Carter Eslick was sentenced to two months in jail Wednesday for his role in a hazing ritual that killed an 18-year-old pledge.
Eslick, 20, the former pledge master of Northern Arizona University’s Delta Tau Delta chapter, received the jail term plus three years of supervised probation from a Coconino County Superior Court judge. He had pleaded guilty to a felony hazing charge in the Jan. 31 death of Colin Daniel Martinez at an off-campus house.
An autopsy determined Martinez died of alcohol poisoning with a blood-alcohol content of 0.425%, more than five times Arizona’s legal limit for drivers 21 and over. The 18-year-old was one of four pledges who shared two bottles of vodka in a ritual designed to make them vomit, according to court documents.
Witnesses told investigators they adjusted Martinez’s sleeping position and checked his pulse and breathing repeatedly through the night, looking for signs of alcohol poisoning. No one called for emergency help in time to save him.
Martinez’s parents appeared remotely in court Wednesday, still grieving their son. They told the judge they want accountability and reform within Greek life, Phoenix television station azfamily.com reported.
Eslick apologized directly to the Martinez family during the hearing and said he takes “full responsibility for the hand I played in that ritual.”
Judge Stacy Krueger said Eslick knew what he did was dangerous and was troubled that no one in the fraternity spoke out against the ritual.
Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said no sentence can undo the harm to the Martinez family.
“My hope is that this case helps people understand the serious dangers of hazing and encourages them to speak up and intervene before another family experiences this kind of loss,” Barker said in a statement.
Eslick’s probation carries strict conditions. He must create and deliver 305 anti-hazing presentations and keep the court updated on his progress. He is barred from using alcohol or drugs unless prescribed, and he could face additional jail time if he violates any condition.
The university suspended Delta Tau Delta after Martinez’s death, and the national fraternity organization later permanently closed the NAU chapter.