There's a bit more to it. They were friends. But one had accused him of a sexual assault and there had apparently been threats to kill made. Still, not a nice thing to do to him.

Turns out he wasn't beat up and murdered. Apparently he had a serious drink problem. His "friends" took him up there when he was really drunk and left him. He was only dressed in a shirt and he died of hypothermia. They got charged and found guilty of manslaughter.

Must be where he was found.