MI MI - Julia Niswender, 23, EMU student, Ypsilanti, 10 Dec 2012 - #1

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Officials confirmed Friday that Eastern Michigan University student Julia Niswender was asphyxiated and then placed into the bathtub where she drowned last December in her off-campus apartment in Ypsilanti.

"We do know she was asphyxiated prior to being placed in the tub," said Ypsilanti Detective Joe Yuhas.

Yuhas said police believe Niswender was still alive at that point, but are uncertain if she was unconscious.

"She was not deceased (beforehand,") Yuhas said. "It's never been determined (if she was unconscious.) But, she was definitely asphyxiated and then drowned."
Click to expand...

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


she was strangled first and then drowned
 
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.

At this point, investigators are still trying to determine how she was asphyxiated.

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

Police have said Niswender was in an "unnatural position" when found, but Yuhas declined to elaborate on that.

"In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, we really want to keep some of those details to ourselves," Yuhas said.
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http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/julia_niswender.html
 
much more at link!

Investigators have said Niswender's room was found in a "disarray," but have yet to release further details, aside from the fact that items of a significant value were still left in the room. Turnquist said there were still-wrapped Christmas presents in her daughter's room.

Yuhas said police do not believe robbery was the motive.

Turnquist said Wednesday that she is in possession of Julia's purse, which was untouched, and still has all of her credit cards and identification inside.

Investigators declined to say whether Niswender's keys were in the room. Yuhas said at a Thursday press conference that the bedroom door was locked from the inside, but her bathroom door was unlocked.

To date, Yuhas said more than 100 people have been interviewed and "numerous" search warrants have been executed.
Click to expand...
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/julia_niswender.html
 
nursebeeme said:
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/julia_niswender.html


she was strangled first and then drowned
Click to expand...

I don't believe that they said she was "strangled"... Asphyxiation encompasses multiple scenarios. If she were strangled hard enough there would be bruising around her neck right? I believe originally, LE indicated that there was no outward physical trauma to Julia's body.... Unless they are keeping those details to themselves...I am guessing that this could possibly be a plastic bag over the head type of scenario. I wonder if whomever did this knew she was still alive before placing her in the bathtub? Or, if they thought she was already dead? I have so many more questions now... I still feel like a girl did this. Especially if Julia was not fully submerged in the bathtub...if it was just her face and torso. I say this because I am guessing a girl would not be able to lift her. Thoughts?
 
justnosey said:
I don't believe that they said she was "strangled"... Asphyxiation encompasses multiple scenarios. If she were strangled hard enough there would be bruising around her neck right? I believe originally, LE indicated that there was no outward physical trauma to Julia's body.... Unless they are keeping those details to themselves...I am guessing that this could possibly be a plastic bag over the head type of scenario. I wonder if whomever did this knew she was still alive before placing her in the bathtub? Or, if they thought she was already dead? I have so many more questions now... I still feel like a girl did this. Especially if Julia was not fully submerged in the bathtub...if it was just her face and torso. I say this because I am guessing a girl would not be able to lift her. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

When they said "unnatural position" I wondered if it was positional asphyxia. Possibly whoever was with her panicked and filled the bath hoping to make it look like she drowned, not realising she was still alive. Or they realised she was alive and needed there to be no marks on her body.

Poor Julia. I really hope there's a break in this case soon.
 
The above article has two new pieces of information that stand out to me:

1. Julia's Dad Jim says, "However she was suffocated, she was suffocated in a position where she couldn't fight."

2. Julia's Mom says, "From what we know, this was probably planned and a very personal attack," Kim said. "It's very disturbing and sickening."
 
I too believe that something was over her face/mouth and that she was not strangled.

I am a firm believer that this was a planned "attack" that went terribly wrong - not that any attack is good. But I do not believe they went in wanting to kill her.
 
