Below is the statement that Carbondale Police Chief Jody O'Guinn released at the Press Conference at 2:00 p.m.  

Hello and thank you for coming.  On February 13, 2014 our Department received a report of a missing person, Pravin Varughese. We immediately began to follow leads on Pravin’s whereabouts and we requested the assistance of the Southern Illinois University Department of Public Safety to aid in the investigation.  Pravin is a sophomore at SIU.   

Officers and investigators learned that Pravin was last seen in the area of the 600 block of West College Street at approximately 11:00 p.m. on February 13, 2014.  Investigators from both Departments have worked numerous hours and followed numerous leads to locate Pravin.  We have been assisted by the Illinois State Police Aviation Unit, Black Diamond Aviation, and local search and rescue K-9 teams.  We deployed every available resource to locate Pravin.

I regret to report that Pravin was found deceased at approximately 9:45 a.m. this morning in the 1400 block of East Main Street in a wooded area.  Investigators learned while on West College Street Pravin accepted a ride from a recent acquaintance on February 12, 2014, just before midnight.  Following a dispute, Pravin exited the vehicle in the 1400 block of East Main Street and fled into the wooded area.

The difficult terrain and low temperatures are believed to have contributed to Pravin’s difficulty finding his way out of the wooded area. Pravin’s exact cause of death is still being investigated with the assistance of the Jackson County Coroner’s Office.  No foul play is suspected at this time.

On behalf of the City of Carbondale and the Carbondale Police Department we extend our sincere condolences to Pravin’s family and friends.  Mrs. Rae Goldsmith, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer from Southern Illinois University will now speak on behalf of the University.

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No foul play suspected in SIU student's death

CARBONDALE, IL (KFVS) - Police have found the body of a missing Southern Illinois University student.

The Carbondale Chief of Police confirms Pravin Varughese was found dead at 9:45 a.m. in the 1400 block of East Main Street in wooded area.

Pravin Varughese, 19, has been missing since Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Police say Varughese was last seen at 606 West College Street. He left through the back door and no one had seen him since.

Police say Varughese accepted a ride from a recent acquaintance he met at a party just before midnight on Feb 12. He left the vehicle after a fight and ran into a wooded area. Police say difficult terrain and low temps may have contributed to his death. He did not have a coat. The official cause of death has not been released. According to the Heartland StormTeam, temperatures were in the teens the night Varughese went missing.

Police say they had very few leads just after his disappearance. Police received a tip late Monday night and followed up on that tip Tuesday morning.

Police searched the wooded area near the Buffalo Wild Wings in Carbondale off of Hwy. 13 on Tuesday and found Varughese's body.

No foul play is suspected at this time.

Twenty of Varughese's family members passed out thousands of posters all over Carbondale on Monday.

More than a 150 people gathered on campus Monday night for a vigil for Varughese.

Varughese was in his second year of studies at SIU in the Criminal Justice program. He wanted to one day become a police officer.

SIU will work with family about an appropriate way to honor Varughese. Any students who are grieving can reach out to counselors on campus. SIU is planning a moment of silence at the basketball game Tuesday.

The ISP aviation unit and local search and rescue canine team helped in the search.

Police said Varughese was being given a ride home Wednesday by an acquaintance when they had a dispute. Varughese exited the vehicle and fled into the wooded area, police said.
 The acquaintance came forward to police on Monday. Pravin's exact cause of death is still being investigated. No foul play is suspected at this time, police said.

"This is a moment of unimaginable sorrow for the entire SIU community," said a SIU spokesperson on behalf of Chancellor Rita Cheng.

SIU student government tweeted, "The Saluki family lost one of its own today. Keep Pravin Varughese's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. #RIPPravin"

Police held a news conference at 2 p.m. to update the case.

Varughese is from northwest suburban Morton Grove.

CARBONDALE -- A missing SIU student has been found dead.

Authorities say the body of 19-year-old Pravin Varughese was discovered Tuesday in an area off Giant City Road in Carbondale.

Crews could be seen searching that area near Kohl's and Buffalo Wild Wings earlier in the day.

Varughese was last seen Wednesday night at a party at a home on West College Street.

http://www.wsiltv.com/news/local/Missing-SIU-Student-Found-Dead-246009711.html