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

[SpanishInquisition]

The video where he is walking the bike is in front of the stadium along 23rd St.

What are you saying are the cross-streets that we see (San Jacinto, Robert Dedman, etc)?

 

[LonghornSpeakEasy]

http://http://tower.utexas.edu/2016/04/07/tower-darkens-to-honor-life-of-haruka-weiser/

The UT Austin Tower will be in the darkened configuration the night of Thursday, April 7, 2016 in honor of student Haruka Weiser. The Tower will darken after a community gathering on the East Mall to honor Weiser and her life.

 

[mrsu]

What are you saying are the cross-streets that we see (San Jacinto, Robert Dedman, etc)?

He walks in front of the bus stop area so San Jacinto is the road behind him on the left. He's heading east - away from campus.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

It's interesting, in the video, at the 18 second mark when he's walking the bike around in a circle it looks like he has something around his neck. Looks like a bandana to me. Something to hide his face during the attack?

Good catch!

 

[Cricket99]

Nancy Grace is all over this - before that it was on National News. Beautiful Girl. RIP Haruka :rose:

 

[Teche]

It's interesting, in the video, at the 18 second mark when he's walking the bike around in a circle it looks like he has something around his neck. Looks like a bandana to me. Something to hide his face during the attack?

It does look like a bandana or a scarf. I wonder if the bag he's toting belongs to the victim.

 

[tiffay01]

These rapes in the Austin Chronicle were nowhere near UT campus. My son will graduate from UT next month and has spent many hours on campus and has never had a bad experience, quite the contrary, he has really enjoyed and thrived in his classes/on campus.

Sorry I wasn't suggesting the campus and area aren't safe. Just that we had just been there and had such a great experience, it's just such a sad situation all around. My son is excited and may choose UT !

 

[Third Coast Gal]

And then I have seen on several comments via news articles that this is a well traveled area even at 10pm at night as there is a rec center right near by?

Yes, there is a huge campus gym complex that's open 24 hours very close and the biggest on-campus dorm probably 50 ft away. It's like a little secluded dark pocket amidst an area that is always busy. And speculation is that she disappeared (and was likely assaulted) between 9:30 and 11:30; on UT campus there are still many students coming and going at all hours.

 

[obscured]

It does look like a bandana or a scarf. I wonder if the bag he's toting belongs to the victim.

Very well could be. Dancers usually carry bags like that to class or rehearsals. In the first clip when he's seated on the bike, I don't see the duffel bag. It's only when he's walking the bike that I see him struggling with the extra bag, then he hangs it on the handlebar. Strange.

 

[mrsu]

If you look very closely at the video, it appears he has an enormous pack, he removes it from his shoulder and loops it over the right handlebar. It's so large he can't really walk close to the bike. I'm really concerned what's in that bag. It's hard to see.

It's REALLY weird. At one point you can clearly see it, then there's a blip and a clip in the video, and the pack is gone. It's not his backpack, it's a duffel large enough to carry a small adult.

I think towards the very end of the video it's on the other side of the bike. The street side. Very weird as you don't see him with the duffle on the first part of the video.

 

[mrsu]

I hope it's okay to post this. This must be something new Facebook is doing. It now says "remembering" above her name.

 

[Starry Night]

Yes, there is a huge campus gym complex that's open 24 hours very close and the biggest on-campus dorm probably 50 ft away. It's like a little secluded dark pocket amongst an area that is always busy. And speculation is that she disappeared (and was likely assaulted) between 9:30 and 11:30; on UT campus there are still many students coming and going at all hours.

Yes-that would be Gregory Gym (where Olympic athletes get their start sometimes) and Jester Hall-the huge dorm.

 

[Starry Night]

I am thinking the person of interest in the video is probably not a UT student? Wish we could enhance the video somehow.

His bike-riding "approach" also has me wondering if he is right or left-handed.

 

[jpo74]

why isnt he riding off on the bike? instead, he is walking the bike? :thinking:

 

[Starry Night]

If he was biking uphill with such heavy cargo and he is not used to it-then maybe he had to stop and catch his breath, distribute the load etc. Also-panic/adrenaline making him nervous and not try to draw attention with wobbling or falling off the bike. Pure conjecture on my part-whether or not he is the perp.

 

[lakshmi]

I hope seeing a guy with a girl's red or pink bike will spark someone's memory. That is an unusual combination that is a guy on a girl's bike, though on campuses where anything kind of goes it may not stand out as much as we all hope.

Many colleges have short cuts thru woods and they are often encouraged with boardwalks over water and nice bike paths so this is tragic in many ways. Her peaceful walk led her to horrific violence.

Haruki's poor parents must be in pain after they raised such a wonderful young woman.

I do though wish that Campus Police departments not lump ALL missing cases into one heap. This was very unusual in that she told someone she was heading back to the dorm and didn't make it. This wasn't a case of being at some party and sleeping it off somewhere. I know the outcome would have been the same but I believe she certainly would have been found sooner.

 

[lakshmi]

why isnt he riding off on the bike? instead, he is walking the bike? :thinking:

Flat tire?

 

[trigger]

I think towards the very end of the video it's on the other side of the bike. The street side. Very weird as you don't see him with the duffle on the first part of the video.

LE probably didn't give us all of the video. I'm sure they have more videos of him, hopefully- where he could have place the bag before the murder then picked it up after the murder.

 

[fhc]

The suspect was last seen a block away from the drama building. Police say he had been hanging around the area for several hours.

This would be obvious on video, jmo.

http://keyetv.com/news/local/apd-looking-for-suspect-caught-on-video-in-murder-of-haruka-weiser

 

[mrsu]

I believe that the video the police released is pieced together of separate videos. In the first part of the video I believe it's before the incident. It shows him loitering around an area with the bandana looking thing around his neck and backpack - possibly waiting for her. You can tell from the background that it is not in front of the stadium. Possibly on the west side of stadium. One article mentions he is caught several times on video in the area of the camera #1. This is where it's mentioned he is seen pushing a bike up hill - before the incident.

In the last part of the video he is shown on camera #2 around 11pm in front of the stadium. He is now walking the bike, no bandana, and has the duffel bag. My assumption is that the duffel bag was possibly Haruka's and he leaves with it.