Death of FSU Student Remains Unexplained

The cause of death of Frostburg resident and Frostburg State University student Alexander Stevens, 24, remains unannounced nearly six weeks after his body was found on the outskirts of Savage River State Forest in Garrett County, Md.

Stevens, who attended FSU in the fall of 2016, was found deceased and naked off of Pine Swamp Road on Jan. 4. His body was found having suffered “trauma” yet undescribed by investigators.  Stevens had been hiking on the night of Jan. 3 with a female companion whose name has not been released. The two had been in the state forest hiking near High Rock, a cliff outcrop over half a mile from where Stevens body is believed to have been found, on a logging road off Pine Swamp Road near Pine Swamp Run. The woman, who called for emergency assistance after seeking refuge at a residence not far from Pine Swamp Run, described the location of Steven’s body and stated that he had fallen off of a cliff. Stevens’ body was subsequently found with the assistance of a state medevac helicopter. The woman was later treated for hypothermia at Western Maryland Regional Medical Center

A search for Stevens and his companion lasted nearly nine hours and was precipitated by a 1 a.m. 911 call made by Stevens father, Jay Stevens, also of Frostburg, Md., stating that his son was lost in the High Rock region of the state forest.

Details on the investigation have been limited, but investigators stated that they believed Stevens’ death to be an isolated incident and that there was no immediate danger to the public.

Savage River State Forest lies to the west and southwest of Frostburg State University. The approximate location of where Stevens was found lies about 11 miles southwest of the FSU campus.