Shivangi Sinha
In October 2018, University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey was fatally shot in a campus parking lot, raising serious concerns. The shooter was quickly identified as Melwin Rowland, a man she had briefly dated and she had reported suspicious activities to police multiple times. Shockingly, Rowland was a registered sex offender who had been released on parole several times. ABC’s ‘20/20: Running Out of Time’ explores the case in depth. It gives a detailed account of the numerous warnings about his escalating behavior and sheds light on his troubling criminal history.
Melwin Rowland Had Been In and Out of Prison Since 2004
Melwin Shawn Rowland’s early life remains somewhat unclear. He was born in New York, but little is known about his biological parents. As a child, he was adopted by an older couple who later passed away and he was in state care for a time. Records indicate that he later attended a private boarding school in Colorado, where he completed his high school diploma. Rowland also spent time at a Buddhist institute in Berkeley, California, participated in Job Corps, took classes at Salt Lake Community College, and eventually found work as a certified nurse assistant. However, he also had a troubling side to him. In 2004, he pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to lure an underage girl online and attempted sexual abuse related to a 2003 case, receiving a prison sentence of 1 to 15 years.
During his arrest, he told the police that he was a pre-med student at the University of Utah. However, he had only been a part-time student for two semesters and had not even chosen his major. After his conviction, another woman came forward accusing him of sexual assault after meeting him online, though no charges were filed in that instance. Rowland went before the parole board in 2005 and again in 2008, but both requests were denied. At his July 2012 hearing, he acknowledged having “thinking errors” and admitted to being a womanizer who had manipulated women on multiple occasions. He also confessed to assaulting two other women, yet was released on supervised parole.
By October 2012, however, he was sent back to prison after violating parole conditions by possessing pornography and failing to complete required therapy. He was released once more in 2013 but returned to prison in February 2016 for again failing to comply with parole requirements. At his hearing, it was noted that he had shown a pattern of manipulative behavior and had allegedly used a jail employee to get internet access. On April 17, 2018, Rowland was released from prison again under the requirement that he regularly report to his parole officer. During his hearing, he admitted that his dream of becoming a doctor had been derailed by his addiction to “internet sexual activity.” Claiming he had changed, he highlighted his role as a peer leader in prison.
Melwin Rowland Stalked and Threatened Lauren McCluskey After Their Breakup
Melwin Rowland soon found employment as a nightclub security guard. Despite receiving warnings for marijuana use, he remained free. On September 1, 2018, he met Lauren McCluskey at the bar where he worked, and they began dating. However, after discovering his real identity and history as a sex offender, she ended the relationship on October 9. Starting on October 12, Rowland began sending anonymous messages to Lauren, and a few days later, she reported that someone was threatening to release her intimate photos unless she paid money. She handed over $1,000 and told police she suspected Rowland or one of his associates, though this could not be confirmed then.
By October 19, an extortion investigation had been officially opened. Then, on the morning of October 22, Lauren received another text message, this time appearing to be from Deputy Chief Rick McLenon, instructing her to come to the police station. Investigators now believe the message was a ruse designed to lure her out of her dorm room by Rowland. In the afternoon, the latter lingered around Lauren’s residence hall and even spent time with some of her friends. At 8:20 pm, he confronted her in a parking lot near her dorm and forced her into the backseat of a car he had driven onto campus. He then shot her several times before fleeing the area with a woman he had arranged to meet for a date through an online connection. She was unaware of who he was until later, when she recognized him in the news coverage of the police pursuit and provided information.
Related
Melwin Rowland Shot Himself in a Church After Committing Murder
At 12:46 am on October 23, 2018, Melwin Rowland entered Trinity A.M.E. Church at 239 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. As officers approached, he used the same gun to take his own life. After recovering Rowland’s remains, police discovered that he had gained access to Lauren’s email account and was receiving the messages she had been sending to law enforcement. Investigators learned that he had extorted $1,000 from her and later returned it when he feared exposure. He had even discussed the situation with colleagues. The firearm he used was borrowed under false pretenses from his coworker, Nathan Vogel, who was also a security guard. Authorities confirmed that the woman who picked him up was unaware of his identity or criminal actions.
