FarmHouse Fraternity CEO asks members to cooperate in UK student death investigation

Christopher Leach, Monica Kast
·2 min read

The national leadership of a University of Kentucky fraternity has “encouraged all members” to cooperate with the investigation into a student’s death.

The student, later identified as Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood 18, died Monday night after being found unresponsive at the FarmHouse Fraternity, according to university spokesman Jay Blanton.

“We are saddened to share the passing of a University of Kentucky new member of FarmHouse Fraternity. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, chapter members and the entire community,” FarmHouse Fraternity CEO Christian Wiggins said in a statement to the Herald-Leader.

“We have encouraged all members to cooperate with the investigation,” Wiggins said. “We will provide additional information as it becomes available.”

Hazelwood was taken to UK Hospital, where revival attempts were unsuccessful, Blanton said. Campus police were dispatched to the fraternity house about 6:20 p.m.

Police don’t suspect foul play was involved but they are investigating, Blanton said.

Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said the presumed cause of death was alcohol toxicity.

UPDATED: UK student dies of apparent ‘alcohol toxicity.’ He was found at frat house.

The FarmHouse Fraternity was founded at the University of Missouri in 1905 by a group of men who were studying agriculture, according to the fraternity’s website. The men decided to organize a club, rent a house and live together.

Other students began referring to the house as the farmer’s house, and the group eventually took on the name FarmHouse.

The University of Kentucky chapter was founded in 1951, according to UK’s Interfraternity Council website.

There are 48 chapters chartered at schools across the country. The University of Missouri chapter was closed in 2018 after an investigation found the fraternity violated alcohol and hazing policies. However, that chapter reopened in 2020 and had 60 members at the end of the school year, according to the chapter’s website.