Alina Sheykhet, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, was found dead in her off-campus home on Sunday, October 8 with blunt force trauma injuries. Officials are investigating the incident as a homicide.
Police responded to the Russian-born Sheykhet’s house around 9 AM on Sunday after her parents found her unresponsive on the second floor of the residence. Sheykhet was found by her father who broke down the door after she failed to answer calls, finding that had been beaten to death. Her roommates had thought she was sleeping.
While the Allegheny County medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, it was not specified what, where or how Sheykhet was struck on her body or what type of object may have been used.
Police are now looking for her boyfriend Matthew Darby, 21, of Greensburg. Darby has not been charged in Sheykhet’s death, but was arrested two weeks ago and charged with one count of felony criminal trespassing related to a September 21 incident at Sheykhet’s home. Sheykhet ought an abuse order against Darby on September 20.
via CBS Pittsburgh:
On Monday, crime scene tape remained in place around the home on Cable Place. Pittsburgh police were also knocking on doors to speak with neighbors. “Right now we are looking at several different possible scenarios as to the circumstances surrounding this,” Pittsburgh Police Sgt. William Vollbergn said.
Sheykhet’s father told KDKA’s John Shumway that after graduating from Montour, Sheykhet spent her first two years of college at Pitt’s Greensburg campus, where she met then 19-year-old Matt Darby, a basketball player on the Pitt Greensburg squad. When she moved to the Pitt main campus, she tried to end the relationship with Darby, but her father says Darby continued to chase her.
Police issued an alert for Darby on Monday asking the public to keep an eye out for him. On Sept. 20, Sheykhet filed an application for a PFA against Darby for breaking into the second-floor window of the home she was renting on Cable Street in Oakland. Darby was arrested for the break-in and charged with criminal trespass. He was released after posting $10,000 bond.
In the PFA, Sheykhet said Darby was upset that she broke up with him.
According to her Facebook, Sheykhet attended Montour High School in Robinson, Pennslyvania after moving from Ivanovo, Russia.
University of Pittsburgh campus police are working with the city’s Violent Crime Unit on the investigation. While no suspect has been arrested, local police say that people should not feel threatened. Police are asking anyone with information on Darby to call police at (412) 323-7800.
