Isi Etute -- a freshman linebacker on the Virginia Tech football team -- has been charged with murder ... and the school says it's now suspended him from the program immediately.
The Blacksburg Police Department said Wednesday that Etute was involved in the killing of a 40-year-old man on Tuesday.
Details surrounding the alleged incident are unclear ... but cops say they found a man dead after they responded to a call in Blacksburg, Va. at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Cops say they zeroed in on Etute, who they say was an "acquaintance" of the victim, after conducting their investigation.