Kaila White

The Republic | azcentral.com

An Arizona State University student-body president wrote a public letter to students Tuesday after four current or recently enrolled students died in unrelated incidents over the past two weeks.

On Jan. 7, a former ASU student died shortly before his 21st birthday after a struggle with addiction, according to loved ones. '

On Jan. 11, a 20-year-old former student was found dead by ASU Police. A current student, also 20, was found dead by ASU Police the next day. Foul play is not suspected in either case.

A 19-year-old exchange student from China was killed Saturday in Tempe after a fender-bender that apparently escalated into a homicide.

“These tragedies invoke my personal and professional condolences to the loved ones of those proud Sun Devils who have passed away,” wrote Isaac Miller, who is the president of Undergraduate Student Government on ASU’s Tempe campus.

“On behalf of the student body and on my own behalf, I am deeply sorry for these losses in our community.”

“We as Sun Devils have a large network of people who are here to help us,” he wrote. “You are not alone, and you should not endure your hardships alone, either.”

ASU Counseling Services has counselors available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday at its locations on the Tempe, Downtown Phoenix, West and Polytechnic campuses, no appointment necessary, as well as 24 hours a day through the university's helpline at 480-921-1006.

"Our students are our highest priority," ASU said in a statement. "We are deeply concerned over the loss of any student, and the support of the university community goes out to their families.

"The unity and compassion that our students have shown to one another in organizing vigils and supporting each other has been unwavering and gives us strength during this difficult time."

Luke Ronnei, a Kappa Alpha member

Lucas Ronnei, 20, died Jan. 7, according to an obituary in the Star Tribune, a daily newspaper in Minneapolis.

Ronnei was enrolled during the fall 2015 semester but was not enrolled this spring, according to ASU.

“It would be a surprise to many to know that Luke struggled with anxiety and depression his whole life,” the obituary read. “Luke's attempts to quell his fears or lift his spirits led to an additional struggle with addiction that ultimately ended his life 30 days shy of his 21st birthday.”

He had just spent three weeks with friends in Australia and said he wanted to return to study abroad, according to the obituary.

“Finally, Luke would insist on a BIG shout out to his Brothers at Kappa Alpha at ASU who were his family, his strength and his ‘Brotherhood’ in Arizona,” it said.

Thomas Wagoner, a former student

2 found dead by ASU police in first week of semester

Thomas Wagoner, 20, was found dead by ASU police Jan. 11, according to ASU police spokeswoman Nicole Franks.

Wagoner was enrolled in classes during the fall 2015 semester but was not enrolled this spring, she said. He was from St. Johns.

“Pending an autopsy and completion of an investigation, that is all I am able to release at this time,” Franks said. No foul play was suspected, according to ASU.

Jelissa Ruiz, a Latino student leader

Jelissa Ruiz, 20, was found dead Jan. 12 by ASU police, Franks said.

"There are no signs of foul play concerning Ms. Ruiz at this time," she said.

Ruiz was the facilitator for El Concilio, an on-campus coalition that oversees Latino and Hispanic student organizations.

“Jelissa was one-of-a-kind, she always brought pure happiness to El Concilio. She was one of the kindest, smartest and beautiful individuals we all had the pleasure of knowing,” the organization’s executive board wrote on its Facebook page.

Dozens of ASU students held a candlelight vigil on Jan. 13 for Ruiz, according to the State Press, ASU's student-run online news publication.

More than 30 donors raised more than $3,000 to cover her funeral expenses through fundraising on GoFundMe.com. She was from Tucson.

Yue Jiang, an international student

ASU student dies in Tempe road-rage shooting

Yue Jiang, a 19-year-old student from China, was killed Saturday in a Tempe street shooting.

Jiang, a sophomore at ASU, was returning from a shopping trip when Holly Davis, 32, rear-ended her at Broadway Road and McClintock Drive in Tempe, according to police reports. Shortly after the crash, police say, Davis left her vehicle, walked up to the door of Jiang's car and fired.

The shooting killed Jiang and injured six others after her car veered out of control into the intersection and struck an oncoming vehicle, police said. Davis was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and a host of other charges.

Mark Searle, ASU’s executive vice president and provost, released a letter calling the shooting “a senseless act of violence."

“Yue, 19, was a sophomore from the Chongqing province, in China. She came to ASU in the fall of 2014 to study English and enrolled as a Finance major at the W.P. Carey School of Business the following spring,” he wrote.

“Please know that this incident was as unusual as it was tragic,” he wrote. “But when tragedy touches our campus, it is felt by our entire community."

See Isaac Miller's full letter below.