Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

Missing, Exploited and True Crime => Finally Solved => Topic started by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:34:30 AM



Title: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus/CONVICTION
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:34:30 AM
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/nation/body-found-in-creek-on-utaustin-campus/38881250
Woman's body found in creek on UT-Austin campus
The school is working with police to identify possible suspects

By Steve Almasy CNN
POSTED: 06:02 PM EDT Apr 05, 2016    UPDATED: 01:19 PM EDT Apr 07, 2016

(CNN) -
Police in Austin, Texas, are investigating the case of a woman's body found in a creek on the University of Texas campus as a homicide, officials said Tuesday.
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The woman's cause of death was not yet known, said Capt. Don Verett of the University of Texas Police Department.

The body was found about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday near the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center and not far from the school's football stadium, officials said.

Campus and city police are looking into the death of the woman, who was identified Thursday as Haruka Weiser.

According to a statement from Fenves, Weiser was a freshman studying theater and dance who was "liked and admired by her classmates and respected by professors for her intelligence and spirit."

"The unthinkable brutality against Haruka is an attack on our entire family," the university president said. "Law enforcement is fully engaged to do everything to bring the perpetrator who committed this crime to justice."
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Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:37:08 AM
http://www.kvue.com/news/local/body-found-on-ut-campus-what-we-know-so-far/122968911
UT Austin student death: What we know so far
ON APRIL 5, A WOMAN'S BODY WAS FOUND IN WALLER CREEK NEXT TO THE ETTER-HARBIN ALUMNI CENTER ON THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN CAMPUS. TWO DAYS LATER, THE WOMAN WAS IDENTIFIED AS HARUKA WEISER, A FIRST-YEAR THEATRE AND DANCE STUDENT.
KVUE Staff , KVUE.com


(Google Map of where her body was found, and a clickable video of possible suspect in body of article.)


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:39:31 AM
https://news.utexas.edu/2016/04/05/updates-on-campus-tragedy
Updates on Campus Tragedy
April 7, 2016

The following is a statement from The University of Texas at Austin President Gregory L. Fenves sent to campus on April 7:

With great sadness, I have just learned from the Austin Police Department that Haruka Weiser, a first-year Theatre and Dance student, has been tentatively identified as the victim of this week’s homicide on campus. Austin Police Department Victim Services counselors spoke this morning with her parents and my heart goes out to them. Her death is a tragic loss for the UT community.
More...

(Video of press conference)
Watch the video of President Gregory L. Fenves, UT Austin leaders and security officials, the Austin Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety giving an update at 1 p.m. on April 7.


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:40:32 AM
https://news.utexas.edu/2016/04/07/statement-by-family-of-haruka-weiser
Statement by Family of Haruka Weiser
April 7, 2016
The following statement was shared on April 7 by the family of Haruka Weiser:

Haruka Juliana Tsunemine Weiser, our beloved daughter, sister and friend was taken from us too soon. We will forever miss her; the pain of our sudden and tragic loss is unfathomable. We are grateful for all the support, kindness and prayers that have been offered to us. Words cannot express the outpouring of love we have received.

Haruka was a passionate and dedicated dancer and student. She was so happy to be a student at UT and was looking forward to the chance to perform again as a Dance Major and she was declaring a second major in pre-med studies, too. She had plans to explore the world of medicine this summer and to travel to visit family in Japan.
More...


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:42:48 AM
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/official-ut-austin-murder-victim-likely-missing-dance-student-haruka-weiser/
Search for man seen on video after UT Austin student's murder
April 7, 2016

AUSTIN --The bodyfound in a creek Tuesday on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin has been identified as missing first-year dance student Haruka Weiser, and police are calling an unidentified man seen in surveillance video a suspect, university officials and Austin police said at a press conference Thursday.
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According to CBS affiliate KEYE, the University of Texas police department responded to reports of a body in a creek on campus west of the Alumni Center at 10:46 a.m. Tuesday morning. Police said Thursday that the woman, 18, had been a victim of a homicide and had been assaulted, but did not detail her cause of death further.

Police are asking the public for help in identifying a man they're calling a suspect who was seen on surveillance video in the area Sunday night. Officials played the video Thursday, which shows the man walking a bike on the north side of the school's Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, about two hundred feet from the alumni center near where Weiser's body was found.

Weiser was last seen leaving the campus drama building between 9:30 and 9:45 Sunday night, said assistant chief Troy Gay of the Austin Police Department, which is leading the murder investigation and working with University of Texas police and federal and state investigators. Gay said Weiser communicated with one of her friends and was headed back in the direction of her dorm.

"She never made it to her dormitory that night," Gay said.

Weiser's roommates called university police and reported her missing around 11:30 Monday morning, he said. Campus police tried to find her by talking to roommates and friends. On Tuesday, Gay said, police conducted a more thorough search of the campus and found her remains in the creek.

