11-02-2025
Six members of Penn State Altoona frat charged after student athlete's death
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — The death of a 17-year-old Altoona High student-athlete in October has led to charges against the fraternity members who allegedly supplied the alcohol leading up to the DUI crash on the 10th Avenue Expressway.
Police were called to the scene of a crash Oct. 27 where 17-year-old Lundyn Treese was pronounced dead at the scene after being thrown from the vehicle 19-year-old Jared Detwiler was allegedly driving.
Since then, Blair County investigators and District Attorney Pete Weeks have been looking for answers on how the tragedy unfolded. Now, six members of the Sigma Pi fraternity are being charged for supplying alcohol to Detwiler and multiple other underage teens, criminal complaints show.
According to court documents, Sigma Pi members Andrew Lee Demitis, 20, Luke O'Shaughnessy, 21, Alex Martinez, 20, Grant Edward Elder, 19, Mason Benjamin Wolfe, 20, and Omar Seiam, 20, have all been charged with furnishing liquor to minors, corruption of minors, reckless endangerment and conspiracy of all previously listed charges — six misdemeanor charges in total, each.
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According to the criminal complaints, searches of cell phones showed that the frat gave little care about underage drinking and wouldn't turn away anyone who brought alcohol. While those charged claimed they checked for Penn State IDs at the door, witnesses said underage teens would often sneak in through the back door.
Snapchat revealed more for investigators, the complaint shows. Investigators said they viewed various Snapchat conversations and posts showing multiple defendants at the party with Lundyn and other underage teens.
According to the complaint, detectives also viewed a Snapchat with a girl passed out on the couch at the frat house with beer bottles all around and the caption 'Should we rape her?'
One witness that investigators spoke with claimed she has been to multiple parties held by Sigma Pi and was there the night Lundyn was killed, saying Lundyn and Detwiller were both drinking, adding that Detwiller had alcohol in both hands at one point.
In addition, investigators said there was a group chat seen on the defendants' phones by the name of 'bump chat' with a snowflake which detectives said is indicative of cocaine to the complaint, one of the defendants claimed they don't provide alcohol nor do they let people bring alcohol. A statement police found far-fetched based on the numerous empty alcohol containers they said were seen all over the floors and outside.
Penn State said they do not recognize Sigma Pi or any fraternities at the PSU Altoona campus as official fraternities. They also told WTAJ that these students will go through the university's internal student conduct process.
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