MI MI - Julia Niswender, 23, EMU student, Ypsilanti, 10 Dec 2012 - #3

Julia Niswender

Who Killed EMU Student Julia Niswender? Police Still Seeking Tips
November 14, 2013 7:52 AM

YPSILANTI (WWJ/AP) - New tips are being sought in the case of a 23-year-old Eastern Michigan University student whose December bathtub drowning was ruled a homicide. Crime Stoppers on Thursday will renew the call for information about the death of Julia Niswender. More than $15,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.

Niswender was a Monroe native and an undergraduate at the Ypsilanti school. Her body was found in her bedroom Dec. 11 at the Peninsular Place Apartments on Huron River Drive, located across the street from the campus police station.

A medical examiner ruled the official cause of death as asphyxiation associated with drowning.

[...]
Anyone who might have information is asked to contact Ypsilanti police at 734-482-9878. Tips can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP, online at www.1800speakup.org, or by texting “CSM” and your tip to CRIMES (274637).

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Julia Niswender's stepfather named person of interest in her death, police say
By Darcie Moran | dmoran@mlive.com March 04, 2015 at 12:21 PM, updated March 04, 2015 at 1:20 PM

[...]
The Ypsilanti Police Department has named James Turnquist as a person of interest in the death of his stepdaughter and Eastern Michigan University student Julia Niswender.

Turnquist is in custody in the Monroe County jail on a child *advertiser censored* charge.

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Julia Niswender's stepdad was home when police believe she was killed, lawyer says
By Darcie Moran | dmoran@mlive.com March 05, 2015 at 6:11 PM, updated March 06, 2015 at 10:05 AM

[...]
Although the Ypsilanti Police Department has named Turnquist a person of interest in Niswender's death, Ypsilanti police Lt. Deric Gress said it would be incorrect to call him a suspect at this time. "He has been on our radar," Gress said. "But I don't think we've gotten to that point."

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Verified Insiders:
Trojan1966
4ist
MIMOMMY

Media Thread

Thread #1

Thread #2

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/clip/95...in-death-of-emu-student-julia-niswender-video

about a 3 minute video from November 2013. All the Niswender family and stepfather speak about their loss of Julia.

I'm sure this was discussed earlier, but I wasn't aware of it until now when I read an earlier article. Julia was asphyxiated before she was placed in the bathtub. The article goes on to describe a medical condition Julia shared with her twin and her mother, vasovagal syncope. This condition can cause an individual to lose consciousness at moments of high distress, but was "absolutely" ruled out as a factor in her death.

In light of the other facts, i.e., no sign of forced entry, no evidence of robbery, Christmas gifts still wrapped, purse "untouched"; one could surmise that Julia's death was set up to look like an accidental drowning after she suddenly lost consciousness while taking a bath. I'm not pointing fingers at the stepdad or anyone else, but I can see now why LE might be looking for a suspect who knew Julia well enough to be aware of her medical condition, but who was unaware that an autopsy could rule out a vasovagal syncope event prior to drowning. Just a thought.

Yuhas said the medical examiner's report shows Niswender died as a result of asphyxiation associated with drowning, but he confirmed the asphyxiation occurred prior to her being placed in the bathtub...

"We don't know how she was asphyxiated," Yuhas said, after indicating it could have been done in a number of ways.

[...]
According to the Mayo Clinic, vasovagal syncope, one of the most common causes of fainting, occurs when a person's body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress.

The trigger causes a sudden drop in an individual's heart rate and blood pressure, leading to a reduced blood flow to the brain, which results in a brief loss of consciousness.

Yuhas said investigators were aware of the medical condition, which was ruled out as a cause of death.

"It has absolutely been ruled out," Yuhas said.

Click to expand...

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/julia_niswender.html

Please continue here for Julia :rose:

@Spellbound

I am sorry to hear about this tragedy. Your cousin probably knew her son best, and people should perhaps have trusted her judgment. In JT's case, it is Jennifer and Kim who know him and Julia best. Perhaps people should listen to what they are saying and take it more seriously. I think Trojan has a choice whether to trust Jennifer and Kim or not. If he doesn't trust them, they probably won't trust him.

bessie said:

I'm sure this was discussed earlier, but I wasn't aware of it until now when I read an earlier article. Julia was asphyxiated before she was placed in the bathtub. The article goes on to describe a medical condition Julia shared with her twin and her mother, vasovagal syncope. This condition can cause an individual to lose consciousness at moments of high distress, but was "absolutely" ruled out as a factor in her death.

