Meechaiel Criner formally charged with murder of Haruka Wieser
His bond is set at $1 million
Meechaiel Criner, a 17-year-old runaway, has been formally charged with murdering UT student Haruka Wieser.
His bond has been set at $1 million.
“I was walking to the RLM,” says second year student, Carlos Sanchez, “and a shit load of cops surrounded the building on Dean Keeton.”
The building Carlos is referring to is 2900 Medical Arts, where the suspect had set the fire.
Haruka was last seen Sunday night after leaving a rehearsal. Her body was found Tuesday morning by Waller Creek. The night she disappeared, a suspect was caught on a surveillance video around that area. Police say he was steering a red or pink women’s bike. The suspect was described as a black man, about six feet tall.
President Fenves has sent an email to students saying, “I will address the media later this morning but at this moment, we are not at a point in the investigation at which I can discuss details.”
Fenves will be holding a press conference at 10:30am.
Update: 11:30am
17-year-old Meechaiel Criner, was arrested yesterday for the murder of Haruka Wieser.
APD Chief Art Acevedo reported they are certain the person they have in custody is the person who killed Haruka.
“He has been booked at the Travis County Jail for a charge of murder. It will be filed formally later today.”
Firefighters said they responded to a call on Monday that resembled the suspect.
“Suspect was found at Lifeworks, an Austin nonprofit that focuses on counseling and supportive counseling,” said Acevedo. He was in posession of Wieser’s red bicycle and blue duffel bag. He is not a UT student.
“Our students expect to be safe,” said Fenves. “We are doing everything we can to improve the safety of campus.”
Wieser’s mother told APD chief to tell everyone involved with her daughter’s investigation, “Thank you, and take care of yourself. Hug your children not once, but twice.”
The motive behind the murder is unknown.
Update: 3:05pm
Police have released an affidavit and warrant of arrest on the charge of murder in the first degree for Meechaiel Criner.
It is stated in the affidavit that in the surveillance video (which was not shown to the public) the suspect was on the scene around 9:20pm Sunday night and looked around for a little while until getting on his bike and leaving. He came back around 9:38pm and approached a van. As he was arriving, a female was seen looking at her cell phone walking towards the alumni center.
As she passed the suspect, the suspect watched her, put the kickstand down on his bike, pulled out a shiny rigid object from his back pocket and followed her.
The suspect was not seen again till 11:47 pm, walking east bound on 23rd street with a slight limp. He was carrying what looked to be a small duffel bag.
Criner’s bond has been set to $1 million.