Albemarle County Police are investigating what they think is a homicide after finding a University student dead yesterday afternoon.
Albemarle Police Lt. John Teixeira said police found 28- year-old graduate student Alison Meloy's body around 2 p.m. yesterday in the stairway of her townhouse at 2117 Commonwealth Drive.
The residence is located off of Hydraulic Road, west of Route 29.
Meloy was a government graduate student who served as a teaching assistant for Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor, in his Introduction to American Politics class.
She also used to work at the University's Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.
Teixeira said an individual who knew Meloy called police yesterday to inform them that she had not attended work in several days.
By about 1:30 this morning, police had not confirmed the exact cause or time of death, Teixeira said. He did not know how long her body was in the residence before police found it.
Police found newspapers from the past several days stacked in front of Meloy's door upon their arrival.
They made a forced entry into the premises, Teixeira said.
Upon finding the body and recognizing that suspicious activity may have occurred, police got a warrant to search the residence and called in a medical examiner to look at the body, he said.
The body then was transported to a morgue in Richmond for an autopsy. Police could not predict a time when autopsy results will be released.
Teixeira also said Meloy's 1996 Nissan Sentra was missing.
He said he could not discuss any possible suspects or leads in the investigation because it is ongoing.
Any individuals with information regarding the case may call 296-5807 and ask for Scott Kuykenvall, or call Charlottesville Crimestoppers at 977-4000.
"It's just a very sad and tragic event," Teixeira said.
Sabato, who worked closely with Meloy over the past semester, said individuals who knew her are shocked and stunned.
"We're just terribly sorry," he said. "She was a wonderful teaching assistant and was extremely bright."
University spokeswoman Louise Dudley declined to comment yesterday evening because she did not yet have enough information regarding the incident.
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