A former NAU fraternity leader pleaded guilty in the hazing death of student Colin Martinez.
Why it matters: The plea keeps pressure on Northern Arizona University, fraternity oversight and campus safety policies. It also moves forward a closely watched criminal case with potential institutional and legal consequences.
- Carter Thomas Eslick pleaded guilty Aug. 10, 2026, in Coconino County Superior Court to felony hazing.
- The case stems from a Jan. 30-31, 2026 rush event in Flagstaff after which NAU student Colin Daniel Martinez, 18, died of alcohol poisoning.
- NAU says it immediately interim suspended Delta Tau Delta after the death and later said the chapter was permanently closed by the national fraternity.
- Eslick had been indicted by a Coconino County grand jury on March 27, 2026, and initially pleaded not guilty in April.
Carter Thomas Eslick, a former Northern Arizona University fraternity leader, pleaded guilty Aug. 10 in Coconino County Superior Court to felony hazing in the death of NAU student Colin Daniel Martinez, according to the Associated Press.
The case centers on a rush event held Jan. 30-31, 2026, in Flagstaff, Arizona. Martinez, 18, died of alcohol poisoning after the event, according to the county's public filing and AP reporting. A county grand jury indicted Eslick on March 27, and he initially pleaded not guilty in April, the county said in its news release.
NAU said it immediately interim suspended Delta Tau Delta after Martinez's death and later confirmed the chapter was permanently closed by the national fraternity. The university also said it commissioned an independent investigator to examine the events and make recommendations, and that it requires hazing prevention training for members of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
The university's student conduct page lists Delta Tau Delta as interim suspended and identifies the incident date as Jan. 30-31, 2026. AP reported in February that three fraternity leaders were arrested in connection with Martinez's death after the rush event.
NAU said in a statement that the death "is a loss that has shaken our entire community."
By the numbers
- 18 - Age of Colin Daniel Martinez, the NAU student who died.
- 20 - Age of Carter Thomas Eslick, the former fraternity leader who pleaded guilty.
- Jan. 30-31, 2026 - Incident window tied to the rush event.
Yes, but: The plea moves the criminal case forward, but the dossier does not include the plea agreement or sentencing terms, so the full factual basis and penalty exposure remain unclear.