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

[hockeymom4]

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/2...-emu-student-should-not-be-person-of-interest

How many statements must a person make? Why was a person cleared by the Michigan State Police if not fully cooperating? Why would a person voluntarily turn over a computer if not cooperating fully with LE? What am I missing?

How many times does a person have to provide a statement or answer the same questions when the answers haven't changed? Especially if you have been cleared by the Michigan State Police?

Who besides his attorney has stated he has been cleared by the Michigan State Police???

DazednConfuzed, I haven't seen anything other than his attorney stating MI State police have cleared him. To me this is not the same. If you read post 820, there are direct quotes from LE naming him a POI.

I am not sold on him being responsible for her death. My eyes are wide open and looking in other directions and while I don't have specific names of people, I do have other ideas. I know he didn't make a statement, but I am not sold on that equalling him being guilty of her death. Knowing something, likely.

I wanted to ask, what do you think happen to Julia? I know we can't sleuth anyone else, but in general times, what do you think?

 

[Spellbound]

A casual conversation would be different than a formal statement. Chatting with police does not equate to a statement being given that would be recorded (whether by written/signed statement, possibly a taped interview, any way that it would legally be preserved if needed for a trial or other legal needs). A formal statement needs to be signed by the giver of such to retain it as true.

It would be so easy to clear up this confusion if JT would cooperate by giving a written/taped interview with LE that could be preserved. It would also be helpful to clear any unfounded suspicions.

On a personal level, I would hope that in the same situation I would go overboard to help LE with amy and every bit of info I could supply, and be more than willing for it to be an OFFICIAL statement.


JMO

 

[DazednConfuzed09]

Updated: Thu 10:14 PM, Mar 05, 2015
[...]
On Wednesday Lt. Deric Gress with the Ypilanti Police Department released a statement saying:

“The investigators, as well as some family members of Julia, have concerns that Mr. Turnquist has knowledge pertaining to her death.

This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia’s death, thus making him a person of interest. We continue to follow leads, intelligence gathered, and analysis of the evidence obtained to date.”
​

http://www.13abc.com/home/headlines...s-out-in-support-of-stepfather-295282811.html

---

[...]

"The investigators, as well as some family members of Julia, have concerns that Mr. Turnquist has knowledge pertaining to her death," police said in a news release Wednesday.


​

"This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia's death, thus making him a person of interest."
​

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...tepfather-slain-emu-student-custody/24377593/

---

UPDATE (March 4th, 2015):
The stepfather of Julia Niswender has been named a person of interest in her murder, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Ypsilanti Police Department.

[...]

"This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia's death, thus making him a person of interest," police said in the statement.​

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold...e-cold-case-spotlight-julia-niswender-n309916

---

[...]
In a release by the department on March 4, police said the child case is unrelated but said investigators and family alike have concerns that he has knowledge pertaining to Niswender's death.

"This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia's death, thus making him a person of interest," police said in the statement.​

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...a_person_of_interes.html#incart_story_package

---

[...]
The Free Press also reports that Turnquist has been cooperative with the media about the case, but police say he is a person of interest because a “formal statement as to his whereabouts in the days prior to Julia’s death” has not been provided.

http://www.easternecho.com/article/2015/03/stepfather-a-person-of-interest

---

Does anyone have an actual copy of the Press Release issued from LE on their letterhead?

 

[DazednConfuzed09]

A casual conversation would be different than a formal statement. Chatting with police does not equate to a statement being given that would be recorded (whether by written/signed statement, possibly a taped interview, any way that it would legally be preserved if needed for a trial or other legal needs). A formal statement needs to be signed by the giver of such to retain it as true.

It would be so easy to clear up this confusion if JT would cooperate by giving a written/taped interview with LE that could be preserved. It would also be helpful to clear any unfounded suspicions.

On a personal level, I would hope that in the same situation I would go overboard to help LE with amy and every bit of info I could supply, and be more than willing for it to be an OFFICIAL statement.


JMO

Do you know for a fact that this has not happened outside of what has been printed or stated by the media?

 

[Spellbound]

I do not know anything to be a fact, not even what I hear from a family member can be construed as a fact. What reason would LE have to lie about wanting a FORMAL statement? Without seeing an actual formal statement, I cannot know positively that one was or was not given.

--
https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcrmp/rule_26.2

(f) “Statement” Defined. As used in this rule, a witness's “statement” means:
(1) a written statement that the witness makes and signs, or otherwise adopts or approves;
(2) a substantially verbatim, contemporaneously recorded recital of the witness's oral statement that is contained in any recording or any transcription of a recording; or
--

Good explanation here on how a formal statement is given:


http://www.out-law.com/en/topics/di...itigation/court-procedure/witness-statements/

After the statement has been taken, a draft will be produced for you to review and amend where necessary. It is often the case that there will be several drafts of the statement. Once you are satisfied, you will be asked to sign and date it and the statement will become your 'proof of evidence'.

 

[Mountaingazer]

Does anyone have an actual copy of the Press Release issued from LE on their letterhead?

