Following their investigation, the UC Police Department concluded that UC Santa Barbara student Elizabeth “Liz” Hamel died from an accidental fall from a San Rafael Residence Hall balcony last academic year in the winter quarter.
UCSB freshman Liz Hamel died from injuries sustained from a balcony fall outside San Rafael hall. Photo courtesy Alain Hamel.
Hamel was found unconscious outside of the San Rafael Residence Hall with serious head and body injuries on Feb. 14, 2025, at 10:26 p.m. Six days later, she was pronounced dead at 18 years old.
According to a statement from UC Police Department (UCPD) shared with the Nexus, UCPD forwarded its findings to the Santa Barbara District Attorney for review. After an “exhaustive investigation” entailing a “systematic review and account of all available information and numerous interviews,” the department concluded that the incident was an “accidental fall” which resulted in her passing.
On the evening of the incident, Hamel and friends went from her residence at San Miguel Residence Hall to the restaurant Lao Wang in Isla Vista, where she stayed for over two hours. She was seen with a young male who was with her “for a large part of the evening,” according to eyewitnesses, and left with him. 21 minutes later, she was found unconscious outside of San Rafael and taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for emergency care.
According to the victim’s father, Alain Hamel, UCPD’s initial strategy “did not include public outreach.” After “weeks turned into months” and UCPD seemed to have “difficulty identifying the man,” according to Alain Hamel, he and his attorney, Tyrone Maho, began posting fliers of the man seen with Hamel and hosted a press conference to bring awareness to the community.
Following the press conference, the young man seen with Hamel was identified and interviewed by UCPD, according to Maho. However, the UCPD did not disclose any details of what they learned and whether he was a person of interest in the case.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the family and friends who have suffered a terrible loss,” the UCPD statement read.
