MI MI - Julia Niswender, 23, EMU student, Ypsilanti, 10 Dec 2012 - #6

[Trojan1966]

The press conference being held today at Kim's house should be very interesting. It will be covered by TV news and other media.

 

[Skigirl]

Interesting new info at the link above. New to me, anyway. About a man on video pacing around her apartment. They say that police lost the film but this article does show a clip, so I’m confused as usual. Lol.
Today marks ten years since beautiful Julia was taken from this world. A very bright light snuffed out far too early.
Cmon LE. Let’s get this solved!

Police LOST THE FILM? What on earth?

 

[black_squirrel]

Ypsilanti family wants justice in Eastern Michigan student’s murder as 10-year-anniversary approaches

A Ypsilanti family is going a decade without justice in the brutal murder of an Eastern Michigan University student, and they want answers.

www.clickondetroit.com

Yuhas said there is some DNA on file in the case but that, as of right now, there's no possible match in the system. He said there was surveillance video of a possible suspect taken around 5:30 in the morning.

"We did see an individual pacing back and forth in front of the office," Yuhas said. "And to this day, we don't know for a fact whether this individual was involved or not involved, but a lot of the stars lined up."

Unfortunately, when police went to obtain a copy of the video from the apartment building, it had been recorded over.

This is definitively new information to me. Ypsi Police really messed up here by losing a crucial piece of evidence. I believe the perpetrator tried to clean up the crime scene. He took the key and may have gone go back and forth between Julia's apartment and a car or other apartment to get cleaning supplies and remove evidence from the scene. It would be interesting to know if the individual on video was carrying anything. This would be one explanation of the pacing back and forth.

 

[black_squirrel]

In this picture you can see Julia's appartment on the left and what I think would be the entrance to the main office where the camera would have been on the right. They are pretty close.

 

[rosesfromangels]

This is definitively new information to me. Ypsi Police really messed up here by losing a crucial piece of evidence. I believe the perpetrator tried to clean up the crime scene. He took the key and may have gone go back and forth between Julia's apartment and a car or other apartment to get cleaning supplies and remove evidence from the scene. It would be interesting to know if the individual on video was carrying anything. This would be one explanation of the pacing back and forth.

First, my thoughts are with this family. Can you imagine the turmoil, anguish, and pain they have experienced over this T-E-N year period?! Unfathomable.

With due respect to the retired detective, a possible suspect pacing back and forth in the open risking detection, doesn't line up with the ninja arrival and disappearance of the Perp. I'm respectfully skeptical of this pacing POI theory. Doesn't add up.

My amateur analysis is that this is someone Julia knew well; they had a reason to silence her, and they knew how to cover their tracks....expertly. This was not some random mad man. This is someone who has knowledge and expertise beyond the general public.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[DazednConfuzed09]

itively new information to me. Ypsi Police really messed up here by losing a crucial piece of evidence. I believe the perpetrator tried to clean up the crime scene. He took the key and may have gone go back and forth between Julia's apartment and a car or other apartment to get cleaning supplies and remove evidence from the scene. It would be interesting to know if the individual on video was carrying anything. This would be one explanation of the pacing back and forth.

It's time for the truth to come out. It's been far too long!
Retired Detective Yuhas was the original lead detective who has insights to all of it. I'm glad he is able to speak now.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

The press conference being held today at Kim's house should be very interesting. It will be covered by TV news and other media.

What time is the press conference?

 

[rosesfromangels]

A “teaser” for the longer report coming later this evening:

 

[rosesfromangels]

A bit more. Well done report, and the family came across compelling and professional. Kudos to the family for being so strong under such tragic circumstances. The photos of the twin girls was so sad, but a beautiful reminder of their love for one another. : (

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

Another news clip. I think it’s wonderful that Julia’s little sister is raising money for the animal shelter to honor Julia.

 

[Trojan1966]

Below are the links I have found:

Dec 9th WXYZ-TV Detroit

Family of slain EMU student Julia Niswender hopes MSP will investigate cold case

Dec 9th Channel 4 Click on Detroit

Ypsilanti family wants justice in Eastern Michigan student’s murder as 10-year-anniversary approaches

Dec 10th FOX 2 Detroit

Family wants State police to take over cold case killing of 23-year-old EMU student

Dec 10th Channel 4 Click on Detroit

Family decorates grave on 10th anniversary of Eastern Michigan student’s murder, hopes for new leads

Dec 11th Detroit Free Press

Family mourns Julia Niswender 10 years after killing, seeks justice

Many ABC stations across the country did broadcast Julia’s story as told on WXYZ-TV from Detroit. There are also many You Tube videos of the above news articles.

 

[rosesfromangels]

It’s encouraging that Julia’s case got so much coverage. However, it will all be for nothing unless Michigan law enforcement takes a more vigorous approach in leveraging the advancements in DNA testing.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Richard]

10 years ago...


Julia Niswender, 23
Her 10 December 2012 murder remains unsolved

 

[Nina Michigan]

It’s encouraging that Julia’s case got so much coverage. However, it will all be for nothing unless Michigan law enforcement takes a more vigorous approach in leveraging the advancements in DNA testing.

