GUILTY TX - Haruka Weiser, 18, found murdered, UT-Austin campus, 3 April 2016 *Arrest*

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Safeguard said:
. . . I am puzzled as to this, "shiny rigid" object, that is repeatedly referred to, which the perp pulled from the back of his pants... It's mentioned in this article also... No mention of what it was, and they are saying the victim was, assaulted and strangled, not stabbed, or bludgeoned...

I wonder what the significance of this "object" is?
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At this point, the significance seems to be premeditation. Perp sees victim, perp parks bike, perp arms himself, perp follows victim. A weapon like a gun or a knife could have been used to coerce the victim without being used in the actual murder, though note that a rigid object (pry bar, nunchuck, etc.) makes strangulation easier.
 
Yes. Intent. I thought that too. I just wonder why there no longer seems to be any interest in finding the object, or clarification on the subject. Tuthfully, I can't make that out, when I view the video. I don't see a move to pull anything out from his back pocket/waistband, never mind seeing an object.

He looks big enough to not have needed anything to strangle that tiny little woman. I have heard others say they did see something, on the tape though. (I had begun to wonder if there was even an object at all).
 
Matlacha said:
At this point, the significance seems to be premeditation. Perp sees victim, perp parks bike, perp arms himself, perp follows victim. A weapon like a gun or a knife could have been used to coerce the victim without being used in the actual murder, though note that a rigid object (pry bar, nunchuck, etc.) makes strangulation easier.
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I do hope they're checking old footage to see if they can find him on it. It seems extremely brazen for him to spend almost 2 hours engaged in criminal activity. Part of that time appears to have been spent in concealing the body, but he risked getting needlessly caught to do the concealment unless he knew pretty well that nobody would be along. He seemed to have a lot of premeditation with wearing the bandana and then it sounds like he almost completely destroyed her clothing and property but for the FD showing up except for the items he decided to keep. If he had set the fire someplace else or not set the fire at all he may have been able to completely get away with it. I'm also surprised he didn't just flee to another city or go on the lam as that would be just part of history as a chronic runaway rather than an unusual action.
 
SpanishInquisition said:
I do hope they're checking old footage to see if they can find him on it. It seems extremely brazen for him to spend almost 2 hours engaged in criminal activity. Part of that time appears to have been spent in concealing the body, but he risked getting needlessly caught to do the concealment unless he knew pretty well that nobody would be along. He seemed to have a lot of premeditation with wearing the bandana and then it sounds like he almost completely destroyed her clothing and property but for the FD showing up except for the items he decided to keep. If he had set the fire someplace else or not set the fire at all he may have been able to completely get away with it. I'm also surprised he didn't just flee to another city or go on the lam as that would be just part of history as a chronic runaway rather than an unusual action.
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He seemed to have some understanding of he must take her clothes (DNA evidence) and that he should destroy the evidence. So claiming he is insane I think might be out of the question now. He knew he did something wrong, knew he could get caught and knew it wasn't right. So he knows right from wrong.
I bet he csed out the UT campus for a few weeks. Many people in Austin have spotted him around Austin prior in a pink bandana wondering around casing bikes. I know from talking my friends in Austin. No news source.
 
dotr said:
Regarding the " shiny rigid object " the suspect apparently produced, other than a knife- a flashlight comes to mind- a screwdriver, or a wrench, imo.

http://www.bicycling.com/repair/bic...e-tools/eight-9-and-10mm-combination-wrenches
attachment.php
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Did you see any footage of him reaching for or producing an object? I viewed anything I could find and I am not seeing that part. Over on reddit someone said they thought it was a hammer. Chilling to think about, but I can see how that would have made it very easy, indeed, to subdue his victim. There were earlier reports of the horrific nature and unspeakable brutality,
which made me wonder, about that object, but it certainly doesn't seem to have played a large role, if any, or surely they would be looking for it/more interest in it.
 
COD is said to have been strangulation. I would need to go back and check additional news reports to know if LE or ME specified there was no other visible trauma to the body. In other words, the alleged rigid, shiny object could have been used to subdue, gain cooperation and also may have been used to inflict injury but was ultimately not the cause of death. Initial reports stated the victim had been assaulted. That was prior to the autopsy or examination by ME that later apparently concluded she was more specifically sexually assaulted. Were there visible signs of injury to the body aside from evidence of strangulation? Detectives arriving at the scene at the creek apparently were pretty sure an assault had taken place and they were investigation a murder. Perhaps the state of clothing/wardrobe immediately led to the conclusion of foul play. Perhaps visible injuries to the body.



A University of Texas student killed on campus last week appears to have been sexually assaulted and was the victim of strangulation, based on preliminary evidence gathered by detectives, according to several law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/haruka-weiser-victim-of-strangulation-sources-say/nq4dn/

According to the Austin Police Department, Weiser was a victim of assault and endured what university president Gregory L. Fenves described as "unthinkable brutality."

[...]

The Medical Examiner ruled Weiser's death a homicide after performing an autopsy, Gay said, but did not elaborate on the nature of her death other than that she was assaulted. The identity of the suspect is not known at this time.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/body-ut-austin-student-found-creek-identified-fine/story?id=38188781

The Austin Police Department announced they were taking over the investigation Wednesday. After seeing the body Tuesday, UT police said they suspected it was a homicide. It's a conclusion that's leaving students with even more questions about their safety.

http://www.kvue.com/news/local/ut-austin-student-death-what-we-know-so-far/122968911
 
Thank you for those linked references. I'm working with only my cell phone,( as my laptop has gone to the Big Blue Empty in the sky!).

