MI MI - Julia Niswender, 23, EMU student, Ypsilanti, 10 Dec 2012 - #2

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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Media Thread

Thread #1

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

[video=youtu;TvGD4RAFIqQ]http://youtu.be/TvGD4RAFIqQ[/video]

:justice: for Julia!

Glad to have you contribute, Bessie. (I always get a smile from your avatar and name :smile: )

I had forgotten about the fainting disorder. But that doesn't explain the asphyxiation. If she fainted and then was drowned, I think that could be known by an autopsy, right?

Oh - that is interesting, Bessie.

To me, this reads that there were obvious signs of homicidal violence. Like maybe a broken hyoid bone. Plus, as I think you are inferring, if vasovagal syncope were involved (which is possible in a hot bath if she became hypotensive), the COD would be drowning. (source: me - nurse practitioner and vasovagal syncope have-er).

Obviously, the killer is not a WSer - we know this stuff!

That is a beautiful tribute video, tarabull. Just what I needed tonight. I will be able to go to bed with happy faces from Julia. Racing thoughts have plagued me too much today.

If anyone knows, where is Julia's real father now? Has he passed, or was he still in her life in any way? I have never read of him or how he feels about losing a daughter.

FWIW

Under Mechanism of Injury

Snipped...

...Fracture of the hyoid is typically associated with strangulation. Traumatic cases do exist in the literature and include mechanisms such as blunt trauma, hyperextension, gunshot, motor vehicle accidents, induced vomiting, cervical trauma, and one case involving a headlock. Based on this information, striking and choking techniques commonly employed in martial arts provide potential mechanisms for hyoid bone fractures.

Click to expand...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501913/

tarabull said:

FWIW

Under Mechanism of Injury

Snipped...


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501913/

Click to expand...

"techniques employed in martial arts" :thinking:

Spellbound said:

Glad to have you contribute, Bessie. (I always get a smile from your avatar and name :smile: )

I had forgotten about the fainting disorder. But that doesn't explain the asphyxiation. If she fainted and then was drowned, I think that could be known by an autopsy, right?

Click to expand...

Thanks.

According to the article VS was "absolutely" ruled out.

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...

To answer annemc2, I don't believe the hyoid bone was broken. That would have been a huge clue that she was strangled, as would signs of bruising, or broken fingernails, skin under the nails, or other physical signs that she struggled with an attacker. Yet, again according to the article I linked, they don't know how she was asphyxiated and there is no mention of strangulation. They also don't know if she was unconscious or not when she was placed under the water, but she was still alive.

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.

Click to expand...

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

Could she have passed out from her medical condition for a brief time, only to have the person who took her life, strangle her quickly - not needing to use as much force b/c she was already incapacitated... & then place her in the bathtub to make it look as if she had drowned?

I'm sorry for typing all of those graphic details. I'm PRAYING justice for Julia is found SWIFTLY! She deserves it so very much!! [emoji120][emoji120][emoji120]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tarabull said:

FWIW

Under Mechanism of Injury

Snipped...


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501913/

Click to expand...

Spellbound said:

"techniques employed in martial arts"

Click to expand...

If the hyoid bone was broken I'm fairly certain cause of death would not have been "asphyxiation associated with drowning", and there would be no question of how she was "asphyxiated". However, is there a technique which paralyzes the airway?

ETA: http://ymaa.com/articles/use-neck-cranks-or-chokes-to-fight-an-adversary

http://breakingmuscle.com/martial-a...choke-or-what-happens-when-you-get-choked-out

bessie said:

If the hyoid bone was broken cause of death would not have been drowning, and there would be no question of how she was "asphyxiated". However, is there a technique which paralyzes the airway?

Click to expand...

Quincy and Gil Grissom (csi vegas) couldn't have said it better themselves. Jmo

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

Oh, I "*advertiser censored*"umed that this meant that they didn't know what she was strangled with. The way you guys are thinking is veeery interesting. I didn't even get that deep.

Said by Julia's mom Kim on July 26 2014

“When they do find Julia’s person, I won’t settle for anything,” she said. “You take a life, you need to go away for life."

Click to expand...

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/07/post_21.html

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...

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

The last person to have seen her alive from her family was her sister who met her at a Blimpe's for lunch on the 9th.

From the same link, bessie, and I thank you too, as I'm with Spellbound in how one's mind races on this. As you surmise, if made to look accidental and nothing was taken, having left the room in "disarray," whomever took the time to leave her body in an "unnatural position" may have taken the time to look for something, but not have had time to clean up the mess.

Police were notified "after a suite-mate reported not having seen her for several days." on the 11th

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/12/12/student-found-dead-near-eastern-michigan-university/

"The aspiring broadcaster was also working at Walmart and didn't show up to her company Christmas party Tuesday night."

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

This same links states that Julia and Jennifer worked at a tanning-salon together. I guess she wasn't expected at work there.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsila...e/?cmpid=mlive-@aa-river#incart_river_default

The decedents online activities and cell records/pings should be examined closely against those of the POI. Further, if there are any street cameras en route or near her place of residence, of course that would be very valuable. It's amazing how LE can put together a timeline and storyboard when they assemble all these pieces.

Does anyone know if, aside from martial arts training, does the POI have a military background? And if so, what was their specialty?

I guess I'm on a posting roll tonight!
I am hoping that LE is carefully looking at the POI's social media presence to determine if their is any link to friends who would be affiliated with, or attended the Pick Axe Preacher Halloween party where Chelsea Bruck disappeared...

FindHG said:

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

The last person to have seen her alive from her family was her sister who met her at a Blimpe's for lunch on the 9th.

From the same link, bessie, and I thank you too, as I'm with Spellbound in how one's mind races on this. As you surmise, if made to look accidental and nothing was taken, having left the room in "disarray," whomever took the time to leave her body in an "unnatural position" may have taken the time to look for something, but not have had time to clean up the mess.

Police were notified "after a suite-mate reported not having seen her for several days." on the 11th

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/12/12/student-found-dead-near-eastern-michigan-university/

"The aspiring broadcaster was also working at Walmart and didn't show up to her company Christmas party Tuesday night."

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

This same links states that Julia and Jennifer worked at a tanning-salon together. I guess she wasn't expected at work there.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsila...e/?cmpid=mlive-@aa-river#incart_river_default

Click to expand...

I don't put much into the apartment being in disarray because for a 19-year-old college student that's not unusual. Perhaps it was for Julia. I don't know, but disarray is a relative term. Was furniture knocked over? Drawers pulled open? Broken objects on the floor? Or do they mean clothes were strewn about and used dishes were left out on the counters? In other words, did the condition of the apartment indicate a struggle, a frantic search, or was it simply unkempt?

As for the body being in an "unnatural position", that's another vague term that I tend to disregard because it tells me nothing. Do they mean it was intentional, or the result of the body being in water for an extended period of time?