MI - Julia Niswender, 23, Ypsilanti, Dec 2012 **MEDIA THREAD**NO DISCUSSION

nursebeeme

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(this is my neck of the woods and I have family that works at the university)

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/20323503/police-emu-student-found-dead-in-off-campus-apartment

Police reportedly responded to the apartment at about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday. Ypsilanti police were still investigating at the scene about 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, EMU spokesman Walter Kraft said in a statement emailed to the campus community. EMU police are working closely with Ypsilanti police on the investigation, he said.

EMU sent out a crime alert due to the proximity to campus.
http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/death-of-emu-student-under-investigation/

"The Ypsilanti Police Department has just informed us that the off-campus death of the female student reported overnight is being investigated as an apparent homicide," says a notice to students at 8:26 a.m. today. "The cause of death has not been determined. No information on a possible suspect has been determined."
http://www.freep.com/article/201212...off-campus?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
 
Police ID EMU student found dead in off-campus apartment

Police say victim was found Tuesday night at Peninsular Place Apartments


Published On: Dec 12 2012 04:04:38 AM EST Updated On: Dec 12 2012 08:27:02 AM EST

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...ment/-/1719418/17744242/-/tvrg6o/-/index.html


December 12, 2012 at 9:05 am

Authorities identify EMU student in possible off-campus homicide

By Tom Greenwood and Tony Briscoe
The Detroit News

Ypsilanti — An Eastern Michigan University student found dead in her off-campus apartment has been identified as 23-year-old Julia Catherine Niswender.

Ypsilanti police said Niswender's death is being investigated as a homicide.

The cause of death has not been determined. No information on possible suspects is being released.

The incident, which occurred at the Peninsular Place Apartments in the 1000 block of Huron River Drive, is being handled by the Ypsilanti Police Department while working in conjunction with the EMU Police Department...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121212/METRO/212120374#ixzz2EqoYYXdL


Student Found Dead Near Eastern Michigan University

December 12, 2012 6:56 AM

Reporting Ron Dewey

YPSILANTI (WWJ) - An investigation is underway in Washtenaw County after the body of a college student was found near Eastern Michigan University.

Police say 23-year-old Julia Catherine Niswender was found dead around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday at Peninsular Place Apartments on Huron River Drive, just north of the school’s campus in Ypsilanti...

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/12/12/student-found-dead-near-eastern-michigan-university/
 
The family of Eastern Michigan University student and Monroe resident Julia Niswender, who was found dead in her Ypsilanti apartment in what police are calling a homicide, is devastated at the loss and waiting for answers.

#Family friend Jacob McLaughlin, who graduated with Julia and her twin sister Jennifer from Monroe High School in 2008, said Ypsilanti police have not released any details so far.

#“We don’t have any kind of answers,” Mr. McLaughlin said.

#
http://www.monroenews.com/news/2012/dec/12/monroe-student-found-dead-apartment//?news


http://monroenews.media.clients.ell....jpg?b3f6a5d7692ccc373d56e40cf708e3fa67d9af9d
 
The Peninsular Place apartments were quiet Wednesday morning, with a few EMU students making their way to class down Leforge Road toward campus, peering at the TV news truck parked in the entryway of the complex.

Niswender’s first-floor apartment had decorative candy canes hung from the door. A friend wrote a note on a blue advertisement, reading simply “RIP = ? Love you, Julia.”

Neighbors living in the same section of the complex as Niswender declined to speak to AnnArbor.com when they answered their doors Wednesday morning.

Nikki Jackson lives in an apartment near the block of apartments where Niswender died Tuesday. Jackson said she returned home at 8 p.m. and nothing was out of the ordinary. About 9:30 p.m., there were suddenly police cars outside her window.

Jackson said she didn’t go near the area of Niswender’s apartment because police had the area blocked off.

“They weren’t letting people in that section and the people who parked there had to walk around so they wouldn’t come close to the area,” she said.

Jackson said a van came, seemingly from the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office Wednesday. Two amublances from the Huron Valley Ambulance service were sent to the scene as well, spokeswoman Joyce Williams said. However, Niswender was pronounced dead at the scene upon their arrival.

“There was nothing we could do,” Williams said.
http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/...e/?cmpid=mlive-@aa-river#incart_river_default
 
EMU community mourns

EMU professor Megan Gore said Niswender was one of her "favorite" students. Niswender was studying communications at EMU. She's a 2008 graduate of Monroe High School and attended Monroe Community College.

"She was passionate about her studies in electronic media," Gore said. "She strove to do her best no matter what the assignment was. Several weeks ago she took a trip to New York with our electronic media program and was so excited to share with me her experiences."

Gore said Niswender often shared her career aspirations.

