Questions continue to arise regarding NBC News anchor Tom Llamas‘s involvement in a notorious break-in at a fraternity house in 2001. On February 22 of that year, a young man was shot five times in the back near Loyola University. Llamas was a student at the university and an involved member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) fraternity chapter. The break-in began following an intense altercation between members of SigEp and the Beggars house fraternity. That conflict is said to have erupted after an argument over a woman at a nearby tavern.
Witness testimony from that night had helped point police toward Llamas as one of the people who participated in the break-in. Charges were brought against him but dismissed after only two months due to lack of evidence. This result was no different than the stories of 10 other SigEp brothers, including Joseph Deeb and Eric Rust. It’s been over 20 years since that tragic event. Closure is still elusive for victims, who say the accountability of those responsible is still missing.
The Incident and Its Fallout
Safety measures failed and chaos ensued on night of the break-in at the SigEp fraternity house. This mayhem was due to an earlier fight between the two fraternities. According to public accounts, the war started with an altercation at a strip club. This incident fueled the political ire that would eventually drive the break-in. As the situation escalated, witnesses described a chaotic scene outside the SigEp house.
One witness recounted the atmosphere surrounding the events: “You need to go the Beggars’ house – shit’s happening … There’s a fight. There’s a mob going there.” The CNN account provides an incredibly detailed picture of the fraternal rivalry that spilled over into chaos that night.
News reporter Tom Llamas was one of those arrested, but he never stopped believing he’d be vindicated once the dust settled. To explain what he did, his quote was, “Yup, saw that shit and bounced.” His former fraternity brother Eric Rust corroborated this sentiment, asserting, “From what I know, Tommy did the same thing as I did: showed up but didn’t come inside.”
After investigations continued, the cases against Llamas and his brother fraternity members were eventually dropped. Prosecutors blamed “testimony insufficient” for these settlements, leaving so many questions unanswered and frustrations still hanging for the victims.
Victims’ Perspectives
The even deeper impact of the break-in was felt by its victims. They curbed magnified emotions of abandonment and unhealed wounds that have pierced through the community for decades. Friends and family members of the victims said that no apologies or even expressions of regret had been offered by Llamas or anyone else responsible. As one resident remarked, “Nobody’s never apologized – at least not publicly.” This assertion points to the great emotional cost borne by those impacted by the incident.
Another individual echoed similar sentiments: “Something terrible happened to [someone who was just] home, and … nobody was like, ‘Hey, that must have been awful for you.’” Collectively, these statements show an egregious gap. On one side are the people who experienced the consequences of that night, on the other are people who had no official repercussions for their actions.
Louis Dabdoub, a figure familiar with the case, added another dimension to the narrative: “This was planned, methodical, ‘We’re gonna break into a place and hurt whoever is there.’” His remark, now seen in hindsight, indicates that there was a greater purpose behind the break-in than first thought by law enforcement.
Tom Llamas’s Career and Legacy
Since graduating from Loyola University in 2001, Tom Llamas has become one of the most successful Latino journalists in the country. Earlier in 2022, Lester became primary anchor for NBC Nightly News. This success was historic in yet another way, as he became the first Latino to anchor a weekday English-language broadcast network evening newscast. His journey from student to prominent journalist is one he reflects on with pride: “My parents came here with nothing … and now I’m going to anchor Nightly News.”
Llamas’s connection to Loyola University remains strong. He has a long track record of making his alma mater proud, fostering both its community and his professional path. Even with those accomplishments, questions about his sordid past continue to surface. So victims and advocates have stayed on guard, closely watching his involvement in the 2001 crash.