Four Pepperdine University students to receive their diplomas posthumously

August 2024 · 2 minute read

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The four Pepperdine University students who were struck and killed by an out-of-control BMW driver in Malibu will receive their college diplomas posthumously.

The young women, Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams, were seniors ready to graduate in the spring before they were all fatally mowed down while walking along the Pacific Coast Highway Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old driver, Fraser Michael Bohm, was allegedly speeding down the iconic highway when he lost control and smashed into a row of parked cars and then the group of students, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.

The victims who belonged to the same sorority were pronounced dead at the scene while two others were rushed to local hospitals.

Bohm, who stepped out of the vehicle unharmed and was tackled by witnesses, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

The liberal arts college at Pepperdine University — where all four victims studied — cancelled classes the morning after their tragic deaths, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Deslyn Williams and Niamh Rolston were among the four students fatally struck by the car in Malibu. Instagram / @niamhrolston
Asha Weir was studying English at Pepperdine, where she also belonged to the Alpha Phi sorority. LinkedIn / Asha Weir
Peyton Stewart, a New York native will be posthumously awarded a diploma from the university. LinkedIn / Peyton Stewart

University officials also announced that Rolston, Stewart, Weir and Williams would receive their college degrees posthumously, the local paper reported.

“Each departed student brought a unique gift and spirit to the University and we deeply grieve the unfulfilled hopes and aspirations of our precious community members,” Pepperdine President Jim Gash said.

Rolston and Stewart were both studying business while Weir was an English major and Williams was premed, according to online accounts.

Flowers are placed along the Pacific Coast Highway near the site where the four Pepperdine students were killed by a car on Tuesday. AP
The 22-year-old driver was speeding down the highway before losing control and crashing into parked cars and the six girls. FOX 11
The remnants of a garbage can lay on the ground along the highway on Oct. 18, following the deadly crash. AP

Pepperdine held a prayer service for the victims Thursday morning and is organizing individual memorial services to honor each student.

“In the days ahead, we will come together in meaningful ways to honor and celebrate the lives of the remarkable individuals lost to this unthinkable tragedy,” Gash said.

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