Pullman police: Not enough evidence to prove women were drugged at WSU fraternity

Pullman Police say they were unable to find sufficient evidence three women were drugged at the Delta Upsilon fraternity in early September.

On Sept. 2, an 18-year-old Washington State University student reported she was provided alcohol and was sexually assaulted at the fraternity. In the early morning hours of Sept. 3, a 17-year-old WSU student reported she was provided alcohol at the same party and later became ill.

In total, three women came forward and told police they believed they were drugged at the fraternity while drinking at the party, as their intoxication level did not match their consumption of alcohol.

While one of the women was able to provide a urine sample to investigators, the Washington state Crime Lab was unable to find any trace of drugs in the sample besides alcohol.

“It doesn’t mean it didn’t happen – it means there is insufficient evidence to support the allegations,” Pullman police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said. “The whole attractiveness of a date rape drug is that they are extremely difficult to detect – they dissipate from the body really quick.

“Not knowing the drug, not knowing the half-life, not knowing when she ingested it, we were hopeful it would support her allegations but it didn’t,” he said. “I don’t want her to feel like it didn’t happen; it could have happened – from a predator point of view that’s what makes that drug attractive.”

Only one of the three women who believed they were drugged sent a urine sample to the state crime lab.

“We’re at the mercy of the medical people at that point, and how much people want to be involved,” Tennant said.

Despite the fraternity claiming no wrongdoing occurred, Delta Upsilon was suspended by WSU and its national chapter the same week the allegations surfaced.