Amateur opinion and speculation

If specifically, Ypsilanti PD takes a more vigorous approach. There is no other "Michigan law enforcement" involved.

 

[rosesfromangels]

If specifically, Ypsilanti PD takes a more vigorous approach. There is no other "Michigan law enforcement" involved.

And that, is the crux of the problem.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Trojan1966]

After a weekend full of activities and various interviews, I have heard through the grapevine that the Michigan State Police will not take on the investigation. They currently are working over 60 cold cases right now! Our efforts now must be to get YPD to work with any of the cold case organizations I have contacted in the past and hope they are not too busy to work on Julia's case. I suggested this action years ago, but the Chief of Police didn't want to hear it. He has since resigned in August, so now there is an interim Chief who may prove to be more receptive to this. YPD is under manned and from various articles, their moral is very low. This may be an opportunity for the interim Chief to get something off his plate so to speak. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Trojan1966]

In this picture you can see Julia's appartment on the left and what I think would be the entrance to the main office where the camera would have been on the right. They are pretty close.

In that picture, Julia's apartment would have been to the very far left, left of that hallway. You can't actually see her bedroom window in that picture. In the below picture, Julia's bedroom window was the one under the light that is mounted to the building.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[Richard]

Family mourns Julia Niswender 10 years after killing, seeks justice...​

LINK:

MSN

www.msn.com

​

 

[black_squirrel]

Family mourns Julia Niswender 10 years after killing, seeks justice...​

LINK:

MSN

www.msn.com

​

The killer exhibited signs of a serial killer, Kim Turnquist said. The family previously thought the killing was conducted quickly, but now believe the killer spent hours with Niswender before she died.

Yuhas told the family that Ypsilanti police had accessed video footage of a Black male pacing outside Julia Niswender's Peninsular Place apartment, however the footage was later deleted, Kim Turnquist said.

There are signs this may be a a serial killer. There is a specific Modus Operandi:
*Binding the victim
*Rape/Torture
*Spending a signficant amount of time with the victim
*Cleaning the Crime Scene/Removing Evidence (although this killer was sloppy and DNA evidence was found, gloves were
- perhaps accidentally - left behind)
* Home Invasion
*Strangulation/Drowning

Suppose this killer has done similar crimes before and/or after. Can we match the MO with other crimes? We know there is no match for the DNA. This probably means that there is no match with anyone convicted of a Felony (at least recently) in the USA matches the profile. There is probably also no match with any other (solved or unsolved) crime in the USA where there was DNA found. I still wonder:

Does anyone know any unsolved murders or sexual assaults with a similar MO?
This could be crimes without DNA evidence in the US, or possibly solved or unsolved crimes outside the US.

I have looked at some well-known killers, and various cases here at websleuths. There aren't really many crimes that closely match an MO as described above. For example, many serial killers kidnap their victims, or seek vulnurable victims such as sex-workers, use knives to kill their victims, dispose the bodies at remote locations or bury them and so forth.

Actually, one murder that matches the MO somewhat is the murder of Laura Dickinson, also at Eastern Michigan University (home invasion, sexual assault, strangulation) nearly 6 years before Julia's murder. But I think Laura's murder seems less planned. It was also in December when some students already left campus.

 

[rosesfromangels]

There are signs this may be a a serial killer. There is a specific Modus Operandi:
*Binding the victim
*Rape/Torture
*Spending a signficant amount of time with the victim
*Cleaning the Crime Scene/Removing Evidence (although this killer was sloppy and DNA evidence was found, gloves were
- perhaps accidentally - left behind)
* Home Invasion
*Strangulation/Drowning

Suppose this killer has done similar crimes before and/or after. Can we match the MO with other crimes? We know there is no match for the DNA. This probably means that there is no match with anyone convicted of a Felony (at least recently) in the USA matches the profile. There is probably also no match with any other (solved or unsolved) crime in the USA where there was DNA found. I still wonder:

Does anyone know any unsolved murders or sexual assaults with a similar MO?
This could be crimes without DNA evidence in the US, or possibly solved or unsolved crimes outside the US.

I have looked at some well-known killers, and various cases here at websleuths. There aren't really many crimes that closely match an MO as described above. For example, many serial killers kidnap their victims, or seek vulnurable victims such as sex-workers, use knives to kill their victims, dispose the bodies at remote locations or bury them and so forth.

Actually, one murder that matches the MO somewhat is the murder of Laura Dickinson, also at Eastern Michigan University (home invasion, sexual assault, strangulation) nearly 6 years before Julia's murder. But I think Laura's murder seems less planned. It was also in December when some students already left campus.

This one caught my eye

‘Vengeful,' ‘Sadistic' Killer Leaves Woman's Body in Delaware County Apartment Bathtub: Police

Police in Delaware County searched for clues after a woman was found killed inside a bathtub Wednesday night.

www.nbcphiladelphia.com

Amateur opinion and speculation