Former NAU fraternity leader pleads guilty in fatal Flagstaff hazing case

Coverage spread: 3 sources — 3 unrated

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Where they agree

Carter Thomas Eslick, 20, pleaded guilty on Aug. 10 to one felony count of hazing in the death of 18-year-old Colin Martinez.
Martinez died after a Delta Tau Delta fraternity drinking game during a rush/initiation event in Flagstaff on Jan. 30-31, 2026.
The plea deal guarantees Eslick probation, though a judge could still impose up to a year of jail time.
Three fraternity executive board members were initially arrested, but felony charges were dropped against two of them, leaving only Eslick charged.

Where they differ

FOX 10 Phoenix and ABC15 Arizona detail the specific hazing ritual (standing silently, sharing a handle of vodka), while 12 News gives only a brief summary of the plea.
ABC15 uniquely notes Eslick’s hometown of Scottsdale and that he had earlier entered a not-guilty plea before changing course.
FOX 10’s in-depth article includes the Martinez family attorney’s courtroom statement calling the death a preventable tragedy, a detail absent from ABC15 and 12 News.
FOX 10’s roundup piece situates the plea alongside unrelated same-day Phoenix-area news (a robbery, a police investigation, storm damage), while the dedicated articles focus solely on the hazing case.

Carter Thomas Eslick, 20, pleaded guilty on Aug. 10 to one count of felony hazing over the death of 18-year-old Colin Martinez, an Northern Arizona University student who died of alcohol poisoning after a Delta Tau Delta fraternity rush event in Flagstaff. Under the plea deal, Eslick is guaranteed probation, though a judge could still order up to a year in jail; sentencing is set for Sept. 30.

What exactly did Eslick admit to doing?

Eslick, of Scottsdale, served as the fraternity’s new-member educator. Court records and prosecutors say he supplied alcohol and directed a drinking game during a Delta Tau Delta initiation event on the night of Jan. 30 into Jan. 31, 2026. According to court paperwork, Martinez and three other pledges were first made to stand outside silently for about 30 minutes, then required to share an entire handle of vodka as part of the game. Martinez became heavily intoxicated and was placed on an air mattress, where he was later found unresponsive.

How did Colin Martinez die?

Flagstaff police were called to a house about a mile from campus after Martinez was found unresponsive around 8:44 a.m. on Jan. 31. The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office determined his blood alcohol level was 0.425%, more than five times the legal limit for driving. Officers reported finding several empty vodka and Twisted Tea bottles at the scene.

Who else was arrested, and why weren’t they all charged?

Three members of the fraternity’s executive board were initially taken into custody: Eslick, then serving as new-member educator; Vice President Ryan Creech, 20; and Treasurer Riley Cass, 20. After further investigation, Flagstaff police did not pursue felony charges against Creech and Cass, leaving Eslick as the sole defendant to face a felony count.

What happens to Eslick now?

Eslick pleaded guilty to a class 4 felony hazing charge, having earlier pleaded not guilty before changing his plea. The plea agreement guarantees probation — which for a class 4 felony could run up to four years — but the presiding judge retains discretion over conditions and can impose up to one year of jail time as part of that probation. A judge is expected to formally decide whether to accept the agreement and announce sentencing terms on Sept. 30.

What has Martinez’s family said?

Rob Kleinschmidt, an attorney representing Martinez’s parents, Lindsey and Christopher Martinez, spoke in court on the family’s behalf. He said the family wants any resolution of the case to reflect that their son’s death was a preventable tragedy caused by hazing, while also acknowledging the case must remain consistent with the evidence and the interests of justice.

How does coverage of the plea compare?

Local Phoenix and Flagstaff outlets covered the plea similarly, focusing on the guilty plea, the probation guarantee, and the underlying facts of the drinking game. FOX 10 Phoenix and ABC15 Arizona provided the most detail on the fraternity ritual — the silent standing period and the shared handle of vodka — while 12 News offered only a brief confirmation of the plea. ABC15 was the outlet to specify Eslick’s hometown of Scottsdale and to note his initial not-guilty plea before the change of plea.

Why this case matters

The case is part of a broader pattern of fraternity hazing deaths tied to forced or excessive drinking during pledge rituals, and it highlights how prosecutors sometimes narrow charges to a single defendant even when multiple people are present during a hazing incident. The plea agreement’s guaranteed probation, despite the fatal outcome, is likely to remain a point of scrutiny as sentencing approaches in late September.

Sources

Featured photo: Geofflambeth via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)