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Student stabbed to death in university dining hall

Fairfield Ledger, USA
Mar. 2, 2004
Erik Gable
www.zwire.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Tuesday March 2, 2004

“The hearts of all the students, faculty and staff go out to Levi’s family at this tragic time as we all share the deep loss of this fine young man.” — M.U.M. statement

A Maharishi University of Management student died Tuesday night after being attacked with a knife in the university’s dining hall. Another student was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Fairfield police officers responded at 7:03 p.m. to a report of a stabbing at Annapurna Dining Hall on campus. When they arrived, they found Levi Butler, 19, bleeding from stab wounds to the chest.

Butler, a freshman from California, was taken to Jefferson County Hospital by ambulance. He was pronounced dead at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Shuvender Sem, 24, an M.U.M. student from Lancaster, Pa., was arrested and charged with murder.

Officer Colin Smith, who responded to the call, said Sem was still on the scene when police arrived. The suspect was not armed.

“He was taken into custody without incident,” Smith said. “He was actually extremely calm.”

Smith estimated there were at least 50 people in the dining hall when he arrived.

Although an autopsy has not yet been conducted, Smith said it appeared Butler had been stabbed at least four times.

The homicide is being investigated by the Fairfield Police Department, Jefferson County Police Reserves, Jefferson County Attorney’s Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

After the killing, police learned of an incident earlier in the day involving the same suspect. Sem had allegedly attacked another student earlier in the day, stabbing him with a pen.