Yes. "Unthinkable brutality". I suppose anyone assaulted and killed could be said to have endured unthinkable brutality. I just recall getting the sense that there was something extraordinary brutal involved, I can't quite recall what left that impression. But perhaps it was just that statement you quoted combined with the mystery object, that left me with that impression. I would be happy to be wrong about that!
 
Safeguard said:
Thank you for those linked references. I'm working with only my cell phone,( as my laptop has gone to the Big Blue Empty in the sky!).

Yes. "Unthinkable brutality". I suppose anyone assaulted and killed could be said to have endured unthinkable brutality. I just recall getting the sense that there was something extraordinary brutal involved, I can't quite recall what left that impression. But perhaps it was just that statement you quoted combined with the mystery object, that left me with that impression. I would be happy to be wrong about that!
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I did as well "unthinkable brutality." I believe more will be revealed when it goes to trial.
 
x_files said:
I did as well "unthinkable brutality." I believe more will be revealed when it goes to trial.
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The brutality that may or may not have involved a " shiny, rigid object " might have played a direct role in the sexual assault, imo, speculation.
 
dotr said:
The brutality that may or may not have involved a " shiny, rigid object " might have played a direct role in the sexual assault, imo, speculation.
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Well. That was a horrific visual. Never, for one second, did the thought of that enter my mind. Interesting how word association might lead one person, to a totally different place, from someone else... I suppose the fact that the report of sexual assault, was a long time time coming, relatively speaking, makes me feel that DNA evidence was what lead to that particular assertion. If, This lovely child of God, had been sexualy assaulted with an "object", I would think that it would have been more readily apparent.
(Oh my God, I feel like crying right now!)
 
So from the affidavit we have seen many MSM stories and various blogs, etc. grow from it that characterize the suspect as yankin out some thingy from his pocket, as anything from a shiny metal knife to a hammer to what ever else.

Getting back to the source, the affidavit;
http://portlandtribune.com/documents/artdocs/00003543221936.pdf

"As the suspect returned to the location on his bike, the figure of a female dressed in all black
and looking at her cell phone could be seen walking toward the alumni center. As the figure
passed the suspect and continues toward the bridge, the suspect watched her, puts the
kickstand down on the bike, reaches into the back of his pants with his left hand and pulled
out what appeared to be a shiny rigid object."

The wording here is included in an official court document. It will be entered into evidence in any and every proceeding regarding this case whether civil or criminal from the day the affiant decided to proceed with his intent until all appeals, law suits, academic analyses, and etc. are exhausted. That, IMO is the way to approach an affidavit. These words will be taken apart and analyzed, especially by the defense in order to at least introduce reasonable doubt.

The words "reaches into the back of his pants with his left hand and pulled out what appeared to be a shiny rigid object" are specific and important in that it is vague in it's description and likely specific to the evidence, LOL

IMO that is because if they simply said he pulled out a knife the defense can then say that the video doesn't show that clearly. True enough. We have not seen that part AFAIK.

So why would the LE officer say that?

Because, previous to seeing the video we read in the affidavit ;

"On Tuesday the 5th day of April 2016 at approximately 9:45am, UTPD Police began to canvass
the area Haruka Weiser was known to walk... . While searching the area they found the remains of
a young female with obvious signs of trauma to her body."

So seeing the video AFTER they had found the body with Obvious Signs of Trauma, they saw what appeared to be a knife when he reached into his pocket. So they were careful to not say that owing to the quality of the vid, I assume.
Maybe he took out a pen and paper to try and get her number.
She wasn't written on ladies and gentlemen.
The pictures you have seen have shown the obvious... Ugh.

My only point is that here is a link to what the affidavit says. How we got to a hammer and other things is beyond me but the reason that it is vague is very clear, LOL. And how the news reporters just hate to type what I just typed when you cannot cut and paste causes them to just adjust. I guess.

So if there is any flaw in the above typing I apologize. I had to do it hunt and peck, LOL.

Mostly MOO
 
A shiny rigid object could be many things. Of course the first thing I thought of was a knife. Could be a flashlight. Could be a wrench as someone mentioned above, or a screwdriver. Could be an aluminum water bottle for all we know. Or a pop can. I suppose a hammer is possible but a hammer in his back pocket while riding a bike doesn't seem comfortable. A knife back there doesn't seem safe, either. Even a cell phone could be a shiny rigid object.

It's entirely possible the shiny object had nothing to do with what actually happened, but it is useful for law enforcement because it casts suspicion on his activities.
 
Funeral held for slain University of Texas student
BEAVERTON, OR -- The family of a slain 18-year-old University of Texas student urged mourners at a funeral on Saturday to remember the young woman's joyful life, not just the way it ended.

Haruka Weiser's 16-year-old brother Noboru spoke on behalf of the family during the funeral in Beaverton, Oregon, recalling sleepovers, good-natured teasing and other moments from their childhood.
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http://abc13.com/news/funeral-held-for-slain-ut-student/1306152/
 
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