Do you have a copy of the press release from the Michigan State police on their official letterhead stating he has been cleared by them?

 

[caspermi]

Updated: Thu 10:14 PM, Mar 05, 2015
[...]
On Wednesday Lt. Deric Gress with the Ypilanti Police Department released a statement saying:

“The investigators, as well as some family members of Julia, have concerns that Mr. Turnquist has knowledge pertaining to her death.

This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia’s death, thus making him a person of interest. We continue to follow leads, intelligence gathered, and analysis of the evidence obtained to date.”
​

http://www.13abc.com/home/headlines...s-out-in-support-of-stepfather-295282811.html

---

[...]

"The investigators, as well as some family members of Julia, have concerns that Mr. Turnquist has knowledge pertaining to her death," police said in a news release Wednesday.


​

"This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia's death, thus making him a person of interest."
​

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...tepfather-slain-emu-student-custody/24377593/

---

UPDATE (March 4th, 2015):
The stepfather of Julia Niswender has been named a person of interest in her murder, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Ypsilanti Police Department.

[...]

"This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia's death, thus making him a person of interest," police said in the statement.​

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold...e-cold-case-spotlight-julia-niswender-n309916

---

[...]
In a release by the department on March 4, police said the child case is unrelated but said investigators and family alike have concerns that he has knowledge pertaining to Niswender's death.

"This is due to the fact that he has not provided detectives with a formal statement as to his whereabouts the days prior to Julia's death, thus making him a person of interest," police said in the statement.​

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...a_person_of_interes.html#incart_story_package

---

[...]
The Free Press also reports that Turnquist has been cooperative with the media about the case, but police say he is a person of interest because a “formal statement as to his whereabouts in the days prior to Julia’s death” has not been provided.

http://www.easternecho.com/article/2015/03/stepfather-a-person-of-interest

---

All the articles mention that he will not give a statement about his whereabouts the days prior to Julia's murder. If he has a credible alibi for his whereabouts the night/day of Julia's murder, why are his whereabouts the days prior important?

 

[Spellbound]

Caspermi, not being LE myself, I can only speculate. Perhaps he had contact with Julia in those days, perhaps he met with someone who would have an encounter with her that led to this, perhaps he was doing something they consider suspicious around that time that could lead to clues in this case. I can come up with a lot of outlandish reasons, but that would not be helpful. LE has their reason for wanting this info, which they most likely cannot share. Kind of wish I knew why, too.

 

[FindHG]

Caspermi, not being LE myself, I can only speculate. Perhaps he had contact with Julia in those days, perhaps he met with someone who would have an encounter with her that led to this, perhaps he was doing something they consider suspicious around that time that could lead to clues in this case. I can come up with a lot of outlandish reasons, but that would not be helpful. LE has their reason for wanting this info, which they most likely cannot share. Kind of wish I knew why, too.

Actually being named a POI says a great deal about how much he may have cooperated.

 

[Trojan1966]

Actually being named a POI says a great deal about how much he may have cooperated.

Or may not have cooperated. How can he say all he wants is "Justice for Julia" and then does not completely cooperate with LE? He has a lawyer, why not sit down with his lawyer and LE and help the investigation as much as he can. I really don't understand his behavior. All of this could be wasting time for LE, so why not help to allow them to move on?

 

[Trojan1966]

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/2...-emu-student-should-not-be-person-of-interest

How many statements must a person make? Why was a person cleared by the Michigan State Police if not fully cooperating? Why would a person voluntarily turn over a computer if not cooperating fully with LE? What am I missing?

The only statement of him being "cleared" is by his lawyer! I have never seen a published report from the State Police that says he was completely cleared.

 

[Mountaingazer]

Caspermi, not being LE myself, I can only speculate. Perhaps he had contact with Julia in those days, perhaps he met with someone who would have an encounter with her that led to this, perhaps he was doing something they consider suspicious around that time that could lead to clues in this case. I can come up with a lot of outlandish reasons, but that would not be helpful. LE has their reason for wanting this info, which they most likely cannot share. Kind of wish I knew why, too.

My theory is that they probably have some Intel into his whereabouts, and they want him to make an official statement so that they can then prove he is lying. IMO, MOO, etc.

 

[FindHG]

The only statement of him being "cleared" is by his lawyer! I have never seen a published report from the State Police that says he was completely cleared.

Or may not have cooperated. How can he say all he wants is "Justice for Julia" and then does not completely cooperate with LE? He has a lawyer, why not sit down with his lawyer and LE and help the investigation as much as he can. I really don't understand his behavior. All of this could be wasting time for LE, so why not help to allow them to move on?

Thank you, Trojan1966. One reason would be not to get caught in lie and implicate himself in some way? The news of his being named a POI seemed like a big deal to me.

