The Gallaudet Murders: When Terror Struck A Close-Knit Campus

Jakob Muller 14 Jul 2025

Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., stands as a beacon of learning and community for the deaf and hearing-impaired. For generations, it has fostered a unique environment where students could thrive, connect, and pursue their academic dreams in a supportive and understanding setting. This sense of security and close-knit camaraderie, however, was shattered in the early 2000s by a series of horrific events that would forever be known as the Gallaudet Murders, leaving the campus community reeling from shock, fear, and profound grief.

The nightmare began in the fall of 2000, bringing an unprecedented wave of panic to the famed institution. What started as an isolated tragedy soon escalated into a terrifying pattern, revealing a sinister presence lurking within the very dormitories meant to be safe havens for its students.

The Victims: Bright Lives Cut Short

The heart of this tragedy lies in the lives of two promising young men, Eric Franklin Plunkett and Benjamin Varner, both freshmen at Gallaudet University. They embodied the spirit of the university – brilliant, full of life, and deeply respected by their peers and faculty alike.

Eric Franklin Plunkett: A Promising Start Brutally Ended

The first blow struck on September 28, 2000. Eric Franklin Plunkett, a 19-year-old freshman from Burnsville, Minnesota, was found brutally murdered in his dorm room on campus. Eric, who was deaf and also lived with cerebral palsy, was known for his lively personality and ever-helpful nature. He was immensely popular on campus, loved by many, and held in high regard within the student community. The discovery of his body, bearing multiple stab wounds to his face and body, sent shockwaves through Gallaudet. The initial confusion and sorrow quickly morphed into a chilling sense of dread as the community grappled with the unthinkable: a murder had occurred within their peaceful campus.

Benjamin Varner: A Second Unspeakable Loss

Just months later, before the campus could fully recover from Eric's death, tragedy struck again. On February 1, 2001, Benjamin Varner, also 19 and a freshman from San Antonio, Texas, was found dead in his dormitory room. Like Plunkett, Varner was a brilliant student, known for his amiable disposition and helpfulness. The similarities between the two deaths – both freshmen, both found dead in their dorms, both victims of robbery – ignited widespread terror. It became terrifyingly clear that Gallaudet was not dealing with an isolated incident, but with a serial killer operating within its very walls. The initial panic escalated into full-blown terror, and the once-secure campus became a place of profound anxiety, with students fearing for their lives.

The Killer: A Fellow Student's Dark Secret

The revelation of the killer's identity only added to the community's horror and disbelief. The individual responsible for terrorizing Gallaudet University was not an outsider, but a fellow student.

Joseph Mesa Jr.: The Face of Fear

Joseph Mesa Jr., a 22-year-old freshman from Guam, was identified as the perpetrator. His arrest by D.C. police on February 13, 2001, brought a tentative sigh of relief to the beleaguered campus, though the emotional scars would linger for years. Mesa was charged and ordered held without bond in the deaths of both Eric Plunkett and Benjamin Varner.

The investigation revealed a chilling truth: Mesa had made a videotaped confession of his guilt to prosecutors. During his trial, he attempted to mount an insanity defense, claiming that "images of black-gloved hands ordered him to do evil things." However, the jury ultimately rejected this defense, finding him fully responsible for his heinous actions.

The Investigation and Justice Served

The murders of Eric Plunkett and Benjamin Varner spurred an intense and urgent homicide investigation. The pressure on law enforcement was immense, not only to bring justice for the victims but also to restore a sense of safety to the terrorized Gallaudet community.

Piecing Together the Puzzle

The D.C. police, in conjunction with campus authorities, worked tirelessly to connect the dots between the two seemingly unrelated but eerily similar deaths. The fact that both victims were freshmen, found dead in their dorms, and were victims of robbery, pointed towards a common assailant. The chilling realization that a "competent homicide investigation would have prevented killing" suggests that had Mesa been identified and apprehended after Plunkett's murder, Varner's life might have been spared. This added a layer of tragic 'what if' to the already devastating events.

The swift arrest of Joseph Mesa Jr. less than two weeks after Varner's murder was a crucial turning point. His subsequent confession, though later contested with an insanity plea, solidified the prosecution's case.

The Verdict and Sentencing

The trial of Joseph Mesa Jr. was closely watched by the Gallaudet community and the nation. In a pivotal moment of justice, Mesa was convicted of killing and robbing his two classmates. The jury's rejection of his insanity defense affirmed his culpability for the brutal crimes. Yesterday, the mothers of Eric Plunkett and Benjamin Varner expressed satisfaction as Joseph Mesa Jr. was sentenced to life in prison, a verdict that brought a measure of closure, though never erasing the pain of their profound loss.

The Lingering Impact on Gallaudet

The Gallaudet Murders left an indelible mark on the university. The campus, once a symbol of safety and empowerment for the deaf community, was forever changed by the terror that gripped it in 2000 and 2001. The murders highlighted the vulnerability of even the most close-knit communities to acts of extreme violence and forced Gallaudet to re-evaluate and enhance its campus security measures.

Beyond the physical security, the emotional toll on students, faculty, and staff was immense. The sense of betrayal that a fellow student could commit such atrocities was particularly devastating. However, in the face of such profound tragedy, the Gallaudet community also demonstrated remarkable resilience. They mourned together, supported each other, and slowly began the process of healing, determined to uphold the university's mission and ensure that the legacies of Eric Plunkett and Benjamin Varner would be remembered not just for their tragic end, but for the bright lives they lived.

Summary of the Gallaudet Murders:

The Gallaudet Murders refer to the terrifying period in 2000 and 2001 when two brilliant Gallaudet University freshmen, Eric Franklin Plunkett and Benjamin Varner, were brutally murdered in their campus dorms. Both victims, highly regarded and loved by their peers, were found dead from stab wounds and robbery. The perpetrator was identified as fellow Gallaudet freshman Joseph Mesa Jr. from Guam. Mesa confessed to the killings, though he later attempted an insanity defense, which was rejected by the jury. He was convicted of murder and robbery and sentenced to life in prison. The events caused widespread panic and terror throughout the Gallaudet campus, a unique institution for the deaf and hearing-impaired, profoundly impacting its sense of safety and community.

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