in this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: For one college sophomore, a party in February 2014 would be his last.
Pravin Varughese was a student at Southern Illinois University and attended an off-campus party February 12, 2014. That night, he got into 22-year-old Gaege Bethune’s car and was never seen alive again.
Pravin’s cousin later reported him missing in Carbondale, Illinois, where the college was located, and his parents came into town to search for their son.
Gaege spoke with police and told them he was the last person to see Pravin alive. He also admitted the two got into a scuffle and he punched Pravin in the face. On February 18, 2014, police discovered Pravin’s body in the woods. It appeared as if he had been beaten.
One coroner said Pravin did not suffer any type of trauma and foul play was not suspected. His family called for a second autopsy, which provided nearly opposite results. It said he suffered 22 injuries and suffered “significant blunt force trauma to the head.”
Gaege was charged with first-degree murder in July 2017 and convicted of murder with aggravated battery in June 2018. He was acquitted on a charge of murder with robbery.
But just when Pravin’s family was about to feel like justice was served, they were dealt a shocking blow. The day of Gaege’s sentencing hearing, the judge threw out his conviction due to wording in the indictment. Prosecutors said they would retry the case, but in January 2019, charges against him were officially dropped.
Pravin’s mother, however, continues to fight for justice for her son.
Now, let’s look back at the case of a promising student whose death and his suspected killer’s trial left us with more questions than answers.
