Campus News

Former student responsible for breach of UGA computer systems found dead

A UGA police investigation has determined that a former student is responsible for the unauthorized access in October of university computer systems that contained personnel records of past and current employees.

The former student is 26-year-old Athens resident Charles Stapler Stell, who attended classes at UGA between summer semester 2005 and spring semester 2007.

During the course of the investigation, Stell was found dead. A preliminary investigation by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department indicates no foul play and that he most likely took his own life; however, the final determination is pending crime lab results.

The employee files accessed in the initial security breach were found under the control of Stell during the forensic evaluation of evidence obtained during the course of the investigation. There is no indication that any of the information left Stell’s control after he took unlawful possession of it, nor does it appear that any of the information has been used for any additional criminal purpose.