Strong winds dislodged roofing material during a walking tour of the historic Scottsdale property, authorities said.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Rogério Renato Mateucci, the 55-year-old rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Brazil, died Friday after wind-blown roofing material struck him while he was touring Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West property in Scottsdale, authorities said.
Mateucci was taking part in a walking tour with other people at about 2 p.m. Oct. 16 when strong winds dislodged material from a roof, according to reports citing Scottsdale police and fire officials. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Police said no foul play was suspected and described the death as a weather-related accident.
The accident occurred as the Phoenix metropolitan area was under a National Weather Service wind advisory. The advisory was in effect from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Friday, covering the period when the accident occurred. Forecasts for the Scottsdale area called for breezy east winds and gusts of about 30 to 35 mph. Local weather observations reported gusts above 30 mph near the time of the incident.
The Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, known as PUCPR, confirmed Mateucci’s death and said he was struck by an object while visiting Taliesin West. The university issued the clarification after early reports in Brazil had described the death only as an accident during a trip to the United States. Paraná state officials said Mateucci had been traveling for work.
Mateucci had served as rector of PUCPR since 2022 and had been selected for another term extending through 2029, according to the Paraná state government. He was also a member of the Marist Brothers, the Roman Catholic religious congregation associated with the university. State officials described his work as focused on higher education, research, scientific development and cooperation with public institutions.
PUCPR canceled classes at its Curitiba, Londrina and Toledo campuses on Oct. 17 and Oct. 19 following Mateucci’s death. Administrative activities were also scheduled to be suspended Monday. The university said a memorial Mass would be held Monday at the Jesus the Master University Chapel and streamed online. Funeral arrangements were expected to be announced after his body was returned to Brazil.
Taliesin West was closed to the public after the accident. Joe Spector, CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, expressed condolences to Mateucci’s family and loved ones and said the foundation would not release further details while officials completed their work. The foundation said the property would remain closed until further notice.
Taliesin West sits in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale and served as Wright’s winter home and desert laboratory. Wright began developing the property in 1937, and he continued spending winters there until his death in 1959. The site is a National Historic Landmark, is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List and now serves as the home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Police investigators and crime scene personnel responded after the accident, but authorities said they found no indication of criminal activity. Other people who were with Mateucci were not reported injured. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner was expected to make the formal determination of his cause and manner of death.
As of Sunday, authorities continued to describe Mateucci’s death as an apparent weather-related accident. No final medical examiner determination had been publicly announced, while PUCPR prepared for Monday’s memorial service and awaited arrangements to return his body to Brazil.
Author note: Last updated October 18, 2026.