CA - Liz Hamel, 18, UC Santa Barbara Student falls to her death from dorm breezeway 20 minutes after leaving restaurant with unknown male, 14 Feb 2025

[Sundog]

“She fell from a breezeway at the San Rafael Mountain Cluster, according to her father, Alain Hamel.” (LINK)

View attachment 584178

Thanks so much for clarifying this! So it was a three-story building, with no elevator between the second and third floors. And she fell from the third floor.

 

[Spyralflare]

The railings are high enough to meet building code. Had it been reported how tall she was? The most likely scenarios seem to be either she was under the influence of something and went over the railing due to being impaired OR someone else was involved (possible struggle that led to her going over).

On Valentine’s Day night I would expect a lot of students to be up late. It’s very strange that no one saw anything with the number of people living there.

 

[katydid23]

“She fell from a breezeway at the San Rafael Mountain Cluster, according to her father, Alain Hamel.” (LINK)

View attachment 584178

​

Merriam-Webster
https://www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › breeze...

Apr 15, 2025 — The meaning of BREEZEWAY is a roofed often open passage connecting two buildings (such as a house and garage) or halves of a building.


What are the different types of breezeways?


Breezeway styles

• Contained: This is the most commonly seen version, which is wide open on each long side and sports the same roofline or roof design as the house and garage that sit on either end.
• Offset: This breezeway fills a gap between two buildings that are parallel but can't be joined with a straight structure.

Are breezeways the same as a covered walkway? A breezeway is, essentially, a covered walkway. There's really no difference since both have similar design features. They each contain a roof and don't have much siding to keep anything in or out.

 

[Knox]

“She fell from a breezeway at the San Rafael Mountain Cluster, according to her father, Alain Hamel.” (LINK)

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I’m confused by the description, to me that looks like a balcony? I guess I don’t understand the floorplan.

 

[Fika]

I’m confused by the description, to me that looks like a balcony? I guess I don’t understand the floorplan.

I believe that it was breezeway to connect two buildings fenced path that she fell from. Im as confused as you tho!

 

[ChatteringBirds]

It's hard to believe the young man she was with didn't see what happened. They were walking together. JMO.

 

[SophieRose]

Which did she fall from? Inner or out?

Maybe from inner since father and attorney are standing in front of it.

Family of UCSB balcony fall victim seeks answers from community regarding her death | The Daily Nexus

The family of Liz Hamel held a press conference requesting assistance of community members in obtaining information of the incident that resulted in her death.

dailynexus.com

On the evening of Feb. 14 at approximately 8 p.m., Hamel and friends went from San Miguel hall, where she lived, to the restaurant Lao Wang in Isla Vista, according to Maho. She was there for over two hours, and was seen with a young male who was with her “for a large part of that evening.” Sometime after 10:06 p.m., she was seen leaving Lao Wang with him. 21 minutes later, she was found unconscious outside of San Rafael and then taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for emergency care.

 

[SophieRose]

Maybe from inner since father and attorney are standing in front of it.

Family of UCSB balcony fall victim seeks answers from community regarding her death | The Daily Nexus

The family of Liz Hamel held a press conference requesting assistance of community members in obtaining information of the incident that resulted in her death.

dailynexus.com

On the evening of Feb. 14 at approximately 8 p.m., Hamel and friends went from San Miguel hall, where she lived, to the restaurant Lao Wang in Isla Vista, according to Maho. She was there for over two hours, and was seen with a young male who was with her “for a large part of that evening.” Sometime after 10:06 p.m., she was seen leaving Lao Wang with him. 21 minutes later, she was found unconscious outside of San Rafael and then taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for emergency care.

UCSB freshman dies from injuries following balcony fall, family confirms | The Daily Nexus

Elizabeth “Liz” Hamel died after suffering severe injuries due to an alleged balcony fall from an on-campus dorm hall in February, according to her family.

dailynexus.com

Doctors determined she likely fell around 15 to 25 feet from a breezeway near the clusters, Mr. Hamel said.

 

[Bigditch]

View attachment 584169

Another picture of the San Rafael residence hall/dormitory, from a different view.

From

Death at the Dorm: UCSB Student Liz Hamel's Fall Mired in Mystery | Local News | Noozhawk

It's a mystery what happened that night, between 10:06 p.m. and 10:26 p.m. Liz Hamel was out celebrating Valentine's Day with her roommates and friends at

www.noozhawk.com

The railings appear to be standard height. Maybe she was sitting on the edge and fell over.

 

[Sundog]

The railings appear to be standard height. Maybe she was sitting on the edge and fell over.

Could she have thought she'd be sick and leaned over the railing and fallen if she had been under the influence? Toxology results are important, but there is also the concern about people blaming the victim. And yet until we know more, it can't be ruled out.