In light of the other facts, i.e., no sign of forced entry, no evidence of robbery, Christmas gifts still wrapped, purse "untouched"; one could surmise that Julia's death was set up to look like an accidental drowning after she suddenly lost consciousness while taking a bath. I'm not pointing fingers at the stepdad or anyone else, but I can see now why LE might be looking for a suspect who knew Julia well enough to be aware of her medical condition, but who was unaware that an autopsy could rule out a vasovagal syncope event prior to drowning. Just a thought.

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/julia_niswender.html

Click to expand...

Yes but....who bathes partially clothed?

bessie said:

I'm sure this was discussed earlier, but I wasn't aware of it until now when I read an earlier article. Julia was asphyxiated before she was placed in the bathtub. The article goes on to describe a medical condition Julia shared with her twin and her mother, vasovagal syncope. This condition can cause an individual to lose consciousness at moments of high distress, but was "absolutely" ruled out as a factor in her death.

In light of the other facts, i.e., no sign of forced entry, no evidence of robbery, Christmas gifts still wrapped, purse "untouched"; one could surmise that Julia's death was set up to look like an accidental drowning after she suddenly lost consciousness while taking a bath. I'm not pointing fingers at the stepdad or anyone else, but I can see now why LE might be looking for a suspect who knew Julia well enough to be aware of her medical condition, but who was unaware that an autopsy could rule out a vasovagal syncope event prior to drowning. Just a thought.

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/julia_niswender.html

Click to expand...

There are some facts that indicate that it might not have been a staged scene.
- The room was in disarray (which raises suspicion)
- The perp took Julia's key and other items
- There was other evidence that made LE think it was foul play.

black_squirrel said:

There are some facts that indicate that it might not have been a staged scene.
- The room was in disarray (which raises suspicion)
- The perp took Julia's key and other items
- There was other evidence that made LE think it was foul play.

Click to expand...

Regarding room - was mentioned by insider that this was how she normally kept it.

OldSteve said:

Regarding room - was mentioned by insider that this was how she normally kept it.

Click to expand...

It was mentioned that she was not a "super tidy" person - I think that it would be important here to know the LEVEL of "disarray" - Were things broken? Or was she just "digging" for something she had misplaced, etc. Remember she was studying for finals - When I study for finals, if it were not for my husband - our home would look like a bomb went off - because I just don't have the TIME to clean

Originally Posted by black_squirrel
There are some facts that indicate that it might not have been a staged scene.
- The room was in disarray (which raises suspicion)
- The perp took Julia's key and other items
- There was other evidence that made LE think it was foul play.

Click to expand...

OldSteve said:

Regarding room - was mentioned by insider that this was how she normally kept it.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure that we've established that "The perp took Julia's key and other items". Jennifer, Julia's sister, is quoted in a press article as mentioning that "a couple of things" were missing. She might have spoken too casually. I can't find any confirmation, and Trojan1966, another family member, doesn't think that anything other than Julia's room key was identified as missing.

black_squirrel said:

@Spellbound

I am sorry to hear about this tragedy. Your cousin probably knew her son best, and people should perhaps have trusted her judgment. In JT's case, it is Jennifer and Kim who know him and Julia best. Perhaps people should listen to what they are saying and take it more seriously. I think Trojan has a choice whether to trust Jennifer and Kim or not. If he doesn't trust them, they probably won't trust him.

Click to expand...

The family dynamics are so complex in this case, I would suggest the "normal" rules of healthy interaction do not apply. You have a woman who had kids at 14, relied on her parents, married a man who is now highly suspect due to a variety of data points we have discussed throughout these threads. Kim & Jennifer appear to be in deep denial, and that's understandable. They are trying to hang on to an anchor, whatever it may be.

While I agree it is absolutely critical that the Grandparents and Kim team up (now more than ever), I am gauging my assessment by what LE has provided. As such, not only do I believe the Grandparents have a reason to be concerned, I think Kim and girls should immediately take residence with one of them. This is a highly volatile situation, and the POI is unstable.
As usual, my armchair perspective.

black_squirrel said:

@Spellbound

I am sorry to hear about this tragedy. Your cousin probably knew her son best, and people should perhaps have trusted her judgment. In JT's case, it is Jennifer and Kim who know him and Julia best. Perhaps people should listen to what they are saying and take it more seriously. I think Trojan has a choice whether to trust Jennifer and Kim or not. If he doesn't trust them, they probably won't trust him.

Click to expand...

