Summary: The shocking murder of a student at the University of Texas has some better news today with the announcement of a suspect in police custody.
The University of Texas campus has been in shock after the gruesome discovery of a student’s body was found in a creek near the football stadium Tuesday morning. The student, identified as freshman Haruka Weiser of Portland, Oregon, was a theater and dance major.
Read Former UC Police Officer Charged with Murder for another interesting read.
Police have now charged 17-year-old Meechaiel Criner with first-degree murder. Police had taken Criner to a youth homeless shelter on Monday, a day before Weiser’s body was discovered. No motive has been determined at this time.
See St. Mary’s Law Student Arrested on Murder and Arson Warrants.
Austin firefighters alerted police to a small fire that had happened near the campus Monday night. The fire involved a book bag, thought to have belonged to Weiser. A surveillance video was released by police of a possible suspect, which jogged the memories of the firefighters and led to the arrest of Criner. A woman that saw him start the fire also called into police after seeing the video.
Firefighters found Criner at the scene of the fire with a woman’s bicycle and blue duffel bag, matching items that belonged to Weiser. When he was arrested Thursday at the youth shelter, he still had some of her belongings.
Read Guilty Verdict Issued in UVA Murder Trial.
The university is taking measures to increase patrols and create a safety and security assessment to improve safety on campus. The last homicide on the campus was in 1966.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/08/us/university-of-texas-homicide-investigation/index.html
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