UD student death investigation: Police working to establish Michael Currin’s last steps

DAYTON — Homicide detectives and University of Dayton Public Safety on Tuesday continued their investigation into what happened to first-year student Michael Currin, who was found injured Sunday morning in the 3100 block of Wayne Avenue.

>> RELATED: UD student death: Injuries caused by ‘unknown circumstances’

The two departments, in trying to create a possible timeline of events for Currin’s last steps, are following the possibility he was walking to pick up a food order from a restaurant about a mile from where the 19-year-old was found about 3:30 a.m., bloodied, face down in the street.

“There is evidence to support that Michael left campus to pick up a food order,” the Dayton Police Department said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. “The cause of his injuries has not been confirmed at this time and the investigation into his tragic death continues.”

Currin was pronounced dead on Monday. The cause and manner of his death remains under investigation, Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger said Tuesday.

It is not uncommon for UD students to walk from their dorms or off-campus housing to the Wayne Avenue area to get food from places such as Cousin Vinny’s Pizza, 2032 Wayne Ave.

News Center 7′s Mike Campbell spoke with employees there on Tuesday who told him police had stopped in and “that Dayton police detectives appeared to be looking into the possibility Currin ordered a pizza but never arrived to pick it up.”

Police officers said they could not comment on an ongoing investigation, Campbell reported, but the pizza spot is just over a mile from where Currin was found."

Leilani Hyatt, who called 9-1-1 when she discovered Currin, said, “I just really hope someone comes forward and does the right thing.”

Hyatt said she would have assumed Currin had been hit by a vehicle because he was missing one of his shoes and because his phone was a few feet away.

She prayed that he would survive and is now praying for his family.

According to a Dayton police crash report posted Monday, Currin was injured in a hit-and-run crash in the area of Wayne and Pursell avenues early Sunday morning. The crash report has since been removed from the state’s crash report system. Late Monday afternoon, police issued a statement that Currin’s injuries were caused by “unknown circumstances.”

News Center 7 has asked the Dayton Police Department why the report is no longer available. WHIO is waiting to hear back.

In the aftermath of Currin’s death, UD students are being reassured the campus and Dayton police patrol areas near campus. They also are being told to review the Crime Prevention Tips on the UD Public Safety website.

“While this incident occurred off campus, the university continues to prioritize the safety of the campus community,” both departments said in a joint statement.

Investigations take time, and Dayton Police will provide an update when there is new information to report. The university asks everyone on campus to continue to respect the privacy of Michael’s family and pray for his family and all who knew him."

The Dayton Police Department is asking anyone with information on how Currin may have been injured to call Detective Geiger at 937-333-4616.

If you have information and wish to remain anonymous, you can call Miami Valley Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP.

Cox Media Group