UC Davis fraternity student’s death with 29 stab wounds gets new podcast probe

Twenty-five years after a University of California, Davis (UC Davis) student was found dead in his fraternity room with 29 stab wounds, the death was officially ruled a suicide, a new true crime podcast takes a fresh look at the case, and the questions Andrew Wieman’s family say were never answered.

Wieman, 20, a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, was found dead in his locked room on January 4, 2001.

After a 13-month joint investigation involving UC Davis Police, the Yolo County Medical Examiner’s Office and the California Department of Justice, authorities ruled Wieman’s death a suicide.

Investigators noted several factors supporting this conclusion, including the discovery of a handwritten note in Wieman’s room, the knife believed to have caused the wounds belonged to Wieman and contained his fingerprints, and the fact that there were no signs of forced entry or struggle in the room.

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Authorities also stated that Wieman’s room was locked, windows were secured and all keys were turned over. According to investigators, Wieman had no defensive wounds on his body and there was no evidence that another person was in the room.

In a statement released at the time, UC Davis Police Chief Calvin Handy described Wieman as a “troubled individual” and said investigators believed the evidence taken “in its entirety” was consistent with suicide.

However, Wieman’s family never accepted the official decision. They have continued to press for answers for years, citing concerns about whether all aspects of the case have been fully examined.

Emmy-winning producer Kyle Olson now revisits the case in Season 2 of his true crime podcast “Love and Justice” It will be released on May 26.

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University of California Davis campus. (Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

Olson said many details about the case immediately came to his team’s attention when they began reviewing investigative files and evidence.

“When you start to put all of that together and hear that determination is suicide, that’s an inherently intriguing thing,” Olson told Fox News Digital.

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Olson said the case stands out because of some details that investigators acknowledged at the time, including that Wieman suffered 29 stab wounds, many fatal, that he had no drugs or alcohol in his system and that he was found in a locked room.

“These are all things that leave you scratching your head,” Olson said. “This is not something we would normally see in a situation like this.”

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UC Davis student Andrew Wieman was 20 when he was found dead in his fraternity dorm room in 2001. (“Love and Justice” Podcast via the Wieman family)

The podcast host said another detail that surprised his team was learning that Wieman was allegedly found “stuck in bed” and wearing earplugs; The details were not widely discussed publicly at the time, Olson said.

“What does this mean?” Olson said. “Does this mean anything, or is it just a minor detail in a much bigger story?”

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The series also explores the nearly 60-hour gap between Wieman’s last confirmed sighting in the early hours of January 2 and when he was eventually found dead.

“Sixty hours is a long time,” Olson said. “Does anyone know what was going on during those 60 hours and maybe something they haven’t shared in 25 years?”

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Students are seen on the campus of the University of California at Davis. (Getty Images)

According to Olson, the podcast does not attempt to reach a predetermined conclusion, but rather re-examines the case using modern forensic reconstruction technology and new expert analysis.

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“We want to hear from all sides,” Olson said. “Based on the evidence we’ve seen, there will be some people who think it could lead to suicide. There will be some people who say ‘I disagree.'”

Olson said the investigation involved forensic experts from around the world and focused heavily on whether advances in science and reconstruction technology could better explain the circumstances surrounding Wieman’s death.

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A view of the campus from the RMI North building, which houses UC Davis’ wine and food department in Davis. (Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

“One of the big questions for me always comes down to feasibility,” Olson said. “Is it possible for someone to inflict 29 stab wounds on themselves, especially when most of those stab wounds are fatal?”

The passage of time can also play an important role in generating new knowledge, Olson said.

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Andrew Wieman with family members before his death at UC Davis in January 2001. (“Love and Justice” Podcast via the Wieman family)

“There may be people who were too shy to bring up information 25 years ago and are willing to talk about it now,” Olson said. “Now might be the time to say something.”

Season 1 of “Love and Justice” focused on the murder of Olson’s childhood friend Ashley Love, whose killer was never found.

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For decades, Andrew Wieman’s family questioned the official verdict on his death. (“Love and Justice” Podcast via the Wieman family)

Olson said the experiences helped her better understand how families continue to live with unanswered questions long after investigations are over.

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“From my perspective, I would really like to find justice for Andrew,” Olson said. “We’re here to find out what the truth is.”

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).