Community Responds to Student Death

When word came to Cabot House on Sunday morning that student David L. Okrent had died under still unknown circumstances, House Master and Co-Master James and Janice Ware began the long and sad task of communicating this news to Okrent's friends, and to other residents of Cabot House. Monday evening nearly 200 students and faculty, including President Neil L. Rudenstine and Rabbi Sally Firestone, gathered privately in the Cabot House Living Room to remember David.

Okrent, 20, of Evanston, Ill., had been found severely wounded, next to the seawall at Revere Beach, the morning of March 15 at about 6:30. He was taken to the trauma unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

It was reported that he died of a single stab wound to the neck. A pedestrian apparently discovered the wounded student.

The death is still being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police, who took responsibility for notification of Okrent's family. The Harvard University Police were also notified of the event and have been assisting the State Police in their investigation. An autopsy has been performed, but a medical examiner's judgment as to cause of death had not yet been released as of Wednesday afternoon.

Okrent, who had recently changed his concentration from mathematics to physics, was a first-semester junior. He was born Aug. 3, 1977.

Senior Tutor Robert Neugeboren was called to make a positive identification of the body. Okrent's funeral was held Wednesday in Illinois, and was attended by his Harvard roommates.