 

[Knox]

Maybe from inner since father and attorney are standing in front of it.

Family of UCSB balcony fall victim seeks answers from community regarding her death | The Daily Nexus

The family of Liz Hamel held a press conference requesting assistance of community members in obtaining information of the incident that resulted in her death.

dailynexus.com

On the evening of Feb. 14 at approximately 8 p.m., Hamel and friends went from San Miguel hall, where she lived, to the restaurant Lao Wang in Isla Vista, according to Maho. She was there for over two hours, and was seen with a young male who was with her “for a large part of that evening.” Sometime after 10:06 p.m., she was seen leaving Lao Wang with him. 21 minutes later, she was found unconscious outside of San Rafael and then taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for emergency care.

That would make more sense (if there is such a thing). The 3rd floor on the cluster units didn’t.

Maybe she was under the influence and was messing around. Jumped up to sit on the railing and fell backwards? Hope more details come out for her parents sake.

 

[Warwick7]

That would make more sense (if there is such a thing). The 3rd floor on the cluster units didn’t.

Maybe she was under the influence and was messing around. Jumped up to sit on the railing and fell backwards? Hope more details come out for her parents sake.

Or pushed

 

[Hexe]

Could she have thought she'd be sick and leaned over the railing and fallen if she had been under the influence?

Influence of what? She was in a noodle bar to get a meal and there is no evidence she was intoxicated with anything at that point. Also the timeline is very, very tight, twenty minutes between her leaving the noodle bar and being found dead. When did she manage to get herself that high or drunk?

 

[Fika]

Influence of what? She was in a noodle bar to get a meal and there is no evidence she was intoxicated with anything at that point. Also the timeline is very, very tight, twenty minutes between her leaving the noodle bar and being found dead. When did she manage to get herself that high or drunk?

I agree .

I feel that IF she was intoxicated enough to fall down her friends would likely not let her go with an unknown guy.

I feel like it had nothing to do with alcohol or drugs IMo

 

[Fika]

Or pushed

Same thought. Timeline is so tight I feel like something happened to make her fall either on purpose or accident.

 

[indicolite22]

We are guessing whether she was intoxicated or not but her friends and the police would know and take it into account. Is it known what mood she was in when she left the bar?

 

[Sundog]

We are guessing whether she was intoxicated or not but her friends and the police would know and take it into account. Is it known what mood she was in when she left the bar?

It has been reported that she was in a good mood when she left the bar.

We don't know if she or her male companion were intoxicated when they left the noodle bar, but it has been reported that she was there with her friends for two hours, so it's very pssible that they were drinking and eating, hanging out and celebrating Valentine's Day. Also, she left her phone and ID behind when she left. So it's possible she was intoxicated. Perhaps both of them were.

https://www.noozhawk.com/death-investigation-of-ucsb-student-liz-hamel-intensifies-time-is-of-the-essence/

 

[slowpoke]

It has been reported that she was in a good mood when she left the bar.

We don't know if she or her male companion were intoxicated when they left the noodle bar, but it has been reported that she was there with her friends for two hours, so it's very pssible that they were drinking and eating, hanging out and celebrating Valentine's Day. Also, she left her phone and ID behind when she left. So it's possible she was intoxicated. Perhaps both of them were.

https://www.noozhawk.com/death-investigation-of-ucsb-student-liz-hamel-intensifies-time-is-of-the-essence/

Except, as Liz was only 18, she would not have been able to be served alcoholic beverages (beer or wine only is offered at Lao Wang, I think) at the restaurant.

So, unless she used a fake ID as @Charlot123 earlier pondered,

or she drank before going to the restaurant, she would not have been imbibing.

Of course, one can be under the influence of substances other than alcohol.

But, we thus far have heard nothing either way.

 

[Sundog]

Except, as Liz was only 18, she would not have been able to be served alcoholic beverages (beer or wine only is offered at Lao Wang, I think) at the restaurant.

So, unless she used a fake ID as @Charlot123 earlier pondered,

or she drank before going to the restaurant, she would not have been imbibing.

Of course, one can be under the influence of substances other than alcohol.

But, we thus far have heard nothing either way.

I agree, we just don't know, pure speculation. But she left her phone and ID at the restaurant. Also, students who frequent that noodle bar in groups usually buy beer in pitchers, so likly pitchers of beer on the long/large table with the meal and after with beer flowing freely.

 

[Hexe]

I agree, we just don't know, pure speculation. But she left her phone and ID at the restaurant.

There are many other reasons for leaving the phone and ID behind (most probably the ID was in the phone case), from being easily distracted and forgetful to handing the phone to the friends in order to avoid the date being detected by her parents, who were tracing her phone.