murder charges after Sha called 911 on himself around 12:45 a.m.
“[We] believe it was unprovoked,” Weite told reporters Wednesday, and called the fatal attack “senseless.”
“Our hearts go out to the victim and his family and friends. I can’t even imagine what his family is going through,” Weite said.
Weite cited the ongoing nature of the investigation as she offered few details Wednesday about the murder or a possible motive. She said officials believe Chheda was not asleep before the attack, and referenced several “possible witnesses” who were not in the room; reports from NBC News and other outlets said Chheda was gaming online and talking to friends on the social platform Discord when his friends suddenly heard screaming from his end of the call.
Sha, an international student from South Korea studying cybersecurity, is being held without bond at the Tippecanoe County Jail, and formal charges are expected. Tippecanoe County prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for more details.
It was unclear Thursday if Sha had an attorney. He said little as police led him away in handcuffs after his arrest, with TV news crews capturing his brief words from behind a blue surgical mask: “I love my family,” he said.
Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costillo on Thursday said the preliminary autopsy shows Chheda died of “multiple sharp force traumatic injuries,” and ruled his death a homicide. A final autopsy report is pending toxicology results.
News of a fatal stabbing at Purdue, which enrolls more than 50,000 undergraduates, came as a shock to students. Several who spoke to local TV stations and the independent student newspaper the Purdue Exponent, said they only learned of the killing when friends and relatives texted them the news and later, from a statement by Purdue President Mitch Daniels. (Daniels is a Washington Post contributing columnist.).
The pre-K through 12 institution Park Tudor School in Indianapolis, Indiana, mourned Chheda, a former student, in a post Thursday.
“We are extremely saddened by the tragic death of Varun Chheda, Park Tudor class of 2020,” they wrote. “We extend our deepest condolences to the entire Chheda family. Park Tudor counselors are available to assist any members of our community who may require support; please keep the Chheda family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Sha was reportedly a cyber security student, originally from South Korea.
Somehow, things got to where Chheda was fatally injured in their first-floor dorm in McCutcheon Hall. Sha reportedly called police at about 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday and was arrested on a murder charge.
“I write to let you know that early this morning, one of our students was killed in his residence hall room,” University President Mitch Daniels said. “The suspect, the victim’s roommate, called police to report the incident and is in custody.”
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