By Daniel Massey
A 22-year-old Howard Beach resident was discovered dead in her dorm room at SUNY New Paltz last Thursday morning, university officials said.
Staci Love, a junior who was studying journalism, was found in her Bliss Hall single room by residence supervisors around 8:40 a.m., said university spokesman Ken Ross.
“Her father had called university police. He had been trying to contact her without success,” said Ross. “The residence director checked in her room and that’s when they found her.”
Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams said it was reported to his office that Love died of cardiac arrest.
“There is no suspicion at this point of foul play,” he said
Ulster County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Francis Mayle said he would have to wait three to four weeks for lab results before determining the exact cause of death.
“It’s pending investigation,” he said. “It appears that it was a natural death.”
Residence staff immediately called university police and the New Paltz Rescue Squad, but Love was pronounced dead at the scene when they arrived, Ross said.
Her body was found the day before final exams ended. Ross said he did not know when Love’s father last had contact with his daughter.
Love had just recently obtained her own room in Bliss Hall after spending much of the year sharing quarters with other students, university officials said. She transferred last year from SUNY Cobleskill, a 2,400-student agriculture and technology school an hour west of Albany, they said.
She had just completed an introductory class on the evaluation, gathering, and writing of news.
The Howard Beach resident was described as a huge fan of hip-hop music by Professor Robert Miraldi, who taught Love in a course on muckraking journalism last fall.
“She would always chime in in class,” he added. “She always had something to say.”
Reach reporter Daniel Massey by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 156.
