UC Santa Barbara Police Rule Student’s Death an Accidental Fall; Family Disputes Conclusion

UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) student Elizabeth “Liz” Hamel’s death has been ruled an accidental fall by the UC Police Department (UCPD) following what the agency described as an exhaustive investigation.

Hamel, an 18-year-old freshman from Bellevue, Washington, suffered critical injuries in a fall near San Rafael Hall on the evening of February 14, 2025.

UCPD said officers responded to an emergency call at approximately 10:26 p.m. at San Rafael Hall, near the campus lagoon, where Hamel was found unconscious outside the residence. She was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in critical condition and succumbed to her injuries six days later.

In April, Hamel’s parents and their representatives held a press conference at San Rafael Residence Hall to ask students and the broader community for information. Attorney Tyrone Maho of Maho Prentice LLP, investigator Michael Claytor of Claytor Investigations, and Hamel’s father, Alain Hamel, spoke to outline the known timeline and to seek witnesses.

According to Maho, Hamel joined friends from her residence at San Miguel Hall for dinner at Lao Wang in Isla Vista around 8:00 p.m. on February 14. She was seen with a male companion for most of the evening and left the restaurant with him at 10:06 p.m. At 10:27 p.m., a bystander called 9-1-1 to report Hamel had been found unconscious outside San Rafael Hall.

At the time, the man was described as white, approximately six feet tall, with dark blond hair, wearing light blue Carhartt jeans, a gray Patagonia sweater, and a carabiner on his right hip. “If you are this young man, or you know who he is, we are pleading with you to come forward,” Maho said during the press conference, emphasizing the individual was not being accused of wrongdoing. Fliers seeking information were distributed across Isla Vista and the UCSB campus.

Following the press conference, UCPD stated it had identified and interviewed “an individual who was identified in relation to the incident at our residence hall,” but said the investigation was ongoing and offered no additional details. The department said it has kept the family informed and is working closely with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. No further information about the individual was released publicly.

This month, UCPD announced its conclusion: “Following an exhaustive investigation,” the department said, the incident was “an accidental fall that resulted in the student’s passing.” The finding came, UCPD said, after “a systematic review and account of all available information and numerous interviews, including a person of interest identified during the course of the investigation.” The agency said it has forwarded its investigation to the District Attorney. The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the case “is under review.”

Hamel’s family and their representatives strongly disagreed with the police conclusion. “We believe that there remains critical evidence to obtain, and we disagree with the UCSB Police Department statement that there can be a conclusion made in connection with Ms. Hamel’s death. We are aware of key inconsistencies that remain unaddressed, creating more questions than answers,” read a joint statement from Maho and Claytor. “Further, we are concerned that there may be an inherent conflict of interest with the UCSB Police Department investigating this matter, and we could potentially be dealing with a biased review of the events that occurred on February 14, 2025. Our own investigation continues.”

“We are aware of UCSB Police’s conclusion, but we still have unanswered questions about how Liz died,” said Alain Hamel. “We will continue working with our counsel and the appropriate authorities to ensure that all available evidence is carefully reviewed. On the human side, my wife and I are devastated. Liz was our only child and we are still trying to understand how to go on without her. She was my daughter, my friend, my TV buddy, and my constant source of pride. I miss her with every breath, but I am endlessly grateful for every moment we shared.”

Among the unresolved questions the family has raised are how Hamel, a resident of San Miguel Hall, gained access inside San Rafael Hall that night and the circumstances immediately preceding her fall. While police have interviewed an individual identified in connection with the incident, they have not publicly released the person’s identity.

UCPD offered condolences in its announcement: “Our hearts and thoughts are with the family and friends who have suffered a terrible loss.” The District Attorney’s review remains pending.