A Rice University student was killed in an apparent murder-suicide, police say, prompting a campus-wide lockdown on the first day of classes

By Jamiel Lynch and Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN

(CNN) — A Rice University student in Houston was found dead in her dorm room Monday in an apparent murder-suicide, sending the campus into a nearly two-hour lockdown as students wrapped up their first day of classes, according to police and university officials.

The body of junior Andrea Rodriguez Avila was discovered by university police after a concerned family member requested a welfare check and officers saw she had missed class Monday, Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said.

The suspected Avila shooter, an unidentified man who does not appear to be affiliated with the university, was also found dead in the room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Based on a note from the suspect found at the scene, investigators believe the man shot Avila before shooting himself, the police chief said. The note also indicated the couple had a troubled romantic relationship.

“This is a speech no president will ever want to give,” Rice University President Reginald DesRoches said in announcing Avila’s death. “Tonight, I want all of our students, our parents and the entire Rice community to know that the Rice campus is safe and there is no immediate threat, and tonight we are going to embrace our students,” he added.

The shooter likely accompanied Avila to his residence hall at Jones College, Rodriguez said. Earlier Monday, a university spokesman said there were no signs of forced entry.

The discovery of the bodies triggered a campus-wide lockdown starting around 5:40 p.m. CT, and the cancellation of all remaining classes and activities Monday, according to the university.

The university announcement at 7:18 p.m. that the lockdown had been lifted.

The Rice University Police Department is leading the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department, Houston police said.

Jones College, where Avila lived, is one of 11 residential colleges that serve Rice undergraduates. Each year, new students are randomly assigned to a residential college, where they will remain for the remainder of their undergraduate studies.

Avila’s parents are in contact with the university and will fly to Houston on Tuesday, DesRoches said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.