Gay said the suspect was seen shortly before ten o'clock on the video, and then again a little after 11 p.m. He was seen walking a red or pink woman's bike. Investigators believe he was in the area "at least a couple of hours."

He said police haven't recovered a weapon
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Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: klaasend on April 08, 2016, 09:16:58 AM
Such a beautiful girl, this is so sad.  Hope they find this guys soon before he kills someone else.  ::MonkeyTears::


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: grace-land on April 08, 2016, 12:34:21 PM
Thank you for the articles, MuffyBee.

It is sad, klaasend.  What a senseless murder imo.  Thankfully, a possible suspect has been arrested. 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/17-year-old-custody-murder-texas-college-student-article-1.2593315
Homeless teen in custody for murder of University of Texas student Haruka Weiser
Updated: Friday, April 8, 2016, 12:30 PM

A 17-year-old homeless male is in custody for the death of University of Texas student Haruka Weiser, Austin police said Friday.

Meechaiel Criner has been booked into the Travis County jail and will be formally charged with murder, a first-degree felony, this afternoon, cops said.

Police cracked the case after tips from the fire department and a concerned citizen, Austin Police Chief Ari Acevedo told reporters.

After authorities released campus surveillance footage, firefighters realized that the suspect looked like a man they'd dealt with during a trash fire Monday.

When Austin Fire Department initially responded to the scene of the blaze, they found Criner, who was later transported to LifeWorks, an Austin nonprofit that operates an emergency shelter. The teen had a bike with him at the time, which firefighters took for safekeeping.

After connecting the dots, police picked up Criner at LifeWorks, where they found him with a duffel bag that resembled Weiser's. The trash fire was later discovered to include several items belonging to the victim. Initially, Criner was taken into custody for tampering with evidence.

Authorities said they're still not releasing details about the manner of Weiser's death, although previously they said that she'd been assaulted. Acevedo stressed that the matter is still under investigation.
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Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:51:09 PM
http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/119246175-story
Homeless teen arrested in on-campus killing of UT freshman
April 8, 2016

Police have released a booking photo of 17-year-old Meechaiel Criner. Criner is charged with first degree murder for the death of 18-year-old UT freshman student Haruka Weiser.
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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. They also took the man's bike which looked like the one in the video
The chief said police took down Criner's name and then took him to a homeless shelter.
Acevedo said another tipster was a woman who reported the fire. She also contacted police after she saw a resemblance to the video.

“I don’t have a clue what the motive is,” Acevedo said, adding that Criner could face additional charges.
He said there were items recovered from the trash fire that may have belonged to Weiser.

The chief declined to say how Weiser was killed.
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According to police, Haruka was last seen leaving the F. Loren Winship Drama Building on Sunday, April 3 between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. Haruka’s roommates reported her missing on Monday, April 4 after Haruka did not show up for her morning classes.

According to the affidavit, Haruka was last seen wearing a long sleeve black mock turtleneck shirt, black stretch pants, and brown Doc Martin shoes. Her roommates also stated that she left their dorm room carrying a blue duffle bag. Inside the duffle bag was her Macbook computer, iPhone 6, and extra jacket and study materials for school.
On Tuesday, April 5 the remains of a young female with obvious trauma to her body was discovered by UTPD Police. The body was later identified as Haruka Weiser.

As investigators continued the investigation, UTPD detectives began to look at surveillance video along the route that Haruka usually took. While reviewing the footage, a suspicious black male was observed riding up on a red or pink women’s bicycle attempting to open the doors of a van that was parked in the bay area.

The suspect was dressed in a black jacket, orange shirt, grey pants, red or orange athletic shoes and a large backpack. The suspect appeared to be around 6 ft tall, athletic build, and wore glasses. He has now been identified as Meechaiel Criner

According to the affidavit, Criner initially arrived at 9:20 p.m. Criner continued to look around the area and then got back on the bike to leave the location. The video then showed Criner returning to the van at approximately 9:38 p.m. As Criner returned to the location on his bike, the figure of a female dressed in all black and looking at her cell phone can be seen walking toward the Alumni Center. As the female passed Criner and continued toward the bridge, Criner watched her, put the kickstand down on the bike, and reached into the back of his pants and pulled out what appeared to be a shiny rigid object.
Criner then followed the female across the bridge and onto the sidewalk that extends behind the Alumni Center and runs along the west bank of Waller Creek.

Criner is not seen again until 11:47 p.m. According to police, the suspect is seen walking along side the same bike with slight limp. The suspect was also now seen carrying another bag that was not seen before, it appears to be a small duffle bag.

Meechaiel Criner is from Texarkana and does not appear to have any prior criminal charges. According to Child Protective Services, he was in their care at the time of his arrest. Meechaiel Criner was reported missing / runaway to Killeen Police on March 24th.


