Missing Cal student found dead

The 19-year-old University of California, Berkeley student who went missing early Saturday morning after leaving a USC party was found dead near USC’s campus on Monday.

At approximately 2:30 a.m., Eloi Vasquez was struck and killed by a 2009 Chevy Impala traveling at 60 mph as he was running across the eastbound lanes of the 10 freeway near Vermont Avenue and Washington Boulevard, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Ramberto Salcido.

Vasquez, a member of the Berkeley men’s soccer team, was visiting USC’s campus along with his teammates Josh Morton and Marko Helfrich for spring break when he went missing Friday night. He was last seen at 1:55 a.m. before leaving a party at Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house on W. 28th Street. Vasquez left the party, telling friends that he wanted to go to the beach.

Vasquez was last heard from at 2:18 a.m. when he called a friend his friend and fellow Berkeley student Aurora Cardenas and told her that he was alone and did not know where he was.

When he failed to contact Morton and Helfrich the next morning, they became worried and filed a report with DPS and LAPD, in addition to passing out flyers near where Vasquez was last seen and at local beaches. Following the news of his disappearance, Vasquez’s family drove all night Saturday from their home in Marin County, California, to organize a search effort.

On Sunday, his family offered a reward of $100,000 — increased from $50,000 — for any information leading to Vasquez’s whereabouts and safe return.

Cal Athletics released a statement on Monday mourning the freshman midfielder from San Rafael.

“We are absolutely devastated at this tragic news, Eloi was a wonderful young man who excelled both athletically and academically and came to Cal with a passion for learning. This is a tremendous loss for our men’s soccer program, our athletic department and our whole university community,” Cal Director of Athletics Mike Williams said.

Vasquez leaves behind family and many close friends who remember his positivity.

“Eloi had a way of making you laugh,” Cal senior Alex Mangels told reporters outside of Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. “He brought energy to the room every time he was with us. We all saw how much he loved his family and how much he put into the game. He loved soccer and it was his passion.”