I initially trusted them 100% but once they started "lawyering up" to the LE, I started losing that trust. All I truly want is the truth to come out. By not fully cooperating with LE all the time casts a shadow of suspicion on anyone. It strikes me as being something to hide instead of let's get the truth out there and "clear" JT so the investigation can move forward. They (KT & Jennifer) have told me in the past, many, many times - "Let the detectives do their job and we will have justice for Julia"! Well, that being said, please cooperate and we'll see what transpires.

Forager said:

I'm not sure that we've established that "The perp took Julia's key and other items". Jennifer, Julia's sister, is quoted in a press article as mentioning that "a couple of things" were missing. She might have spoken too casually. I can't find any confirmation, and Trojan1966, another family member, doesn't think that anything other than Julia's room key was identified as missing.

Click to expand...

I indeed based that on Jennifer's statement in some interview. I presume that LE asked some member of the family if anything was missing. I do not know who they asked, but I presume it was Jim T., Kim, Jennifer or perhaps the grandmother or a combination of those.

Did anyone of the family see the crime scene to see if anything looked unusual, or whether anything was missing?

I find it interesting how the focus has shifted from "Justice for Julia" to "Justice for JT", now a "victim". But as I dwell on that perception, it dawns on me that Julia (our true victim here), was the black sheep of the family. Kim & Jennifer are seemingly obedient to JT, but Julia was the one who left to go live with Grandma. Even in death, Kim & Jennifer separate themselves from her by focusing on "justice for JT" vs. Julia. Very interesting dynamic, and very sad.

As usual, opinion and speculation only.

black_squirrel said:

I indeed based that on Jennifer's statement in some interview. I presume that LE asked some member of the family if anything was missing. I do not know who they asked, but I presume it was Jim T., Kim, Jennifer or perhaps the grandmother or a combination of those.

Did anyone of the family see the crime scene to see if anything looked unusual, or whether anything was missing?

Click to expand...

Members of the family did not have access to the crime scene, according to Kim's statements in MSM, IIRC, thus not in position to say if anything was missing, or that there was or was not evidence of struggle, besides what LE has said, and Trojan has so kindly shared that it was only the key missing, and if other items were missing, it was nothing of value to indicate a robbery.

rosesfromangels said:

I find it interesting how the focus has shifted from "Justice for Julia" to "Justice for JT", now a "victim". But as I dwell on that perception, it dawns on me that Julia (our true victim here), was the black sheep of the family. Kim & Jennifer are seemingly obedient to JT, but Julia was the one who left to go live with Grandma. Even in death, Kim & Jennifer separate themselves from her by focusing on "justice for JT" vs. Julia. Very interesting dynamic, and very sad.

As usual, opinion and speculation only.

Click to expand...

I think, from what has transpired in the case, that you are exactly right. It is a travesty, I believe. Julia faced bullying and wearing down in life by members of the red crew, and their chosen victim in the case, Turnquist may have killed her. She turned to Rose to save herself, where as Jen and Kim are too far gone, and the youngest child needs to be saved from more potential freakishness. Avoiding discovery may have been the motive behind Julia's death and more, it seems to me.

Trojan1966 said:

I initially trusted them 100% but once they started "lawyering up" to the LE, I started losing that trust. All I truly want is the truth to come out. By not fully cooperating with LE all the time casts a shadow of suspicion on anyone. It strikes me as being something to hide instead of let's get the truth out there and "clear" JT so the investigation can move forward. They (KT & Jennifer) have told me in the past, many, many times - "Let the detectives do their job and we will have justice for Julia"! Well, that being said, please cooperate and we'll see what transpires.

Click to expand...

Thank you, again, Trojan1966. You and 4ist have widened the scope of our understanding broadly.

rosesfromangels said:

I think Kim and girls should immediately take residence with one of them. This is a highly volatile situation, and the POI is unstable.

Click to expand...

SBM

Can you please explain why you feel this way? I am trying to catch up here and wonder what I might have missed.

MIMOMMY said:

Yes but....who bathes partially clothed?

Click to expand...

Julia might have been running the water in the tub as she got undressed. Perhaps she checked the water level in the tub at one point before she was actually ready to step into the tub. To me, partially clothed simply means in the process of undressing to prepare for a bath. :moo:

Yes, but if it was "staged" to appear like she passed out - my understanding is that the body was in a "unnatural" position, inside of the bathtub.

So I question - if you were going to stage it as a medical accident - would you not undress her - and make sure her body was in a likely position?