Christopher De Los Santos, a retired Air Force logistics officer and newly hired chief administrative officer at UC Davis, tragically died by suicide on October 11, 2015, in Rio Linda, California. De Los Santos had joined the UC Davis administration in July 2015 after a distinguished 23-year military career. He was known for his strategic thinking and management skills, which he brought to the Department of Entomology and Nematology at UC Davis. His unexpected death shocked and saddened his colleagues, who remembered him as a disciplined and critical thinker who was already making significant contributions to the department.
The circumstances leading to De Los Santos' death were deeply troubling. During an October 2015 staff retreat, De Los Santos allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior, including stripping naked and inviting colleagues to join him in a bath. This incident led to accusations of sexual harassment and an internal investigation by UC Davis. The university notified De Los Santos of the accusations via email and instructed him to stay away from campus. Shortly after receiving this notification, De Los Santos drove to an empty field in Rio Linda and shot himself. He was a husband and father of two, and his death left his family and colleagues devastated.
In the aftermath of his death, De Los Santos' widow filed a lawsuit against UC Davis, alleging that the university's actions drove him to suicide. The lawsuit claimed that De Los Santos was subjected to exceptionally harsh punishment because of his military background, which violated federal and state discrimination laws. The suit argued that other employees accused of similar misconduct had not been suspended or barred from campus. It also highlighted that some university administrators had expressed concerns that De Los Santos might become violent due to his military service, which the lawsuit described as blatant discrimination.
The lawsuit further detailed the events of the staff retreat, describing it as an alcohol-fueled event where De Los Santos became progressively drunk. The accusations against him were filed shortly after the retreat, and the university's handling of the situation was called into question. The family’s attorney argued that De Los Santos, who had never worked outside the military, likely did not understand his rights or the confidentiality of the investigation. The lawsuit sought to hold UC Davis accountable for what the family believed was a discriminatory and unjust response to the allegations against De Los Santos.
