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Teen charged in death of IUP fraternity brother

A former Indiana University of Pennsylvania student is charged in the death of his fraternity brother after a deadly fight.

Brady DiStefano, 19, is charged with criminal homicide in the February death of his 20-year-old Phi Delta Theta fraternity brother Caleb Zwieg.

RELATED: IUP student dies after fight; fraternity brother charged (Feb. 5, 2017)

DiStefano was initially charged with aggravated assault, but the coroner’s report shows Zweig died of asphyxiation, prompting the district attorney to add a charge of criminal homicide.

"The ruling was asphyxiation due to strangulation.... (which) matches witness report, we feel comfortable filing that charge,” Indiana County District Attorney Patrick Dougherty said.

Investigators said the situation started as an off-campus fight between fraternity brothers. Police said Zwieg was "choked out" during a fight along Wayne Avenue. He died at Indiana Regional Medical Center the next morning.

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DiStefano posted bond after the aggravated assault charge. The university said he is no longer enrolled as a student.

"We have a family that is grieving the loss of that young man. That's every parent’s worst fear. You send them away to college and get a phone call in the middle of the night. That's very hard to process,” Dougherty said.

Mike Wahba, director of chapter services for Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, said the incident was isolated from any fraternity function and DiStefano was removed from membership.

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Zieg Family and the Men of Pennsylvania Lambda Chapter," Wahba said.