The family of Sam Martinez, a 19-year-old Bellevue freshman who died of alcohol poisoning during a fraternity hazing ritual at Washington State University in 2019, can now take their wrongful death lawsuit to trial.

The Washington Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Thursday, July 30, that WSU owed Martinez a legal "duty of care" because of its relationship with the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity's Gamma Chi chapter, where Martinez died. It is the first time a Washington university has been held liable for a hazing-related death.

"Wow," Jolayne Houtz, Martinez's mother and a Bellevue resident, told The Seattle Times after the ruling. "For six years, we've waited for the chance to tell Sam's story to the jury. … It's a big win, no doubt."

The ruling does not determine whether WSU actually failed in that duty. It sends the case back to King County Superior Court, where a jury will hear the evidence for the first time. No trial date has been set.

What the court found

Justice Salvador A. Mungia, writing for the majority, said WSU's duty flowed from its "special relationship" with Greek organizations, including promoting Greek life in recruitment, sponsoring events, and signing agreements with national fraternity organizations.

The court documented WSU's own knowledge of Gamma Chi's history: in 2013, the university's conduct board found the fraternity forced pledges to clean raw sewage and drink excessively. In 2017, the chapter was documented forcing pledges to endure "aggressive hazing." The court also found WSU never told Martinez's parents about those violations.

Hector Martinez, Sam's father, testified that he would not have allowed his son to pledge had he known even a fraction of the fraternity's record, according to KING 5.

The night Martinez died

On Nov. 12, 2019, during the fraternity's annual Big Brother Party, a member gave Martinez and another pledge a half-gallon of rum and told them to finish it in under an hour, according to MyNorthwest. Martinez became unconscious. Nobody called 911 until the next morning. He was dead.

Fifteen students were later charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor. Some served between one and 19 days in jail; others received probation.

What changed since 2019

Martinez's death led to the passage of Sam's Law (HB 1751), signed in 2022. The law requires employees at every public college and university in Washington to report hazing and mandates hazing-prevention education for students.

WSU terminated Gamma Chi's recognition through May 2026. Alpha Tau Omega's national organization permanently revoked the chapter's charter.

What's next

WSU said in a statement on July 30 that its legal counsel will review the decision before determining next steps.

The case now heads to King County Superior Court, where a jury will decide whether WSU's failure to act caused Martinez's death.