Brazilian College President Killed in Freak Accident at Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West
Strong winds dislodged roofing material, striking the visiting rector during a tour in Scottsdale.
Rogério Renato Mateucci, 55, president of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Brazil, died instantly when a piece of roofing was dislodged by strong winds and struck him. The incident occurred Friday afternoon during a group tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West home in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Gusts of up to 32 mph dislodged the roofing material, which hit Mateucci in the head, according to AZ Family. Officials are classifying the death as a weather-related accident.
Mateucci had served as the rector of the Catholic university since 2022. He held multiple degrees in education, including a doctorate in educational leadership from Fordham University.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which operates Taliesin West, expressed its condolences. The property has been closed to the public indefinitely.
Classes at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná were canceled from Saturday through Monday in mourning. The university announced a memorial Mass for Monday, with funeral arrangements pending the repatriation of Mateucci's body to Brazil.
In a statement, the university acknowledged Mateucci's passing through the lens of its Catholic beliefs, stating, "And, for those who believe, life is not taken from us, but transformed. Therefore, united in faith in the resurrection, let us now join in prayer for our dearest Brother Rogério."