Students react to death of missing Cal Poly student

Posted: Dec 4, 2009 10:04 PM by Steve Adamson
Updated: Dec 4, 2009 10:04 PM

Friday began with a group of Cal Poly students setting out to help search for their missing friend and fellow student, Charles Tamae. He hadn't been seen or heard from since this past Monday, Nov. 30th. When his bike was discovered, locked around a tree near the base of a trail going up Cerro San Luis in San Luis Obispo, search and rescue personnel from the city and sheriff's office began working their way up the mountain looking for him.

One of Tamae's roomates, Harry Luce, led a group of students to the mountain where they were going to assist in the search, keeping a positive attitude. "Of course always staying optimistic, hoping for the best."

In the early part of the afternoon, it was Luce and three other friends who made the discovery they didn't want to find. According to San Luis Police Captain Chris Staley, "the body was discovered by friends of his who knew where he frequented the mountain. Apparently, they had hiked there a number of times together. They discovered the body and they communicated with search and rescue team personnel and brought their attention to what they had found."

The earlier feelings of being positive faded into sadness, as vehicles from the police and sheriff's department made their way up Cerro San Luis to recover the body. Word spread quickly about the finding of the body. Police confirmed that the cause of death was suicide, although they wouldn't say specifically how it occurred. We know that word has spread accross campus of how it happened, but that's for the students to share if they choose.

We do know that some students who talked to KSBY News this afternoon speculated as to why it happened. "I was wondering if it had been a possible suicide just because of the stress of finals. It does take a toll on a lot of the students and it's a very difficult school here and just mentally it's very taxing," said Brett Zipse.

"I don't know the full details of what went down but that's just too bad, not a good thing to happen at Cal Poly," said Darren Roan.

Certainly not the story students wanted to hear about as they head into finals next week, nor a story anyone wants to hear about anytime.