Hi All,
Well, today is the first Thanksgiving the family will spend without Julia. There may have been some progress on the investigation, but no suspect(s) have been arrested. I hope and pray that this case will be resolved soon. The family needs to have some answers to their questions to have final "closure" - if there can ever be such a thing. She will always be on my mind and constantly in my prayers for her and her family. JUSTICE FOR JULIA ! !
 
Eastern Michigan University student shot in off-campus apartment

Destinee Leapheart expected to be OK after being hit by single bullet

Author: Charles Jackson

Published On: Dec 03 2013 04:30:15 AM EST Updated On: Dec 03 2013 08:46:59 AM EST

YPSILANTI, Mich. -
An Eastern Michigan University student was shot Tuesday morning while she was in her off-campus apartment.

Destinee Leapheart, 20, was sleeping when she was shot in her left arm by a single bullet that came through a wall just before 2 a.m. at the Peninsular Place apartments...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...ampus/-/1719418/23256956/-/tcupr/-/index.html

I doubt that there is any relation between Julia's death and this incident, but the shooting took place in the same off-campus apartment complex at EMU.
 
December 9, 2013 at 7:00 am

2 vigils to mark anniversary of EMU student death

Associated Press

Ypsilanti — Candlelight vigils are planned for a 23-year-old Eastern Michigan University student whose bathtub drowning last December was ruled a homicide.

Family of Julia Niswender plans the first Monday evening. Participants plan to meet at the lakehouse on the school’s Ypsilanti campus...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131209/METRO06/312090043#ixzz2mzGwzR8j


2 vigils planned for Eastern Michigan University student

Julia Niswender's 2012 bathtub drowning ruled homicide

Published On: Dec 05 2013 10:37:36 AM EST Updated On: Dec 09 2013 04:16:44 AM EST

YPSILANTI, Mich. -
Candlelight vigils are planned for a 23-year-old Eastern Michigan University student whose bathtub drowning last December was ruled a homicide.

In a statement, the family of Julia Niswender said the first is planned for Monday on the school's Ypsilanti campus...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...dent/-/1719418/23301024/-/ulp09s/-/index.html
 
several cases in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have been "solved" lately, but still nothing that seems closer to solving Julia's murder. My heart aches for her family.
 
Off-campus EMU housing fair sees more safety focus

Off-campus housing fair for E. Michigan students gets revamped with attention on safety

Author: Lisa Ray, Managing Editor, ClickOnDetroit.com, lray@wdiv.com

Published On: Jan 09 2014 08:39:52 AM EST

YPSILANTI, Mich. -
An off-campus housing fair for Eastern Michigan University students is being revamped will additional attention to safety.

The Ann Arbor News reports student government is taking over the Ypsilanti school's annual off-campus housing fair, which was previously run by an area marketing business...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...focus/-/1719418/23845300/-/batb6/-/index.html
 
Eastern Michigan University student attacked, robbed near campus

Student hit in head, has wallet stolen near Congress, Summit streets

Author: Halston Herrera, Senior News Editor for ClickOnDetroit.com, @ClickOnHalston, hherrera@wdiv.com

Published On: Jan 22 2014 07:05:22 AM EST Updated On: Jan 22 2014 07:05:49 AM EST

YPSILANTI, Mich. -
An Eastern Michigan University student was attacked and robbed off campus Tuesday night while getting into his car.

Ypsilanti police said the student was in the 700 block of Congress Street near Summit Street when four men approached him.

Two of the men were armed with semi-automatic handguns...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...pus/-/1719418/24049234/-/nw2ka8z/-/index.html
 
I pray for Julia and her family each and every day. I hope this crime does not go unsolved. It has been 15 months and still no firm results or arrests. I also noticed that "interest" in this case has been fading on this forum too. The family needs some explanation before they can truly have final closure.
 
I often find myself thinking of Julia and wanting to know how this happened. I ache for her family's pain and sadness. My interest has not faded. There just hasn't been new info to share.

Holding JN in our hearts and prayers.
 
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