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

[sherbetjello]

Do we know how Haruka died? Was there a sexual assault?

Not confirmed, but can be assumed with the chief saying there will be more charges after the charge of murder this afternoon.

 

[Trino]

Those 2 went missing while in Austin the same weekend, they are from Houston.

Agree with you. Austin and Houston are about 3 hours drive apart.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

So, just this year he should have lived in Texarkana if he went to Texas High, no?
EDIT: That publication is from December 2014. The decline was a year and a few months.

According to investigators, the suspect hasn’t been in Austin very long.

 

[LonghornSpeakEasy]

Did I understand it correctly in the news conference that the fire was seen on campus by a student? If I understood it right, it's certainly curious that he'd return to the campus, unless he had stashed the backpack there and left it.

I believe they said the fire was on Medical Arts. That's a street adjacent to campus. They didn't say the woman who saw the fire was a student but she may have been as students live in that area. My son also lived in that area, however, and he is not a student.

 

[bluesneakers]

This is the first time I've had a direct connection to a case.

I'm so heartbroken I don't know what to say other than RIP Haruka. You are loved and will be missed.

 

[Trino]

Did I understand it correctly in the news conference that the fire was seen on campus by a student? If I understood it right, it's certainly curious that he'd return to the campus, unless he had stashed the backpack there and left it.

Well, a 17 year old is not going to have the sophistication of a seasoned criminal. He was also homeless. I'm guessing he had been hanging around the area, and it was familiar to him. Finally, his educational experience could provide details as to his mental abilities.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

According to investigators, the suspect hasn’t been in Austin very long.

Makes me wonder if he was running from something he may have done in the other town he previously lived in.

IMO

 

[LietKynes]

At 17 years old.. will that mean Criner will receive a lesser sentence ? Hope not !
There's a lot of evidence against him already....
And if she was assaulted --there will be dna evidence as well.
Jmo and I'm just going to say this : Hope he suffers horribly in prison. :stormingmad:

Rest in peace, Haruka . My utmost condolences to your hurting family !

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Do we know how Haruka died? Was there a sexual assault?

The motive has to be of a sexual nature imo. The stealing of the backpack was an afterthought.

With LE saying they expect additional charges I think she was raped but they have to send the rape kit off to get the results. I read that it usually will take up to 8 weeks for those results to come back. There is no hurry. He isn't going anywhere.

There seems to be a weapon which was used to murder her. So I don't think he strangled her or beat her to death. The reason why I think she was stabbed is LE said in one of the articles no weapon was found. So that means to me there is one and I sure hope they can locate it. I don't think he shot her because it seems others would have been able to hear the gunfire since sound travels far more in wide open spaces than enclosed areas.

IMO

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Makes me wonder if he was running from something he may have done in the other town he previously lived in.
IMO

I think this isn't his first violent/serious crime, though it might be the first one where he's been caught.

I found this from CBS which seems to give the clearest explanation of the chain of events leading to his arrest:

Teen Meechaiel Criner was allegedly at the scene of a trash fire on Monday, at the same location where the surveillance video was recorded, Acevedo said. At the time, he was in possession of a woman's bike.

Police called to the fire on Monday brought Criner to LifeWorks, a supportive housing facility. Police said a woman who witnessed the fire, also called police after the surveillance video was released Thursday.

After the firefighters called police Thursday, investigators examined patrol car footage of the suspect recorded Monday, and realized his pants, shoes and bag appeared similar to what was worn by the person they were looking for.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/firefighters-tip-leads-to-arrest-in-ut-austin-campus-murder/
So LE had transported him on Monday before the body was found and the FD realized after the news broke that he was the one they called the police for.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

At 17 years old.. will that mean Criner will receive a lesser sentence ? Hope not !
There's a lot of evidence against him already....
And if she was assaulted --there will be dna evidence as well.
Jmo and I'm just going to say this : Hope he suffers horribly in prison. :stormingmad:

Rest in peace, Haruka . My utmost condolences to your hurting family !

While those under the age of 18 cant get the death penalty due to the USSC ruling a few years back many states do have enhancements which can lengthen the sentence. He will be tried as an adult imo. I believe in some states if the prosecutor can prove the case to be unusually cruel or heinous or premeditated he/she can ask for life to be the sentence. I remember reading not too long ago where a teen under the age of 18 was given life in CA and it was under special circumstances. Some states its up to 40 years and some its 25 years to life when its someone under the age of 18.

Texas is known to be tough on crime so I do hope they do have some way to lock this man up for the rest of his life. Even if he is given 25 to life with the possibility for parole it never means the parole board will let him out. I would think the parole boards in Texas are tough as nails.

IMO

 

[ulpiano]

US Marshals walking the suspect into APD Headquarters

 

[SCHMAE]

Is it just me or does it seem there has been a lot more college campus violence the last several months ?

 

[SurfieTX]

While those under the age of 18 cant get the death penalty due to the USSC ruling a few years back many states do have enhancements which can lengthen the sentence. He will be tried as an adult imo. I believe in some states if the prosecutor can prove the case to be unusually cruel or heinous or premeditated he/she can ask for life to be the sentence. I remember reading not too long ago where a teen under the age of 18 was given life in CA and it was under special circumstances. Some states its up to 40 years and some its 25 years to life when its someone under the age of 18.

Texas is known to be tough on crime so I do hope they do have some way to lock this man up for the rest of his life. Even if he is given 25 to life with the possibility for parole it never means the parole board will let him out. I would think the parole boards in Texas are tough as nails.

IMO

Yes, he will be tried as an adult. Crime-wise, at 17, you are an adult in Texas no matter what the infraction.

 

[Elley Mae]

snippets

A crucial tip came from Austin firefighters who on Monday put out a trash fire near the scene of the crime. They told police the man in the video looked like the person who started the fire, Acevedo said.

The chief said police jotted down the firebug's name and took him to a homeless shelter.


The chief declined to say how Weiser was killed.


An autopsy showed that she was assaulted.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/04/0...h-bicycle-in-student-death.html?intcmp=hplnws

 

[SpanishInquisition]

This is the approximate location of the fire on Monday:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/2...0x8644b58fc37ff9b9:0x5f1de77af5760123!6m1!1e1

 

[dotr]

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Meec...UICSgD&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=fwVE7RSqHeYzpM:



Not sure if this article has already been posted or not, but tells of suspect's difficult life prior to arrest.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=Meec...UICSgD&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=74rkO58a8ORlTM:

 

[Bootsctr]

Is it just me or does it seem there has been a lot more college campus violence the last several months ?

Violence is on the rise nationwide, not just colleges. I just watched a news program on NBC regarding the rise in violence across the country.

 

[lakshmi]

US Marshals walking the suspect into APD Headquarters

Very strong looking 17 year old.

 

[RainCheck]

I'm interested to hear all the evidence. Having a murder victims bicycle and backpack isn't enough to prove you murdered them. He could have taken the unattended things after someone else took her. However, his back story is the tragic backstory of so many seemingly heartless killers. Without early and aggressive treatment, many battered and neglected children can become violent killers. Does anyone here remember the "Child of Rage" story?