FLAGSTAFF, AZ — A former Northern Arizona University fraternity leader has been sentenced to two months in jail and three years of supervised probation after pleading guilty in the death of a pledge who died from alcohol poisoning during a hazing ritual.
Carter Eslick, 20, received the punishment Wednesday in Coconino County Superior Court for his role in the Jan. 31 death of Colin Daniel Martinez, 18. Martinez died at an off-campus house after what court documents described as a drinking ritual tied to the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
The sentence also includes conditions that could send Eslick back to jail if he does not comply. He must complete and deliver 305 anti-hazing presentations, stay in regular contact with the court about his progress and avoid alcohol and drugs unless they are prescribed.
Court says Martinez died with blood-alcohol content far above legal limit
An autopsy found that Martinez died of alcohol poisoning, with a blood-alcohol content of 0.425%. That level was more than five times the legal limit for drivers age 21 and older in Arizona.
Court records say Martinez was among four Delta Tau Delta pledges who shared two bottles of vodka in an effort to make themselves vomit. The drinking continued through the night, and witnesses later said they checked Martinez’s pulse and breathing and moved him while watching for signs of alcohol poisoning.
The details presented in court painted a picture of a night that turned deadly as those involved tried to monitor the effects of the binge drinking. Martinez’s death became the focus of the felony hazing case against Eslick.
Eslick said he takes full responsibility for his role in the ritual
Eslick was the fraternity’s pledge master at the time and was responsible for welcoming new members. In court, he apologized to Martinez’s family and said he takes “full responsibility for the hand I played in that ritual.”
Judge Stacy Krueger said Eslick knew the behavior was dangerous and expressed concern that no one stepped in to stop it. The judge’s remarks underscored the court’s view that the case was about more than one person’s mistake, but a culture of silence around the hazing.
Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said no sentence can undo the harm done to the Martinez family. He said he hoped the case would make people understand the dangers of hazing and speak up before another family suffers a similar loss.
Martinez's parents watched remotely and asked for accountability
Martinez’s parents appeared remotely during the sentencing hearing and remained focused on accountability and reform within Greek life, according to azfamily.com. They were still mourning the loss of their son nearly two years after his death.
The family’s presence added another painful layer to a case that has already become a warning about the risks of hazing and alcohol abuse. Their comments reflected a desire not only for punishment, but for changes that could keep other students from facing the same outcome.
The court hearing brought together the legal punishment, the family’s grief and the public message from prosecutors that the death should lead to stronger intervention when dangerous conduct starts to unfold.
Probation terms add anti-hazing presentations and court oversight
Eslick’s sentence is not limited to jail time. If he fails to meet the conditions of his probation, he could face more time behind bars, giving the court a way to enforce the terms of the sentence over the next three years.
The requirement to create and deliver 305 anti-hazing presentations stands out as one of the more unusual parts of the punishment. It is meant to turn the case into a warning for others and to put Eslick’s experience directly into prevention efforts.
Along with those presentations, Eslick must keep the court updated on his progress and cannot use alcohol or drugs unless they are prescribed. The conditions were designed to address both accountability and the behavior that helped create the fatal night.
Northern Arizona University and Delta Tau Delta closed the chapter after Martinez's death
Martinez’s death prompted immediate consequences for the fraternity at Northern Arizona University. The university suspended the organization after the fatal incident, and the national fraternity later closed the NAU chapter.
Those actions ended the local chapter’s presence on campus, marking a major fallout from the case beyond the criminal sentence handed down Wednesday. The collapse of the chapter reflected how seriously the incident was treated by both the university and the national organization.
For the campus community, the case is now tied not just to one student’s death, but to the broader question of how hazing is handled before it becomes fatal. The court ruling, the probation terms and the fraternity shutdown together signal the lasting impact of the January night.
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