A man traveled half a world away with a plan to succeed, only to have his life cut short. And it appears he previously expressed concerns about the man who is charged with his killing.

Michael Odikro, 32, of 1103 Pinon Drive, was found dead early Saturday morning outside of his apartment.

Odikro, originally from Ghana, was living in Ames while attending Des Moines Area Community College in Boone as a business administration student.

Tom Lee, provost for DMACC’s Boone campus, said he did not know Odikro personally, but remembers having contact with Odikro on Nov. 3 regarding a situation on campus with Atiba Spellman, the ISU student arrested and charged in connection with the double homicide.

“He came in and told us that he did not want any contact with this person. He wanted to know if maybe we could help him take care of that,” he said. “We took the proper measures: We contacted the police and we made sure that we filed a no-trespass contact order for the Boone campus.”

Odikro did not specify a reason as to why he did not want contact with Spellman, he said.

Lee said the deaths of Odikro and Shakena Varnell, both DMACC students, have shocked the campus.

“The death was very, very tragic, and it was a shocking day for us to hear that news and learn that both of the students had been murdered, and that they were DMACC, Boone campus students,” he said.

Hannah Fulton, 18, was a student at DMACC with Odikro and Varnell.

She said Odikro was a good, hard-working student who took school seriously.

“It’s a loss. They were both really good students,” Fulton said. “It wasn’t like one of those students that, you know, just… were there, they had a plan and they were really motivated. They brought a lot to class.”

Although she was unaware of what Odikro’s plan was, she said he was enrolled in the business administration school and he was always “dressed really professionally” for classes. She said Varnell, who was in an English class with Fulton, wanted to be a social worker.

Fulton said Odikro was a reserved person, who mostly kept to himself. However, she said, he was always willing to help and give advice when people needed it.

Although Fulton wasn’t aware of any relationship between Odikro and Varnell, she said she did occasionally see them outside of class together.

“It’s just hard to hear about people that sit right next to you, or behind you, or talk to you, like, just the week before,” she said, referring to the deaths Odikro and Varnell. “I figured it was somebody I didn’t know and, you know, you always want to think you don’t know them, but when you find out you do know them, it’s just really hard.”

Lee said plans for a memorial for the Varnell and Odikro will begin in January.

“We want to sit down and plan and get some students’ input so the decisions will be made on what we do right after the first of the year,” he said.

Noelle Fultz, community manager at University West — the company Odikro leased his apartment from, said most of the interaction she had with him was when he would come in to pay rent. She said he was very nice, pleasant and courteous.

Fultz said University West was instructed by the Ames Police Department and the company’s insurance provider not to call Odikro’s emergency contacts until they heard from his family.

“We are going to be there for the family when they are able make contact with us, to, you know, help them in any way we can,” Fultz said.

Jim Robinson, Ames Police investigations commander, said Odikro’s family, who still lives in Ghana, was notified of his death through acquaintances and the help of the U.S. embassy.

A memorial, placed by his friends, lies on the front porch, where Odikro may have spent the last few minutes of his life.