It was blunt force injury to the head that killed University of Virginia women’s lacrosse player Yeardley Love, according to the office of the state medical examiner.
Steve Murman, central region administrator with the examiner’s office, also disclosed Wednesday that Love’s death has been officially labeled a homicide.
Police have charged George Huguely, who was a player on the UVa’s men’s lacrosse team, with first-degree murder in the May death. Both Huguely and Love were fourth-year students about to graduate when she died in her apartment on 14th Street Northwest.
In an affidavit requesting a search warrant, Charlottesville police Detective Lisa Reeves wrote that Huguely told police that, during an argument, “he shook Love and her head repeatedly hit the wall.” Huguely and Love had dated in the past.
Witnesses described finding Love face down on her bloodstained pillow, according to Reeves’ affidavit. Love’s right eye had swollen shut, the right side of her face was bruised and there were bruises and scrapes on her chin, according to the court docu-ment.
In a search of Huguely’s apartment, which was only a few buildings away from Love’s, police recovered a red-stained UVa la-crosse T-shirt, according to a search inventory.
In a statement a few days after Huguely’s arrest, one of his attorneys referred to Love’s death as “an accident with a tragic outcome.”
Days later, Huguely’s mother issued a statement. In it, she wrote, “Also as a mother, I hope that people can understand that both George’s father and I love our son. We will support George in whatever way we can — just as any mother or father would do for their child.”
Charlottesville police Lt. Gary Pleasants was unable to comment Wednesday on the specifics of the cause of death, but he said the investigation is ongoing and probably will be right up to trial.
Police have said they want to better understand Huguely’s relationship with Love. During the search of Huguely’s apartment, they took a letter addressed to Love and two laptops, according to the inventory. According to a search warrant affidavit, Huguely told police that he had communicated with Love by e-mail and had taken her computer from her apartment.
The Daily Progress, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Washington Post and the Associated Press have been battling in court to obtain more documents pertaining to police searches in the case. A judge ruled last week that officials must release redacted versions of documents related to almost all of the searches today.
The paperwork regarding authorities’ search of Internet and cell phone records will remain sealed, the judge ruled.
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