Suspicious glances and quiet murmurs drifted through the halls of Benedictine College’s Elizabeth Hall late Friday evening.
On Feb. 20 at 7:45 p.m., Elizabeth Hall opened its doors to students flooding in for its Murder Mystery themed Alcohol Free Event.
Students signed up ahead of time by scanning QR codes located around campus and chose from three themed mysteries: Poe’s Raven Party, Wild West or Valentine’s Day.
Although not required, most attendees dressed according to their theme. Poe fans arrived in stylish blacks, pinks and reds were common among the Valentine’s Day players and the Wild West enthusiasts showed up in cowboy hats and denim.
Elizabeth Hall’s five resident assistants split up to host each theme. Elizabeth Manni, sophomore, and Olivia Zeppa, a sophomore who volunteered to help, hosted the gothic Poe’s Raven Party.
Sarah Vrazel, sophomore, and Grace Lindemann, junior, led the bustling Valentine’s Day mystery.
Cecilia Howell, junior, and Lucia Mikita, sophomore, wrangled the rowdy Wild West storyline.
As students streamed in, each received a character role they were responsible for bringing to life. There was a murderer and a victim, although no one, not even the murderer or victim, knew who they were at the start.
The event also featured themed snacks and beverages, including a punch that was a favorite among the players.
“Cecilia made a really good punch,” Mary Arensberg, a Valentine’s Day participant, said. “I was obsessed.”
Each mystery consisted of three rounds:
Round one introduced the characters. Voices echoed throughout the rooms as players began to mingle, some adopted accents while others preferred to keep to themselves. Everyone shared the clues printed on their cards.
Round two revealed the victim and the investigation began. Characters ran from person to person, swapping new clues and questioning anyone who seemed suspicious.
Round three brought about the accusations. Each player accused the character they thought was the murderer. And finally, in a big reveal, the culprit confessed.
$10 Walmart gift cards were awarded to the players with the most correct guesses.
Winners included freshman Christopher Pierce; sophomores Sophia Kuyawa, Ronan Greuel, Miriam Kramer and Cecilia Stromberg; and Patrick Green, a first-year master’s program student.
“It was a lot of fun. We were working on it for a month or so in advance,” Vrazel said. “It was really awesome seeing how the hard work paid off. Everyone’s talking to everyone, and it was just super cool to see that community.”
Whether an AFE becomes recurring depends on participant feedback and turnout. But for fans of the murder mysteries, the outlook seems promising.
“I definitely think it would be considered again,” Vrazel said. “It was definitely a success.”
