Toms River South Alum Dies In Frat House Fall

MORGANTOWN, WV — Friends are mourning a Toms River South alum and student at West Virginia University who has died after falling off the roof of his fraternity house.

Sean Guthrie, 20, died Monday of injuries suffered in the the fall that occurred Sunday, according to tweets from Guthrie's fraternity, and friends of Guthrie's mother were offering condolences Monday on her Facebook page. Guthrie is a Toms River South graduate.

Members of his fraternity, the Kappa Alpha Order, Alpha Rho chapter at West Virginia University, set up a GoFundme page to help Guthrie's family with funeral expenses. It had surpassed $19,000 in contributions by 10 a.m. Wednesday. They held a vigil for Guthrie Monday night.

He was remembered by his fraternity brothers and friends as someone who always made the smile.

"Sean positively influenced each and every member through his leadership skills, and devout loyalty to not only the organization­ — but to all of us, his brothers, whenever called upon to do so," Cameron Gleason, the Kappa Alpha member who created the GoFundme page, wrote in the description.

Vinny Scrudato, who was a Toms River friend of Guthrie, posted a photo of himself and Guthrie to Twitter:

A candlelight vigil is planned for Thursday night at Toms River South, where Guthrie ran cross country. According to a Facebook event page says the vigil will be held on the football field at 9:30 p.m.

Daniel Boyle, one of the organizers of Thursday's vigil at Toms River South, wrote on Facebook:

"Did not know you would turn out to be one of my best friends in high school ... I want you to know that I will be there for your family. You were a brother to me ..."

Guthrie had gone onto the roof of the Kappa Alpha fraternity house to smoke a cigarette and slipped trying to go back in a window, then fell about 20 feet, West Virginia University Police Chief Bob Roberts said.

Roberts said the preliminary investigation revealed there was no reason to believe that Guthrie was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

"All evidence indicates this was a tragic accident," he said.

The Daily Athenaeum, a student newspaper that covers the fraternities and sororities at West Virginia University, reported Guthrie was an industrial engineering student, and in addition to being a member of the Kappa Alpha Order, Alpha Rho chapter at WVU, he was vice president of community relations for the Interfraternity Council.

The Daily Athenaeum quoted Roy Baker, the associate dean and director of Greek Life, as saying Guthrie's family was planning to donate his organs.

"We believe that Sean would have wanted that," Baker told the paper.

Photo via Sean Guthrie GoFundme page