SHARE

Police Pursue More Than 150 Leads After Cornell University Freshman Found Dead

The heartbroken parents of the Cornell University student who mysteriously died after attending a fraternity party last month are demanding answers as police say they've received more than 150 leads in the case.

Antonio Isialas was a soccer goaltender in high school.

Antonio Isialas was a soccer goaltender in high school.

Photo Credit: Flavia Tomasello Tsialas/Facebook
Antonio Tsialas

Antonio Tsialas

Photo Credit: New York State Police

Antonio Tsialas, 18, a freshman enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences, had not been seen or heard from since returning to his dorm after attending an on-campus event at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity on Thursday night, Oct. 24. 

Tsialas, a soccer goalie in high school, was reported missing Friday, Oct. 25 after failing to meet up with his mother and father, who were in town for parents weekend.

The body of Tsialas, of the Miami, Florida area, was found in Fall Creek by Ithaca Falls Saturday evening, Oct. 26.

His parents, John Tsialas and Flavia Tomasello Tsialas, are offering a $10,000 reward for information.

"There are people that know what happened, but nothing is being said," John Tsialas said in an interview with ABC News.

"We are very troubled by the lack of information about what took place at the fraternity party that he attended at Phi Kappa Psi on the night he died and what happened to him after he left the fraternity house that night," Flavia Tomasello Tsialas wrote in a Facebook post. "As parents, we want to know the truth about what happened to him and who was with him that night."

Subpoenas and search warrants have been issued by university police and will turn over evidence to state police investigators.

"The Cornell University Police continue to actively investigate Antonio Tsialas’s tragic death and the events of the night that preceded it." Cornell University Police Chief David Honan said in a statement. "Over 150 leads have been received and are being followed up on, which include numerous personal interviews." 

Cornell President Martha Pollack said Antonio's cause of death has not been determined, but called the party "an unregistered fraternity-sponsored event" where alcohol was served.

Cornell's Interfraternity Council has banned fraternity social events for the rest of the fall semester. 

"These events, still under investigation, regrettably follow a pattern of misconduct in the Greek-letter system, a pattern that is emblematic of enduring problems that we, as a community, must recommit ourselves to solving," Pollack said in this statement. "Indeed, despite substantially enhanced Greek Life outreach, training and policy development over the last two years, numerous fraternities have been found to have engaged in misconduct over that time sufficient to merit suspension of their recognition by the university."

"What started as a beautiful weekend with our son Antonio turned into our worst nightmare," Flavia Tomasello Tsialas said. "The evening Antonio went missing I met him for dinner and he was so cheerful. We spoke of how happy he was at Cornell and all of his exciting future plans.

"Our family is heartbroken and devastated over the loss of our son. He was an exceptional young man and a bright scholar. Antonio had done everything right in life and he was fulfilling his dreams at Cornell."

to follow Daily Voice Chappaqua and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE