Family files suit in connection with 2021 death of Lyon student

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed Thursday in Independence County Circuit Court in connection with the January 2021 death of a Lyon College student-athlete found deceased in his dorm room.

Found deceased was 19-year-old James Gilfedder III of Yucaipa, Cal., a freshman on the Lyon College baseball team.

Gilfedder had attended a pre-season party at a house on Boles Street in east Batesville, near the Lyon College campus. The house was being rented by other members of the baseball team. After attending the party, where he consumed alcoholic beverages, he was found deceased, lying on the floor in his dorm room.

The lawsuit was filed by the family of Gilfedder naming as defendants:  Lyon College; the property owner where the party was held, Huffmania Ventures, LLC; the baseball pitching coach at Lyon College and alleged part-owner of the company who owned the house where the party was held, Jacob Huffman; five John Doe insurance companies; and 10 John Does in the case.

The lawsuit said the 27-page filing was an action for injuries suffered, conscious pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of life, and wrongful death. The suit alleges Gilfedder’s death could have been part of a hazing on the night in question (Jan. 30, 2021), “…causing him to drink a massive amount of alcohol in a very short period of time,” the suit said.

The lawsuit said the autopsy revealed the blood alcohol content of Gilfedder was “.357% and the cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication.” 

The court filing noted that the Gilfedder family is represented by two law firms:  Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, P.A. of Little Rock, and Wilcox & Averitt, PLC of Jonesboro.