Wind-Torn Roof Debris Kills Brazilian Rector at Taliesin West

Wind-Torn Roof Debris Kills Brazilian Rector at Taliesin West

A Friday Afternoon Tour Turned Fatal in Seconds

Brother Rogerio Renato Mateucci was walking with a group through Taliesin West in Scottsdale around 2 p.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 16, when roofing material ripped loose by strong winds struck him in the head. Scottsdale police spokesperson Officer Aaron Bolin said Mateucci was touring the property with other visitors. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. His university later said he had been hit by an acrylic object.

A 55-Year-Old Educator on an American Exchange Visit

The victim, 55, was rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Parana in Brazil and a member of the Catholic Marist order. His university's press office said in an Oct. 19 email that he was in Arizona to visit Arizona State University through an international program for higher education leaders. Scottsdale Fire Department officials described the death as instantaneous.

Gusts of 32 mph Recorded as Wind Warnings Stood

The National Weather Service recorded winds of 22 miles an hour in the area at the time, with gusts of up to 32 miles an hour, and wind warnings had been issued. The Seattle Times, citing local officials, reported that strong winds tore away part of the roofing. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the official cause of death.

Foundation Offers Condolences, Silent on Safety Questions

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation said the site would remain closed until further notice. "The Foundation extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the individual who died Friday, October 16, following an accident at Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona," the foundation said in an Oct. 17 statement. Responding to an Oct. 18 inquiry from The Arizona Republic about roof inspections, high-wind precautions and reopening plans, spokesperson Jan Bracamonte relayed a statement from CEO Joe Spector confirming the closure. It did not address inspections or wind-related safety measures.

Wright's 1937 Desert Landmark Shut With No Reopening Date

Taliesin West was established by Wright in 1937 in the foothills of Scottsdale's McDowell Mountains and served as the famed architect's winter home and desert laboratory until he died in 1959. It later became the headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, a National Historic Landmark and part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing. A banner on the foundation's website on Oct. 18 read, "Taliesin West is currently closed to the public." No reopening date has been announced while the police investigation continues.