ANN ARBOR, Mich. – “Our baby is dead,” the mother of University of Michigan student Lucas Mattson, 19, reportedly screamed inside an Uber after getting off a plane at Detroit Metro Airport.
She had just flown in from Juneau, Alaska, and received a phone call from her son’s father, who lives in Washington, according to the family’s attorney, Robert Raitt, after he asked her what had happened to Mattson on Saturday, Jan. 24.
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Raitt is criticizing the way the U-M has handled Mattson’s death and said, “I can’t believe after all this time, fraternities and sororities aren’t doing better.”
Raitt said Mattson’s mother was informed by police that her son was dead after landing at DTW, then got into an Uber to head to the Ann Arbor campus.
“Inside the Uber was the Dean of Students with who the Dean believed was Lucas’s girlfriend,” Raitt said. “[Mattson’s mother] said, ‘Why is the Dean here?’”
Raitt told Local 4 that Mattson’s mother was unaware that the Dean of Students, Laura Blake Jones, was going to be picking her up. He said Jones provided condolences, but when Mattson’s father called, Raitt said, “it just wasn’t handled well” by Jones.
“When Lucas’s father called, she told him, ‘Our baby is dead,’” Raitt said. “The Dean turns to the girlfriend and then to the mom and says something like, ‘We haven’t told her yet.’ The way it was handled was just awful.”
Legal action and investigation underway
Local 4 obtained a Letter of Representation and Notice of Preservation dated Jan. 31, 2026, sent by Raitt to the Delta Chi fraternity and the University of Michigan.
“Mr. Mattson was provided alcohol as a minor, which led to his death on January 23, 2026. We are investigating this matter on behalf of the family, and your organization is identified as potentially having some responsibility for contributing to his death,” the letter said in part.
“The law in the state of Michigan is clear; a host cannot provide alcohol to minors,” Raitt told Local 4. “When they do, they are in violation of the law, and they are responsible for any injury or death that results. It is a shame that things like this have to happen for those that hold parties to realize their responsibilities. Hopefully, there is a change for the better at fraternities and sororities, so these types of tragedies happen less often.”
Lucas Mattson, a sophomore Engineering student, was here on a partial scholarship, according to his family. Raitt told Local 4 he was invited to the Delta Chi fraternity house on Hill Street that night to a party in the basement with members of the fraternity and members of another sorority.
“There were a lot of assumptions this was during rush, that he was on a list -- that was not the case,” said Raitt. “He went to the party. He had a very good interview that day for an Alaskan internship.”
Raitt said Mattson arrived around 11:30 p.m. and “did not bring alcohol to the house, but beer and liquor were provided” at the party.
“His friend that I talked to said, ‘I didn’t see him leave, but at some point he must have left,’” said Raitt.
Ann Arbor Police said Mattson was last seen around 1 a.m. Jan. 23 walking alone. Raitt and some witnesses told Local 4 that Mattson was only wearing a T-shirt and jeans after leaving the party. His body was found Saturday afternoon, roughly two blocks from where he was last seen.
This followed a 20-hour search coordinated by Ann Arbor police and the University of Michigan Police Department in extremely frigid conditions.
“He was west of Washtenaw and walking on Cambridge. Based on his past history, he was going to the bus and to his apartment. He was still a 15-minute bus ride from home,” said Raitt.
Foul play is not suspected and an autopsy was completed. The Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office said the results could take up to three months to complete. Raitt said information he has obtained shows Mattson “was provided alcohol at the Delta Chi party, which led to his death.”
“Lucas Mattson‘s parents are absolutely devastated, mortified, and shocked at the needless and preventable death of their only child,” his family told Local 4 in a statement Thursday. “Lucas was an outstanding person with the utmost moral character. He was an outstanding student who had an extremely bright future. His entire family is trying to come to grips with the reality of this tragic loss.”
The letter sent by Raitt also demanded the fraternity preserve doorbell camera recordings, surveillance footage, photos and cell phone recordings from any members of Delta Chi or their guests and the guest or attendee list.
“This frat -- we don’t know what the university knew about it yet,” said Raitt. “Their site boasts about ‘having a good time’ there.”
Raitt said Delta Chi did not appear to have what’s called a “sober monitor” or “sober student officer” -- essentially one person who stays sober per every 10-15 people at a party or event to keep students or partygoers safe.
Calls for accountability, transparency
The letter went on to instruct Delta Chi “students, pledges, members, agents, assigns and employees to NOT destroy, alter or remove any recordings, photographs and written reports related to this incident as it is potential evidence.”
In the part of the letter directed toward the University of Michigan, Raitt asked the school to preserve all documentation related to the Delta Chi chapter including chartering documents, meeting minutes, guidelines provided to the chapter related to hosting events, documents related to rush events, all prior incident reports, prior complaints against the chapter, resolutions, and “any and all documents related to your investigation in this matter.”
The letter also asked for “any and all documents or media related to your attempts to prevent fraternities or sororities from serving alcohol to minors; or remedies taken by either the campus directly or directed from the national chapter of Delta Chi.”
Friends and neighbors described Lucas as “smart, friendly and kind” on social media, and a GoFundMe organized by his aunt, Jennifer Schoeppe, said: “Our family is devastated by the loss of Lucas” and said donations would “help cover funeral and memorial expenses, out-of-state travel and lodging, and any additional support the family may need.”
Local 4 reached out to the fraternity and the University of Michigan days after Mattson’s death and once again on Thursday. A representative with the university said they have no comment.
University of Michigan President Domenico Grasso released the following message to the community Jan. 26:
January 26, 2026
Dear Students and Colleagues,
This weekend, we learned of the tragic death of Engineering student Lucas Mattson. The level of grief, sympathy, and concern people are experiencing reflects the empathy of our community.
Please join me in extending our deepest condolences to Lucas’s family, friends, and all who loved him. The College of Engineering has shared information and offered support to Lucas’s classmates and those who knew him well within the college.
Sadly, a community of our size regularly experiences student deaths during each academic year, and their lives are collectively celebrated at an annual memorial service. The University does not typically issue public announcements about student deaths, for many reasons, but most commonly out of respect for the family’s wishes. However, Lucas’s disappearance and the public concern for his safety make this situation different.
In moments like these, misinformation and speculation can spread quickly. Because this did not occur on University property, the Ann Arbor Police Department is leading an investigation that began immediately after Lucas was reported missing, and the University is fully supporting its efforts. At this time, we can share that prior to disappearing, Lucas was attending a party at a fraternity house as a guest; he was neither a member nor a pledge. We must let the investigators complete their work and refrain from speculation until the facts are known.
Although our Division of Student Life offers numerous educational and training opportunities for student organizations to promote student safety during off-campus events, I have also asked our vice president for student life and executive director of public safety and security to retrace the events that occurred this weekend. We want to better understand what transpired and identify possible steps to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
I am grateful for the outpouring of support from so many people worried about Lucas’s welfare, including those who searched for him in extremely difficult weather conditions.
As we mourn Lucas, let’s re-commit to taking care of ourselves and each other. Psychological support is available through Counseling and Psychological Services, Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office, or Michigan Medicine Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience. Students who need additional assistance can also reach out to the Dean of Students’ Office or the Engineering C.A.R.E. Center.
We are a stronger community when we unite to support our students, friends, and colleagues. We can honor Lucas’s memory by demonstrating the compassion that defines the University of Michigan.
With deep sympathy,
Domenico Grasso, PhD