Former UD official Meredith Chapman killed in murder-suicide in Pa.

A former communications official at the University of Delaware who recently ran for state Senate was killed in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, Monday night in a murder-suicide, according to police.

Meredith Chapman, 33, had been UD's director for digital communications until March. She recently started a job as an assistant vice president at Villanova University.

"Villanova University was informed last night about the death of Meredith Chapman," said Jonathan Gust, a Villanova University spokesman. "Our hearts are broken by the devastating loss of our new colleague. The thoughts and prayers of the entire University community are with her family, friends and colleagues during this extremely difficult time."

Radnor Township Police, who will be holding a press conference at 3:30 p.m., have not released the names of the two women killed. New Castle County police is assisting in the investigation.

Officers discovered the women's bodies around 9 p.m. Monday inside a house on the first block of Lowrys Lane, near Villanova University, according to Radnor Township police.

Multiple sources told The News Journal that Chapman moved into that house sometime in the last week. The house is less than a mile from Villanova's campus. 

No other injuries were reported. A motive for the killings has not been released.

Chapman was married to Newark City Councilman Luke Chapman.

Chapman, a former communication manager for then-Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., ran unsuccessfully in 2016 against veteran state Sen. Dave Sokola, D-Newark. She lost by five percentage points.

The news of her death surprised those in the GOP.

“I am shocked and devastated by the news,” said Emily Taylor, Executive Director of the Delaware Republican Party. “While so much can be said about Meredith being a rising star in the Republican Party, this is a deeply personal loss for me. Meredith and Luke Chapman are close friends. I simply can’t imagine what he is going through.”

Chapman, originally from Landenberg, Pennsylvania, graduated from the University of Delaware, where she earned a bachelor's degree in communication and a master's degree in education.

About a week ago, Chapman began a job as Villanova University’s assistant vice president of marketing and creative services.

"Couldn’t be more excited to be Villanova University’s new Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Creative Services! Just a week on the job and I’m already feeling the love from #NovaNation! #GoingNova #HigherEdMarketing#NewAdventures," she posted on her Instagram account at 5:42 p.m. Monday.