Students remember slain GVSU advisor

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Investigators say there was no sign of forced entry into the home of a popular Grand Valley State University student advisor who was found dead in his home Tuesday.

The body of Santiago Zapata Jr. was found by police after concerned co-workers called with information he had not been heard from in several days.

Crime scene tape still surrounded Zapata's home in the 900 block of Myrtle NW Wednesday night. An autopsy was to be performed Wednesday. Police will only say he died from traumatic injuries.

GRPD detectives are trying to fill in the blanks of his last days: where was he, who was he with? His Chrysler Crossfire was stolen, but found late Tuesday at the Cambridge Apartment complex near Plymouth and Mason NE.

Investigators are checking the car for fingerprints and other physical evidence and said the person who took it may be involved in the killing -- though they don't believe auto theft was the motive.

The public's help is needed, Capt. Dan Savage told 24 Hour News 8.

"Anything could be important," he said. "Maybe something that they don't feel is significant could be important that the investigators could follow up on."

Amber Lemons was a former student of Santiago Zapata, Jr. "He made us realize you had to work in order to get there. That's really my main memory of him."

Lemons, now 20, was in the 6th grade when she first met Zapata when he was an advisor with a program called TRIO.

Part of Grand Valley State University's College of Education, TRIO sends mentors into public schools targeting students who have the potential to make it in college, but don't come from families with traditional college backgrounds.

Parenthood caused Lemons to take a year off from classes at GRCC. But the inspiration to return goes back to what Santiago Zapata told her years ago.

"He would introduce himself with different stories about his past, how he got into college," she said. "He made it realistic but fun at the same time."

If you have any information, contact the GRPD or Silent Observer.