"She always had a smile on her face and loved to laugh in class, making the classroom environment very special for everyone," Gore said. "I am devastated by her loss as I know her classmates are as well."

EMU student Adrienne Ayers was in an audio production class with Niswender that was taught by Gore.

“We worked together on an audio project for class and she was in my group,” Ayers said. “Every time I came to class Julia was always happy and she was always nice to me. She was funny and always made me laugh. Her personality was the kind that would make you want to be friends with her.”I never saw Julia upset or anything and she was a true sweetheart."
http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/emu-student-death/?cmpid=mlive-@aa-river
 
Eastern Michigan University officials will hold a campus safety forum at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Center Auditorium after the death of Julia Niswender Tuesday.

EMU spokesman Walter Kraft said the meeting is another part of the university’s efforts to keep the community up to date on Niswender’s death. The Ypsilanti Police Department said Niswender was found dead of an apparent homicide in her Peninsular Place apartment Tuesday night.
http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/...owing-death-of-student/?cmpid=mlive-@aa-river

Kraft emphasized the university would only be able to release information approved by Ypsilanti police investigators. University officials have set up a dedicated web page to provide updates on Niswender's death.

EMU Police Chief Bob Heighes and university President Susan Martin are expected to address the community at the forum. Kraft said they will be going over safety tips for students and other university community members to make sure everyone takes proper precautions.

“This is an important reminder at a time like this that there are things students and faculty members can do to protect themselves,” he said.

The public statements from the university and meeting with students are a marked contrast from the way the university handled an investigation into the death of student Laura Dickinson almost exactly six years ago.

much more at link

dedicated website for updates:
http://www.emich.edu/investigation/
 
The public statements from the university and meeting with students are a marked contrast from the way the university handled an investigation into the death of student Laura Dickinson almost exactly six years ago.

Dickinson’s body was discovered in her dorm room in December 2006 nude from the waist down, with evidence of a sexual assault. Despite that, officials did not warn EMU students that Dickinson was murdered until they arrested Orange Taylor III for the crime two months later. Taylor was eventually convicted of the crime.

The failure to inform students was a violation of the federal Cleary Act. The federal government issued a $350,000 fine against the university. Three top administrators, including university President John Fallon and Public Safety Director Cindy Hall, lost their jobs in the ensuing fallout.
http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/...owing-death-of-student/?cmpid=mlive-@aa-river
 
Message from President Susan Martin: Today's tragic news saddens EMU community; campus safety forum today at 4 p.m.

Our understanding is that police were called to Julia's apartment after a suitemate reported not having seen her for several days. The Ypsilanti Police Department is continuing to investigate the case. The EMU Police Department is working closely with Ypsilanti Police and we will report additional information as we obtain it, and as events may warrant.

http://www.emich.edu/univcomm/releases/release.php?id=1355342262
 
https://twitter.com/kfeldscheraacom
(paraphrasing)
A reporter from annarbor.com states via twitter that Det. Eberts confirms that she was found in her bedroom, she had two suitemates one of which called police after she hadn't been seen for days :(
 
EMU community asks for answers following student's death

Eastern Michigan University community members didn’t get many of the answers they’d hoped to get at a campus safety meeting Wednesday following the apparent homicide of Julia Niswender.

University officials organized the meeting in the EMU Student Center’s auditorium Wednesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after Niswender was found dead in her apartment. According to police, she hadn’t been seen for several days before one of her suitemates asked officers check on her at 9:30 pm. Tuesday.

Much more in link
http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/emu-community-asks-for-answers-following-students-death/
 
Niswender’s roommate called police because she had not seen or heard from her in a few days. They lived in the Peninsular Apartments just north of campus. The way the apartments are set up inside, students tell 7 Action News, that it is possible not to know if your roommate is inside their room or not and not see them for a few days.

“They share a living room and a dining room and their own bedroom. Some have their own bathroom. Some share a bathroom,” said Bernoris Carter. He said each bedroom has a lock with a key. “You get your own key and everything so you can lock it from the inside and the outside,” he said.

More in link
http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/washtenaw_county/eastern-michigan-university-student-found-dead-in-apartment
 
Ypsilanti police Detective Sgt. Thomas Eberts said police found evidence he called “suspicious” and led to “unanswered questions,” causing police to call Niswender’s death an apparent homicide. At the campus safety meeting Wednesday, EMU Police Chief Bob Heighes was tasked with explaining to the approximately 200 members of the community why he couldn’t release that information.
“This is an Ypsilanti police case, not an EMU Police case,” Heighes said. “We are assisting them wherever and whenever we can with information involving our student. A lot of things we don’t have information on because it’s not our case.”
http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/emu-community-asks-for-answers-following-students-death/
 

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