Police pursue leads in Auburn student’s slaying

updated 8:09 p.m. ET March 6, 2008

AUBURN, Ala. - Authorities said Thursday they were pursuing several leads in the shooting death of an Auburn University student, but they declined to disclose many details.

"We're not going to release anything that might jeopardize or hinder us to make an arrest in this case," Auburn Assistant Police Chief Thomas Dawson said.

Lauren Burk, an 18-year-old from Marietta, Ga., was found wounded by a gunshot on a roadside Tuesday night about five miles from the school and later died at a hospital. Her car was found burning in a parking lot on campus.

Dawson would not say if Burk was able to give authorities any information before she died. He also would not say if there was a surveillance camera in the campus parking lot that might be of help to investigators.

He said there would be an increased police presence on campus until an arrest has been made.

"Somebody's daughter has been murdered and we're going to do all we can to solve it," Dawson said.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said individuals have been interviewed, but authorities would not elaborate.

Auburn University officials advised students in an e-mail Wednesday that there was no indication that others on campus might be in danger.

Dawson also said there was no indication Burk's death was related to the shooting death Wednesday of the student body president at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Eve Marie Carson, a 22-year-old UNC senior from Athens, Ga., was found shot to death on a city street in Chapel Hill. It was unclear why she was in the residential area, which is not near student housing, and authorities said there are no suspects yet in the case.

Dawson said investigators in the Auburn case have discussed it with authorities in North Carolina.

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