A court date has been set for the three fraternity members charged last week with kidnapping a female student and holding her against her will.

Corey Skelton, 22, of Kosciusko; Frederick Oglesby, 21, of Hattiesburg; and Donovan Carroll, 22, of Canton, will have their initial appearance on March 26 in municipal court.

Starkville Police Department’s Lieutenant Troy Outlaw said the incident occurred at 411 Scales St. and that it could be linked to a Twitter trend dubbed “kidnapping season.”

Outlaw said another officer, who has Twitter, searched the term in the search engine on the site and found numerous references to the trend. 

“All the ones that I saw were associated with Greek organizations,” he said.

A warrant was issued for the three men Thursday night after the victim filed a report stating that she had been bound with tape and held against her will.

Outlaw said the girl was visiting the 411 Scales St. residence when the incident unfolded.

“She was a friend of theirs. She was there with them, it wasn’t an abduction or anything,” he said. 

SPD Chief David Lindley said after the suspects had bound the victim’s hands and feet, she asked to be released and the suspects declined. He said they then called some friends of the victim and requested an undisclosed ransom.

Tabor Mullen declined to speak on an individual situation.

Cedric Gathings Pan-Hellenic Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life declined comment and deferred to the Dean of Students office.