Clark Atlanta Students Try To Cope With The Death Of One Of Their Own

The funeral for Clark Atlanta College student Alexis Crawford will be held Saturday in Athens, Georgia.

Her body was found in a DeKalb park over the weekend after she’d been reported missing. Her roommate is one of two suspects arrested and charged with her death.

Atlanta police arrested 21-year-old Jordyn Jones and Jones’ boyfriend, 21-year-old Barron Brantley, last Saturday.

Authorities charged both with malice murder in the Oct. 31 death of the 21-year-old college senior. Malice murder is defined as premeditated murder. The medical examiner determined Crawford died by asphyxiation, Atlanta Police said.

At a weekend news conference, Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields said a motive had not been clearly established. But she noted that Crawford filed a police report on Oct. 27 saying Brantley assaulted her.

Many on the campus of Clark Atlanta University are struggling with what happened and how to process Crawford’s death.

“Morning Edition” host Lisa Rayam spoke with some students near the campus. They said they’re coping with two types of losses–one physical and the other mental.