Years before becoming the face of NBC's "Nightly News," Tom Llamas was among several fraternity members arrested in a violent 2001 incident involving two student organizations near Loyola University in New Orleans.
According to the New York Post, though Llamas was cleared of wrongdoing and never charged, his involvement in the fraternity raid — including his arrest — has resurfaced as he ascends to one of the most prominent roles in national broadcast journalism.
The altercation occurred on the night of February 22, 2001, and stemmed from a dispute believed to have begun earlier that evening during a bar confrontation reportedly over a woman. Members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, including Llamas — then a senior communications and drama student — allegedly retaliated by storming the house of their rivals, the Beggars fraternity.
Fraternity Attack Causes Injuries and Property Damage
When a group of Sigma Phi Epsilon members entered the three-story Beggars' house, they caused widespread damage. Police later reported shattered windows, destroyed furniture, and a splintered 16-foot table. According to witnesses, only one fraternity member and his girlfriend were present inside at the time; the student was beaten up, suffering two black eyes and facial swelling, while the girlfriend was thrown to the floor.
Initially dismissed by police as a college prank, the situation was reassessed after authorities saw the extent of the destruction. Law enforcement officials described the act as "planned" and "methodical," concluding it met the criteria for felony aggravated burglary. Authorities estimated $4,000 in damages following the vandalism. Eleven students from Sigma Phi Epsilon, including Llamas, were arrested after the incident. Llamas, who served as the fraternity's chapter president at the time, was taken into custody with his peers.
Llamas Among First to Have Charges Dismissed
As prosecutors reviewed witness testimony and evidence, they quickly began dropping charges. Within two months, the majority of the cases fell apart due to what officials called "insufficient testimony." Llamas was one of the first students to be cleared, both by the district attorney and later by a university-led investigation that found no wrongdoing or violation of school policy on his part. Statements from two of Llamas’s fraternity brothers, Eric Rust and Timothy Fanguy, supported his claims of innocence. Rust said that Llamas did not go inside the Beggars' house, and Fanguy remembered him standing outside the entire time.
However, handwritten notes made by an officer at the scene included a statement from one of the victims identifying “Tommy” as an assailant. Llamas was reportedly the only student with that name arrested. The female victim later acknowledged that her memory may have been affected by trauma from the incident.
Mixed Reactions Follow Career Ascension
After graduating from Loyola University in 2001, Llamas went on to build an accomplished journalism career. He rose through local news stations before joining national television and eventually succeeded Lester Holt in June 2025 as the anchor of NBC’s “Nightly News.”
The Miami native, a son of Cuban immigrants, recently reflected on his career during an NBC "Today" appearance, saying, "My parents came here with nothing … and now I’m going to anchor Nightly News." He described the opportunity as representing the "American Dream." While NBC and university records confirm that Llamas was never charged or found guilty, some critics — particularly those connected to the Beggars fraternity or the victims — remain unsatisfied with public discourse surrounding the event.
Critics Question Accountability and Transparency
In recent weeks, NBC News defended Llamas in a public statement, saying he and the other students were “indiscriminately arrested” and that both campus and local investigations concluded he had not broken any laws or school rules. "Tom, as well as most of those students, was not involved in the incident," an NBC spokesperson said, emphasizing the lack of charges and Llamas’s long-standing relationship with Loyola University, which continues to publicly support him.
The university recently promoted a clip of Llamas, calling it “one of the best communications schools in the country” during an interview on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Some alumni, however, criticized this move, suggesting it overlooks lingering feelings from those who experienced or knew the victims of the 2001 incident.
Calls for a Public Apology Remain Unanswered
Individuals close to the victims shared disappointment with what they see as a lack of accountability. One anonymous source told the Guardian that no one from Sigma Phi Epsilon, including Llamas, has offered a direct apology, either publicly or privately.
"Something terrible happened to [someone who was just] home … and nobody was like, ‘Hey, that must have been awful for you,’” the source stated. Another said, “No one has ever said sorry – at least not in public.” At the time charges were dismissed, Llamas responded to the school’s student newspaper, saying, “We are extremely happy with the outcome,” a statement cited by those who feel a resolution was reached without reconciliation.
As Llamas steps into a larger national spotlight, the resurfacing of this decades-old incident underscores the complexities of youthful decisions, public memory, and the demand for transparency when the past intersects with powerful positions of influence.
