Fraternity leader sentenced for pledge death during hazing ritual
Fraternity leader sentenced to jail following pledge's alcohol poisoning death during hazing at Northern Arizona University.
Event / Society
Northern Arizona University Hazing Death
Carter Eslick, 20-year-old Delta Tau Delta pledge master at Northern Arizona University, was sentenced to two months in jail and three years probation for his role in a hazing ritual that resulted in the death of 18-year-old pledge Colin Daniel Martinez on January 31, 2026. Martinez died from acute alcohol poisoning after consuming vodka during an initiation ceremony. The sentencing on October 1, 2026, included a requirement for Eslick to deliver 305 anti-hazing presentations. The university suspended and the national organization closed the fraternity chapter.
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2026-10-02 to 2026-10-31 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 2 Oct, 03:18 UTC
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What happened
Court imposes extensive probation conditions on fraternity leader
As part of his three-year supervised probation, Carter Eslick must create and deliver 305 anti-hazing presentations and maintain regular court updates on his progress. He is also prohibited from using alcohol or drugs unless prescribed by a medical professional. Failure to meet these probation conditions could result in additional jail time.
Pledge dies from alcohol poisoning during fraternity hazing ritual
Colin Daniel Martinez, 18, died on January 31, 2026 from acute alcohol poisoning during a Delta Tau Delta fraternity hazing ritual at an off-campus house. An autopsy determined his blood-alcohol content was 0.425%, more than five times Arizona's legal driving limit. Martinez was among four pledges who shared two bottles of vodka as part of the hazing ritual designed to make them vomit. Witnesses reported monitoring Martinez's condition throughout the night by adjusting his sleeping position and checking his pulse and breathing.
Northern Arizona University fraternity leader sentenced to jail for hazing death
Carter Eslick, 20, a former pledge master at Northern Arizona University's Delta Tau Delta fraternity, was sentenced to two months in jail on a felony hazing charge in connection with the death of pledge Colin Daniel Martinez, 18. The sentencing occurred on January 31, 2026 (the date of Martinez's death) at a hearing in Coconino County Superior Court in Flagstaff, Arizona. Eslick also received three years of supervised probation.
Northern Arizona University suspends Delta Tau Delta fraternity chapter
Following Colin Martinez's death on January 31, 2026, Northern Arizona University suspended the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. The national Delta Tau Delta organization subsequently closed the NAU chapter entirely.
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