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 08:56:11 PM
http://kxan.com/2016/04/08/suspect-in-ut-homicide-arrested/
17-year-old faces murder charge in Haruka Weiser’s death
April 8, 2016

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say they have arrested a homeless 17-year-old they believe is connected in the death of University of Texas at Austin student Haruka Weiser. The Austin Police Department says Meechaiel Khalil Criner was booked into the Travis County Jail around 2 a.m. Friday and charged with murder. His bond has been set at $1 million.

Police made the link to Criner after the Austin Fire Department alerted them to a trash fire they were called to on Monday, April 4 at 2900 Medical Arts Street, which is just off-campus. At the time on Monday, a woman called 911 to report the trash fire and told authorities she saw the person who started the fire. When firefighters arrived, they found Criner who had a woman’s bicycle in his possession as well as a small blue duffel bag that resembles the one that Haruka had. Because he was homeless, police took him to LifeWorks for treatment and shelter.
Once police released surveillance footage of the suspect on Thursday, firefighters who responded to the trash fire call on Monday realized the fire was connected to the homicide suspect. The woman who originally called 911 about the fire also connected the dots and “immediately called in the tip that the video resembled a man who started the fire,” says Austin Chief of Police Art Acevedo. Detectives went back to the scene of the fire and inside the ashes, they found a Doc Martin shoe belonging to Haruka and a burned notebook that had college level coursework inside. What appeared to be Haruka’s jacket was found near the burned items.
More...


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 08, 2016, 09:03:26 PM
UT Austin is a large, open campus, with what is nicknamed "The Drag" along it.  There are lots of homeless folks up and down the street.  Although the merchants in the area try to discourage sleeping on their store fronts, there is a lot of panhandling etc. going on, sometimes quite aggressively.  I can see how difficult it might be to police this area.  There are also so many natural areas, trees, creeks, alley ways and such.  Beautiful campus, but lots of buildings, lots of corner, trees, shrubs.  A young person could be on campus and not appear to be homeless, such as the alleged murderer. JMHO


http://kxan.com/2016/04/08/reports-show-history-of-trespassing-in-ut-buildings/
Reports show history of trespassing in UT buildings
April 8, 2016


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: MuffyBee on April 09, 2016, 08:52:46 AM
http://kxan.com/2016/04/08/ut-homicide-suspect-meechaier-criners-time-in-killeen/
UT murder suspect Meechaiel Criner’s time in Killeen
April 8, 2016

AUSTIN (KXAN) – In an article published in December 2014 by Texas High School in Texarkana, Meechaiel Criner, the suspect in the murder of UT freshman Haruka Weiser, said he was bullied his whole life and went through the foster care system as a child.

In the story titled Voice of Hope, Criner said he was a victim of physical violence. He said one foster parent threw him to the ground and injured his back. The Department of Family and Protective Services confirms Criner was in the state’s foster care system and in August 2015 was enrolled at Killeen High School. Killeen police say Criner was reported as a missing person/runaway to their department on March 24.
Haruka Weiser’s accused killer hopped from town to town through the foster care system.

“I thought he was going to kill or somebody was going to kill him. That’s what I thought,” said Mary Wadley, the grandmother and legal guardian of Meechaiel Khalil Criner.

Criner described in the school newspaper how he was often bullied growing up, because of his accent.

“All I know, CPS [child protective services] was supposed to be having him, cause he wasn’t 18 yet. If you made him mad, he snapped. His temper would snap real fast. Even the school knew about it. Thy tried to work with him too, make sure the kids didn’t bother him,” his grandmother said.

The Department of Family and Protective Services moved Criner to a high school in the Killeen School District.

Several students and faculty members tell KXAN he was a student at Ellison High School in Killeen and he walked out of school around two weeks ago.

Killeen police say someone filed a missing person report on Mar. 24.

Video at link.


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: Nut44x4 on April 11, 2016, 08:40:19 AM
We demand    ::justice2nj2::  !!!!!!!!!!!!


Title: Re: 18 year old UT Austin Student Haruka Weiser Found Murdered in Creek on Campus
Post by: Nut44x4 on October 19, 2019, 01:07:28 PM
 ::justice2nj2::  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-found-guilty-killing-texas-college-student-haruka-weiser-n893316

Man found guilty in killing of Texas college student Haruka Weiser
"I wish she was still here ... but I do find comfort in knowing that she helped stop a serial killer in his tracks," the victim's father said.

7/20/18

A Texas jury found a man accused of killing a University of Texas at Austin student in 2016 guilty of capital murder on Friday.

Meechaiel Criner, 20, was found guilty in the killing of student dancer Haruka Weiser, an 18-year-old freshman at the Texas state school. Weiser's body was found in a creek on the school's campus in April of that year.

The jury of seven women and five men discussed the case for more than 10 hours before they came to their verdict, according to NBC affiliate KXAN of Austin.

Their decision left state District Judge David Wahlberg to sentence Criner to life in prison. Criner is not eligible for the death penalty as he was 17 at the time of the murder, but he is eligible for parole in 40 years.

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