FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The roommate of the Northern Arizona University student found dead on campus Wednesday, shared his memories of a social and friendly Joseph Michael Bock.
James Phillips only knew Bock for a few weeks. The became roommates in late January at the Hilltop Townhomes on campus.
Phillips said Bock was a business major at NAU and described him as a “people person.”
“He liked people. He wanted to be around people. He was very social … light-hearted, easy going, very friendly,” Phillips said.
The Northern Arizona University Police Department confirmed Thursday, the dead student was Joseph Michael Bock. Investigators said his body was found by property staff Wednesday afternoon, in his home during routine inspections.
“It was the worst-case scenario. It happened in my apartment,” Phillips said.
Wednesday, police had not revealed how Bock died, but called it an “unattended death.”
In recordings from broadcastify.com, dispatchers routing emergency crews to the scene are heard speaking of a, “possible deceased person, with blood all throughout the apartment,” and “a body that was found under the bed.”
James Phillips told 12 News he was on his way home from spring break in Tucson when he got the alert from police about an investigation at his complex.
Our cameras were on scene as Phillips arrived. A tarp caught him by surprise.
“It’s over the building that I live in,” Phillips said.
Though he answered their questions, Phillips said detectives didn’t share much in return.
“All they told me was that it appeared to start in a bathroom and ended with him under a bed,” Phillips said.
“There is blood throughout the apartment, unknown cause,” dispatchers are heard saying during the emergency call.
All the unknowns had some students on edge.
“Do we stay or do we leave? That’s the thing, is it safe or not,” NAU student and Hilltop Townhomes resident, Rukky Zirhabe said.
“It happened in a place I live, in a place I sleep, in a place I was planning to go to,” Phillips said.
NAU President Cheng sent the following message to students, assuring them, “there is no imminent threat or concern,” on campus.
March 23, 2018
Dear Lumberjack family,
As you may be aware, NAUPD, the Flagstaff Police Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are investigating the unattended death of an NAU student at Hilltop Townhomes on our mountain campus.
While the investigation is not complete and cause of death is unknown, I wanted to reach out to you in this time of sadness to assure you that I have full faith and confidence in these law enforcement agencies as they conduct a thorough investigation.
Our thoughts are with the family of our deceased student, and I hope you will respect their privacy during this difficult time. We are sensitive to the emotions and concerns of all our students as they come back to campus from spring break, and we understand the concerns of their families.
The sense of community and caring is a foundation of NAU, and I know our faculty and staff will be mindful of the needs of our students and families. Let me assure you, there is no known imminent threat or concern on our campus. The safety of our students, as always, is our top priority.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many resources and services we have available on campus, including counseling services. The NAU Office of Student Life is available to answer questions by calling (928) 523-5181.
The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s office told 12 News they were not releasing a cause of death to cooperate with the investigation and that it would be at least 60 days before the autopsy report was available to the public.