The Franciscan University of Steubenville community is reeling from a double tragedy after two beloved students, Luke Reimer and Mary Mich, were found dead inside a parked car on campus early Tuesday morning, January 21, 2026. The couple, both 20-year-old juniors known for their deep faith and active involvement in campus ministry, were discovered unresponsive in a vehicle near the university’s main parking lot around 6:45 a.m. by a passing security officer conducting routine rounds.

Steubenville Police and university officials have confirmed the deaths but have been extremely tight-lipped about the cause, repeatedly describing it only as “highly unusual” and “not immediately consistent with natural causes or foul play.” The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has taken over the case, and autopsies are being performed at the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. Preliminary toxicology results are expected within days, but sources close to the investigation have privately told reporters the initial findings point toward carbon monoxide poisoning – a cause that has stunned friends and family because the vehicle was parked outdoors and the engine was not running when discovered.

Luke Reimer, a theology major from Cincinnati, was described by classmates as “the guy who always had a smile and a prayer ready.” Mary Mich, an education major from Toledo, was known for her gentle spirit and her work organizing adoration hours and service projects for underprivileged children. The two had been dating for nearly two years and were often seen together at daily Mass, campus retreats, and late-night study sessions in the library. “They were the couple everyone wanted to be,” one friend told local news. “They radiated Christ’s love. This doesn’t make sense.”

The university has canceled all classes through Friday and opened the Portiuncula Chapel 24/7 for prayer and counseling. Father David Morrier, university president, released a heartfelt statement: “Luke and Mary were not just students; they were lights in our community. Their faith was contagious, their kindness boundless. We are heartbroken and clinging to the Resurrection hope we proclaim every day.”

Students have gathered nightly on the main lawn to pray the Rosary, light candles, and share memories. A makeshift memorial near the parking lot has grown with hundreds of flowers, rosaries, holy cards, and handwritten notes. One note reads: “You two showed us how to love like Jesus. Now you’re both with Him.”

The “unusual cause” has sparked widespread speculation online, with many pointing to carbon monoxide as the likely culprit. The car was parked in an area with poor ventilation near a small embankment, and some witnesses recall seeing a faint haze in the air that morning. Police have not confirmed the cause publicly, but they have issued a campus-wide advisory urging students to check carbon monoxide detectors in on-campus housing and off-campus rentals.

The loss of two students so close to the start of the spring semester has hit Franciscan University particularly hard. The school, known for its orthodox Catholic identity and strong sense of community, has seen an outpouring of support from alumni, parents, and Catholic communities nationwide. Hashtags #LukeAndMary and #FranciscanStrong are trending, with thousands sharing stories of how the couple touched their lives.

A vigil is scheduled for Friday evening, where the entire campus will gather to pray and remember. Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton of the Diocese of Steubenville will preside. The university has also established a memorial scholarship fund in Luke and Mary’s names to support students pursuing theology and education degrees.

For now, the campus is wrapped in a profound silence. Classes are canceled. The dining hall is subdued. Students walk in groups, many holding rosaries or wearing black armbands. Yet even in the grief, there is a quiet strength – the same strength Luke and Mary lived by every day.

They were found in a car. But their love, their faith, and their light were never confined to any vehicle. They live on – in every prayer whispered, every candle lit, every act of kindness done in their memory.

Franciscan University has lost two of its brightest souls. But the fire they carried refuses to be extinguished.