Stabbing victim leaves a ‘legacy’

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GREENFIELD — Sean Hudson loved the study of people, who they were and what made them memorable, he wrote on his graduate profile for the University of Colorado.

But it was Hudson who was the memorable one — a serious student whose upbeat personality meant you couldn’t help but like him, friends said.

Those memories of Hudson as a jovial, helpful friend paint a picture his loved ones say don’t match Hudson’s final moments; he was murdered Saturday morning in Boulder, Colorado, stabbed multiple times after an argument with an acquaintance escalated to violence, police said.

Hudson was attending University of Colorado in Boulder, working as a graduate assistant while completing his doctorate in psychology.

The incident took place about a half-mile from campus near a retail center. A fellow student, Ian Scheuermann, 22, of Boulder, was arrested following the altercation and is being held on a preliminary charge of second-degree murder at the Boulder County Jail, police said. He was expected to appear in court Monday afternoon.

Hudson’s friend Reece Green said the shock he felt after learning of Hudson’s death was all-consuming.

As kids, they were inseparable, Green said. From fourth grade into high school, they sat in classrooms together; weekends were spent visiting each other’s homes. In that time, they formed a bond that carried into adulthood.

The memories they shared were filled with laughter. Monday, Green struggled to imagine a life without his pal.

“Sean was as loyal as they come,” Green said. “I can’t think of a bad memory. If you knew Sean, you had to like him.”

Investigators know the circumstances that led to Hudson’s death, but they are not releasing details as the case remains under investigation, said Shannon Cordingly, a spokeswoman for the Boulder Police Department.

Hudson graduated from Greenfield-Central High School in 2008. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in biology and classical studies from Butler University in 2012, according to University of Colorado Boulder’s website.

He completed his master’s degree in psychology from Boulder in 2015 and was working toward a doctoral degree there; he was expected to complete the program in 2017, the website states.

Hudson worked as a teaching assistant in the university’s department of psychology and neuroscience.

Hudson traveled to Colorado to be part of a respected program, but he never forgot his roots, Green said; he had dreams of coming back to Indiana to be a professor at his Indianapolis alma mater.

Hudson’s former teachers at Greenfield-Central called him a model student; and beyond excelling at academics, he was kind and always tried to make others smile, said Brent Oliver, dean of students at Greenfield-Central.

Oliver saw Hudson by chance at a Denver airport while traveling last summer, and the pair spent a few hours catching up. Hudson could talk to anyone, Oliver said.

He wasn’t surprised to learn Hudson was pursuing a doctoral degree; he was always certain Hudson would be successful.

“He most definitely would have made a difference wherever he landed,” Oliver said.

While at Greenfield-Central, Hudson played football, was a senior class officer and participated in the school’s student leadership academy.

Teacher Phil Leswing, who taught Hudson psychology at the high school, was saddened by the news of his death.

“He was the type of kid you really looked forward to see what impact they made on the world when they’re 30,” Leswing said. “The hard part is he won’t get to that point. But he’ll have a legacy.”

In a statement, Chancellor Philip DiStefano offered condolences to Hudson’s family and friends and condemned acts of violence “as a way of resolving disputes.”

“As we have seen in recent months here in Colorado and around the world, it stamps out our individual hopes, dreams and aspirations and those of our communities,” DiStefano said.