 

[black_squirrel]

JT cooperated fully with LE in the beginning, and he passed a polygraph test.
He also has an alibi for the time of the murder. According to MIMOMMY (verified insider) there is some evidence that some person other than JT must have been involved. It is not clear why LE is asking for a formal statement on the days prior to Julia's death. I can imagine that the lawyer would advise against making such a statement. He said:

"I'm not going to let him be repeatedly interrogated by officers that are hell bent on tripping him up -- if that's what it is," he said.

The risk of saying something inaccurate when you are trying to remember something what you did over a period of several days 2 years ago seems very high. I, for one, would not be able to give any information
where I was in the beginning of December in 2012. I probably was in the US, but I am not even sure of that

It would be very naive to think that if you are innocent that you do not need a (good) lawyer. I just heard
a news story about a person on death row for 30 years for a crime he did not commit:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32178121

His lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, said his client was convicted because he could not afford better legal counsel.

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/anthony_ray_hinton_freed_after.html

It seems that Ypsilanti police are at a dead end, and they hope for some kind of confession.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Black Squirrel, please provide the link that shows a statement from LE stating Turnquist passed a poly. I missed that one, but no surprise since there is so much info on this case.

Innocent people don't hesitate to chat with LE.* Further, why was he (allegedly) suicidal?
This is all very bizarre.

Sounds like you have some insider information. Thanks in advance for reaching out to a Mod and getting verified. Your insider insights are greatly appreciated.

*Editing to add: Innocent parents, if anything, can't leave LE alone! They want to talk to them constantly and live in their offices!

 

[Spellbound]

I have much more faith in what a close family member tells us than what a co-worker/friend says, even if they are both verified insiders. We only tell our co-workers and friends so much, and usually to keep them on our side, but are more apt to be honest with family members such as parents (particularly if we had a close relationship through the years).

Just my thoughts.

I have seen nothing from LE that says anyone "passed" a polygraph. I have only seen this from the twin sister and the family lawyer. Do we even know this as a fact in any other way?

 

[rosesfromangels]

I am trying to understand the motivation behind current behaviors with various people associated with this case. The lack of cooperation, the lawyering up....it's all very baffling.

The question I'm wondering is, were some of the images found on Turnquist's computer (whether minors or adults) people he knows personally? Pure speculation. Is this the reason for all this subterfuge? All opinion, and speculation only!

 

[black_squirrel]

Black Squirrel, please provide the link that shows a statement from LE stating Turnquist passed a poly. I missed that one, but no surprise since there is so much info on this case.

http://archive.freep.com/article/20...t-waiting-for-answers-justice-Julia-Niswender

"We've also polygraphed numerous people," Yuhas said. "Everyone that has been polygraphed at this point has not only cooperated with the investigation but passed the polygraph."

(This article is from April 2013, after Jim T. did his polygraph test.)

Innocent people don't hesitate to chat with LE.* Further, why was he (allegedly) suicidal?
This is all very bizarre.

Jim T. has not only lost his daughter but is also being accused (not formally, but in public) as having something to do with the murder. This certainly could make a person depressed, I think. There are examples of innocent people who have committed suicide after they had been falsely accused of abuse or murder:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ber-Bridge-falsely-accused-abusing-child.html

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/a...on_sullied_teacher_commits_suicide/?page=full

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...ded-child-abuse-allegations-article-1.1054744

(this is just a random selection - there are many examples)

Sounds like you have some insider information. Thanks in advance for reaching out to a Mod and getting verified. Your insider insights are greatly appreciated.

I am not an insider.

*Editing to add: Innocent parents, if anything, can't leave LE alone! They want to talk to them constantly and live in their offices!

From earlier reports it does seem that the family was in close contact with LE. It looks like LE has
lost the trust of the family because they now only seem to target JT in their investigations.

 

[DazednConfuzed09]

Has anyone on here been to Ypsilanti? Would you worry if your child lived there? I know I sure would. Does anyone know the crime stats through 2012?

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Ypsilanti-Michigan.html



http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/12/peninsular_place.html

Has anyone posted this article before regarding a 2nd murder in the Peninsular Place apartments within 4 months of Julia's? Has anyone heard about a girl being shot while inside her building from a stray bullet fired from the parking lot of the same apartment complex? Sounds like a safe place to live doesn't it?!

 

[black_squirrel]

I have much more faith in what a close family member tells us than what a co-worker/friend says, even if they are both verified insiders. We only tell our co-workers and friends so much, and usually to keep them on our side, but are more apt to be honest with family members such as parents (particularly if we had a close relationship through the years).

The closest family to Julia Niswender and Jim Turnquist are Jennifer and Kim. They both stand behind Jim.
I do not know if Jim is innocent, but the fact that Jennifer and Kim stand behind him should bear some weight.
It is hard to imagine that Jennifer would betray her dear twin sister just to protect her stepfather. People keep saying here why would they support Jim? Perhaps the answer is just simple: because they are sure he is innocent.

But who knows, perhaps they were "brainwashed", but I find that hard to believe. I am willing to admit that
I don't know whether Jim is innocent or not. Right now I am leaning more towards "not". But that could
rapidly change if there were some convincing evidence.