It makes me wonder if it is the same man tho. The call for Zimmermann came in about 1:00 pm from her fiance when he found her. I would have to assume the perp would have blood on him and her description of him wearing a white T-shirt with no stain doesn't seem to be consistent with the stabbing of Zimmermann. LE could be right that he may have information. It could have been someone with him.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/280001
Police focus on transients in student's death
Madison police are focusing on the population of transients regularly in the Bassett neighborhood as part of their investigation into the death of a 21-year-old UW-Madison student whose body was found Wednesday in her apartment near campus.
"We've got people we are looking for," said Lt. Joe Balles.
While police have not determined a homeless person killed Brittany Sue Zimmermann in her first-floor apartment at 517 W. Doty St., Balles said, "You have to look at the environment this happened in."
"It's like a party down here. The transient people, we are arresting them every day," Balles said.
I don't think this guy was authorized to speak on behalf of the police. This is student housing areas in Madison. It's not a high crime area and if there are dangerous transients then the cops should have been doing more in the first place. They ESPECIALLY should have stepped up patrols when Marino was murdered.
Marino's killer sure looks like a student - with a Carhartt jacket I would be looking at the Ag frat.
This is starting to make me think of Danny Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper. Anyone else get that vibe? He was a transient, too.
Steve
I don't think this guy was authorized to speak on behalf of the police. This is student housing areas in Madison. It's not a high crime area and if there are dangerous transients then the cops should have been doing more in the first place. They ESPECIALLY should have stepped up patrols when Marino was murdered.
Did Rolling fit into the campus environment or stick out? B/c I believe that Nolan's killer had to fit into the campus environment or else the last guy she was seen with would not have allowed her to go with the other guy.
Marino's killer would have fit in - dressed as he was.
Yeah, but there are numerous homeless shelters within walking distance of Brittany's home, not to mention the Greyhound Station about 50 yards away. There's only so much police can do about that transient population. If you live downtown - in just about any city - you learn to deal with transients. Most of them are harmless and mind their own business or are just looking for a handout. Sometimes they act drunk and/or disorderly. That's when police step in. I'm not trying to defend the MPD, I'm just saying they're only so much you can do within the law.
I do find it odd that there wasn't more of a police response after Joel Marino's murder. Even though the locations are close together, they're considered different neighborhoods, and Marino's area is definitely less-student populated. Maybe it's the "dead white woman" syndrome that we all know so well. When a fresh-faced "all-American" type young woman is murdered, it's national news, people freak out, and the police know that the country is watching. Every other victim seems unimportant in comparison. And I do not say that out of any disrespect for Brittany and her family. I just think it's a common pattern.
They are discussing this on Greta right now with Mark F.!!
He would have to be a transient with money if he is associated in any way with Marino's murder. Buying the backpack 3 days before tossing it after the murder means it was useless to him after the attack. Sounds exactly like he was trying to look like a student to me...which leads me away from him actually being a student. It was only used as a disguise.