By Chris Casines
At Gallaudet University, students consider each other like family, and being one of the few universities that accept blind or hearing impaired students, many consider it somewhat of a safe haven from discrimination and prejudices. On September 28, 2000 however, that all changed as a well respected member of this family was murdered, the victim’s name, Eric Plunkett. Eric has just signed on to be the secretary of the lambda society, and many students were convinced that this was a hate-murder, however police didn’t seem to think so, they saw this as something far more personal. Police started to question students and found out that 18 year old freshman Thomas Finch had an argument with Eric shortly before his death; they now had a key suspect. Detectives questioned Thomas and were able to get him to admit to not only arguing with Eric before his death, but also to hitting him, after this confession Detectives had him arrested for second-degree murder, however evidence was not sufficient and it did not stand in court. Shortly after, in front of a grand jury hearing, it was determined that Thomas was not guilty, and he was cleared as a suspect. Early morning February 3, 2001 the body of Benjamin Varner showed up, in the same dorm, murdered. Blood was splattered across the walls, a bloody shoe print on the floor, and a trail of blood on the floor exiting the room indicating that the killer was injured during the attack. Detectives took a blood sample and identified the sneaker print as a Nike Cross-trainer, as well as taking notice that Benjamin’s check book had been stolen. On Friday, February 2 a check showed up from Benjamin’s check book, and police checked security cameras, getting a visual of the suspect, and soon after apprehended the killer who was identified to be Joseph Mesa. Joseph admitted to both murders in light of the overwhelming evidence, and was convicted of murder in July.
Editor's note: this piece ran in Serial Killer Magazine and is reproduced as written. Joseph Mesa has no entry in this archive's roster and should not: two killings in one place over four months, both admitted, is a double murder rather than a series. The record is as the article gives it. Eric Plunkett was killed on 28 September 2000 and Benjamin Varner on 3 February 2001, both at Gallaudet University, and Mesa was convicted of both in 2001 and sentenced to life without parole. Thomas Finch is the part of this that needs care. He was arrested for Plunkett's murder on the strength of an admission that he had argued with him and struck him, the evidence did not hold, and a grand jury cleared him. He had nothing to do with either death. Naming him here follows the original, and the reader should register that a student was arrested for a murder he did not commit before the second killing happened.