It is with deep sorrow that we reflect on the passing of 19-year-old Owen Tillman Kenney an ambitious young student whose life and disappearance have touched many, and whose death has now been confirmed.
Owen was a native of Tinton Falls, New Jersey. He graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School in 2024.
In January 2025, he enrolled at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, a new chapter filled with promise and potential. From his academic and extracurricular life, friends and acquaintances remembered him as engaged, friendly and full of hope for the future.
In the early hours of Halloween, October 31 2025, Owen was last seen near the college campus. Around 2 a.m., he was seen by friends in the area of King Street and Burns Lane in Charleston.
Later, surveillance footage captured him walking alone onto the pedestrian walkway of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River at about 3:49 a.m. His cellphone’s final ping was also traced to the bridge area. His family reported he was just “minutes from his house” yet never made it home.
The disappearance triggered an intensive search by the Charleston Police Department, including K9 units, aerial drones, underwater recovery teams and harbor patrol. On November 6, police announced that the case had shifted from search to recovery after reviewing imagery that confirmed what they believe to be Owen’s death by suicide.
On Saturday morning, November 8, authorities located Owen’s body in the water near Patriots Point at around 8:45 a.m. and the coroner confirmed his identity.
Owen’s death has devastated his family, friends, and the campus community. The College of Charleston President, Andrew T. Hsu, remarked:
“There are no words that can ease the pain of losing someone so young and so full of promise.”
His former high school and fraternity also offered heartfelt expressions of grief, noting how Owen’s kind nature made him an easy friend and valued peer.
In light of this tragedy, mental-health resources have been widely communicated: if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, help is available 24/7 via the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. (
Owen’s journey from a promising New Jersey high-school graduate to a college freshman far from home is a reminder of how fragile life can be, and how important community, connection and support are.
Though he is deeply missed, the outpouring of love and grief surrounding his passing may help bring some measure of closure. His family has asked for privacy and compassion during this painful time.
We honour Owen Tillman Kenney’s memory and join those who mourn his loss.
