Who Killed Julia Niswender? Murder Of EMU Student Remains Unsolved 5 Years Later

YPSILANTI (WWJ) - Family members of a 23-year-old Eastern Michigan University student who was killed in 2012 haven't given up hope that the case will one day be solved.

Monday marks five years since 23-year-old Julia Niswender was found drowned in the bathtub of her off-campus apartment in Ypsilanti.

No arrests have been made and a suspect has never been named, but police continue to work on the investigation.

Niswender was found strangled in her bathtub at the Peninsular Place Apartments on Huron River Drive, located across the street from the campus police station, on December 11, 2012. A medical examiner ruled the official cause of death as asphyxiation associated with drowning. Authorities said there was no forced entry into the apartment, which was found in disarray with the door locked.

Investigators have said they don't believe Niswender's murder was random.

Two years ago, police said Niswender's step-father James Turnquist was considered a person of interest in the case. He was arrested on child porn charges after authorities found at least 30 pornographic images of who they believed were underage women on Turnquist's laptop. The images were discovered during a search related to Niswender's death. Turnquist was later acquitted of the charges and was released from custody.