UCSB student Paul Herbert Frank died in his home on Dec. 15. He was 21 years old.
His cause of death has not been determined and is pending a toxicology report. Frank — a recent Santa Barbara City College transfer originally from Del Mar, Calif. — was a junior majoring in mathematics.
According to local news reports, Frank’s roommates called the police after unsuccessfully attempting to wake him that Wednesday afternoon. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene shortly after.
About two weeks prior to his passing, Frank was arrested in the same house on the 6700 block of Sabado Tarde Rd. for drug possession and dealing of narcotics.
Frank and another UCSB student Alexander Stemplewski were found in possession of nearly $12,000 worth of drugs, including three ounces of heroin and four pounds of psilocybin mushrooms packaged for sale, as well as ecstasy tablets, methamphetamine, LSD and DMT.
Frank was released on $30,000 bail when he died. He was set to appear in court on Dec. 22.
As a good friend of Paul’s I find it disheartening that Paul has not been given the same remembrance other students have received upon passing. Instead of focusing on the troubles of his recent pass I would like to celebrate his life and remember him as some one who loved deeply, gave the best hugs, had a great smile and was always willing to watch foreign films with good friends. While many recent accounts regarding Paul have been misleading and at times entirely false, I am not here to chastise the Nexus for not revealing the whole truth but that… Read more »
I’m sorry for your loss Madison, the important thing is that you and the many other people who cared about Paul will remember the best in him
I have to agree that the Nexus’ coverage of Paul’s death is inappropriate and offensive. I never knew Paul, but it is disgraceful that his memory has been tarnished by this sort of irresponsible journalism. Regardless of his prior legal troubles, no evidence currently exists to suggest that Paul’s death was drug-related, and until a toxicology report is released that implication should not be made. I wonder how Paul’s parents feel reading this article? Shame on the writer of this article and the editors who allowed this trash to be published