Northwestern residence director Kristina Richards’ death showed no signs of foul play, said McHenry County coroner Dr. Anne Majewski.

An official cause of death is pending an investigation.

Majewski said Richards died Sunday morning at a friend’s house in Crystal Lake, Ill. The official time of death was 7:47 a.m. Richards was 41 years old.

Richards had worked at NU since 2003, most recently serving as the graduate halls residence director. She previously supervised several undergraduate residence halls, including Slivka Residential College, 1835 Hinman, Shepard Residential College and Sargent Hall. She also worked with the Freshman Emerging Leaders Program, Red Watch Band training and the Campus Coalition on Sexual Violence. Richards was trained as a Safe Space Ally and a Transgender Ally.

Patricia Telles-Irvin, vice president for student affairs, announced Richards’ death Sunday evening via email.

Paul Riel, executive director of residential services, said Richards strived to improve “the quality of the residential experience.”

“Personally Kristina was known to be kind, considerate and a dedicated professional,” he wrote in an email to The Daily on Tuesday. “She will be missed by her Student Affairs colleagues and the students, whose lives she touched.”

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @tylerpager