Niswender family seeks justice 10 years after killing
Hopeful new information from retired detective leads to answers
Ten years after Julia Niswender, a 23-yearold student at Eastern Michigan University, was killed in her off-campus apartment, her family is still looking for answers and pushing for justice.
Her twin sister, Jennifer Niswender, and mother, Kim Turnquist, remain active in keeping the case alive. They said they’re frustrated with how the Ypsilanti Police Department has handled the case and would like to see it transferred to Michigan State Police.
“We need to get answers. It’s been 10 very long years and it’s just been so long and she deserves justice and we deserve answers,” Jennifer Niswender said.
Julia Niswender’s body was found in the bathtub of her Ypsilanti apartment on Dec. 11, 2012. Investigators have said her body was in an unnatural position and she died of asphyxiation by drowning.
Family and friends gathered at the Erie Union Cemetery in Erie Township, near Monroe, Saturday afternoon to honor Julia Niswender’s memory. They shared stories, decorated a Christmas wreath at her gravesite and drank her favorite wine. Following this, loved ones gathered at Kim Turnquist’s home nearby and shared food and drinks.
“We can’t thank the support of all our friends and family enough, it definitely helps with the days like this and everyday that we’re missing Julia,” Jennifer Niswender said.
Kim Turnquist and Jennifer Niswender shared new information with reporters Saturday afternoon that they said changed their perception of the case. They said the new details were provided to them by Joe Yuhas, a former lead detective on the case who is now retired. The family expected Yuhas to attend the gathering Saturday and speak to reporters, however he did not arrive.
The conversations with Yuhas shed new light on the original timeline they had understood of the killing and provided them more clarity on a potential suspect.
The killer exhibited signs of a serial killer, Kim Turnquist said. The family previously thought the killing was conducted quickly, but now believe the killer spent hours with Niswender before she died.
Yuhas told the family Ypsilanti police accessed video footage of a Black male pacing outside Julia Niswender’s apartment, however the footage was later deleted, Kim Turnquist said. The family previously did not know that footage had existed and were frustrated police lost a potential lead, she said.
Police believe the male may have followed her into the apartment after she took out the trash, and they found DNA at the crime scene, Kim Turnquist said.
The family has also been working with Lindsay Turner from Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, a victim advocacy organization, who they said has supported their case. Turner attended the gathering Saturday to support the family.
“Having Can’t Stop Won’t Stop behind us has given us power, has given us knowledge to make our voices heard and be loud and clear about what we want done in Julia’s case,” Kim Turnquist said.
At one time, Ypsilanti police considered James Turnquist, Julia Niswender’s stepfather and Kim Turnquist’s ex-husband, a person of interest in the case. Kim Turnquist and Jennifer Niswender said they feel he was unfairly targeted because of the department’s failure to identify a suspect. Kim Turnquist said Yuhas agreed and wanted to clear James Turnquist’s name.
James Turnquist attended the gatherings Saturday and led a prayer for Julia Niswender at the cemetery.
The family wants to uplift their positive memories of Julia Niswender, Kim Turnquist said.
“She was like a shining star, she loved her family, she loved her friends, she was passionate about helping people, helping animals, but very much loved her family and she would do anything for us,” Kim Turnquist said.
Kim Turnquist said the family plans to continue communications with YPD and MSP to sustain momentum for the case to move forward.
“She was like a shining star, she loved her family, she loved her friends, she was passionate about helping people, helping animals, but very much loved her family and she would do anything for us.”
Kim Turnquist,
mother of Julia Niswender