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Laura Dickinson was always close to her family members, working beside them in their coffee shop in Hastings, Mich. Even when she was away at college at Eastern Michigan University, she spoke to her parents and boyfriend every day. So when Laura didn't return a couple of calls in December, her parents, Bob and Deb Dickinson, thought it was strange but chalked it up to the hectic end of the semester. "I called her on Wednesday and there was no answer," Bob said. But after a few days, when she still hadn't called, they began to worry and called university...

Three college leaders lose jobs over cover-up of rape-slaying School officials told family there was no foul play By Jeff Karoub ASSOCIATED PRESS July 17, 2007 YPSILANTI, Mich. – Three Eastern Michigan University administrators, including the president, have been forced out, months after top school officials were accused of covering up the rape and slaying of a student by publicly ruling out foul play. President John Fallon was fired, and Vice President of Student Affairs Jim Vick and Public Safety Director Cindy Hall lost their jobs at the 23,500-student public university, the chairman of the school's governing board said yesterday....

The body of the slain student, Laura Dickinson, 22, was discovered Dec. 15 in her dorm room. At the time, university officials told her parents and the media that she died of asphyxiation but that there was no sign of foul play, despite evidence to the contrary. It wasn't until another Eastern student was arrested in late February and charged with murder that her family and fellow students learned she had been raped and killed. The accused student, Orange Taylor III, of Southfield, has pleaded not guilty to murder and criminal sexual conduct charges in Dickinson's death. He is scheduled...