Philadelphia

Boyfriend Charged in Death of Temple Student That Was Initially Believed to Be Suicide

Friends and family are mourning a Temple University student who police are now saying was killed by her boyfriend after they initially believed she committed suicide.

Brandon Meade, 29, of Upper Darby, was arrested Tuesday and charged with the murder of his girlfriend, 21-year-old Agatha Hall. Hall was found dead at 12:35 a.m. on August 31 inside a 1st floor apartment on the 2300 block of N. Park Avenue, police said. Investigators say she had a gunshot wound on the top left side of her forehead and a handgun underneath her.

Meade allegedly told police he found her dead on the floor on top of the gun and investigators initially thought Hall had committed suicide. An autopsy conducted earlier this month found it was impossible for Hall to have inflicted the wound that killed her however, police said. After further investigation, they determined Meade shot and killed her after the two got into an argument.

A family member of Hall, Jane Hoffman, who lives in Minneapolis, told NBC10 Hall was an "A" student at Temple who majored in Finance.

"I was shocked because you don't think that an "A" student from a college who has overcome adversity could be subjected to something that quick and that violent," Hoffman said.

Hall was born in Liberia and spent time at a refugee camp before she moved to America where she lived in several different cities. While Hall's mother died of cancer earlier this year, her family said she was still committed to graduating and working in International Business.

"She didn't even get a chance to do that," said Ivanna Fairweather, Hall's neighbor. "I just think that's very unfair and very unfortunate."

Hall's family is planning a memorial service for her next month in Minnesota.

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