NJ grad who fell from Temple U. window committed suicide, officials say

PLAINSBORO — The death of a Mercer County Temple University student has been ruled a suicide.

Richard Dalcourt, a first year student at Temple's College of Engineering, was found dead on Tuesday morning after falling from a sixth-floor window of the 1940 Residence Hall. The Philadelphia medical examiner said the cause of death was from "multiple blunt impact injuries," according to a city Department of Health spokesman.

Dalcourt, who graduated from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School in June, was a mechanical engineering major at Temple. He had just started classes.

Dalcourt's obituary posted on the Facebook page of the M.J. Murphy Funeral Home recognized how he died: "His parents urge others to recognize the signs of depression and seek help immediately. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richard’s memory to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation at bbrfoundation.org."

"Rick was a quiet, kind and caring person, often going way out of his way to help others. He had a witty sense of humor and was a lover of video games, action movies and his cat, Heart," his obituary read.

Dalcourt's funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Queenship of Mary Church on Dey Road in Plainsboro. His viewing is Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.

Three other Central Jersey young people have died in the past week in newsmaking incidents — in their cases, all after being struck by trains. Princeton High School sophomore Vincent Li was struck by an Amtrak train near the Princeton Junction station last Thursday while Ethan Cullen, 25, of Hightstown was struck by an Amtrak train at the same station on Saturday night. Information on why each was on the tracks had not yet been released.

Yairina Quiros, 19, of Hillsborough was stuck by a NJ Transit train on Tuesday night near the Bound Brook station on the Morris & Essex Line.

If you feel you or someone you know may be in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-TALK, or the NJ Hopeline, 1-855-654-6735.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com