The president of a Brazilian university was killed in a freak accident in Arizona after a piece of roofing became detached and struck him during an architecture tour, officials said.
Rogério Renato Mateucci, 55, was visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale with a tour group last Friday at about 2 p.m. when winds reaching 32 mph tore loose part of the roof, according to AZ Family.
The roofing material hit Mateucci in the head, killing him instantly. Authorities described the incident as a weather-related accident, the outlet reported. Mateucci was rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Brazil.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which operates the Scottsdale property, offered its “deep condolences” after the unexpected death.
“The property is closed to the public until further notice,” the foundation said in a statement shared on Facebook.
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Mateucci had served as the university’s highest-ranking leader since 2022, Brazil’s G1 reported.
He held several degrees in education, including a doctorate in educational leadership from Fordham University, according to the publication.
The Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná canceled classes from Saturday through Monday as the institution mourned the rector’s death.
The university also scheduled a memorial Mass for Monday. Funeral plans will be announced after Mateucci’s body is returned to Brazil.
In a statement, the university reflected on Mateucci’s death through the lens of its Catholic faith.
“And, for those who believe, life is not taken from us, but transformed. Therefore, united by faith in the resurrection, let us now join in prayer for our dearest Brother Rogério,” the university said.
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