Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a Baltimore County native who was found killed in her dorm room at Rice University on Monday, was a political science major with a focus on pre-law and active in several university organizations.
The junior transferred to Rice, in Houston, Texas, last spring from the Community College of Baltimore County. She was from Nottingham, Maryland, and graduated from Perry Hall High School in 2021.
Avila was found fatally shot in her Jones College residential hall around 4:30 p.m. Central Time, along with a gunman authorities believe killed her and then took his own life, police said.
Rice University Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez said Avila’s family told police they hadn’t heard from her, so officers conducted a welfare check at her dorm room. Avila also didn’t show up to class on the first day of the semester, according to police.
Police said Avila appeared to have let the gunman in and they were known to one another. The gunman, who was not a Rice student, left a note detailing his prior relationship with Avila, according to police.
“In general terms, it was a lot about their relationship and obviously they were having a troubled relationship at this time,” Chief Rodriguez said.
At Rice, Avila was a deputy parliamentarian of the Rice Student Association; a peer academic advisor at the Jones College residential hall; and a member of the university’s Honor Council.
WJZ is a media partner of The Baltimore Banner.
