17-year-old in custody in Haruka Weiser killing; tips came from firefighters, 911 caller
The death of a spirited and promising young dancer in Texas caused ripples of grief Thursday at the small magnet school in Oregon from which she graduated.
The body of 18-year-old Haruka J. Weiser was found Tuesday in a creek in the heart the University of Texas campus, one day after her roommate reported her missing, Austin police said. The Portland woman's death is being investigated as a homicide.
In a statement issued through the university, Weiser's family described the pain of their sudden loss as "tragic" and "unfathomable." Yet they also offered thanks for "all the support, kindness and prayers" that have been extended to them.
"Words cannot express the outpouring of love we have received."
Weiser was a 2015 graduate of the Arts & Communications Magnet Academy in Beaverton, said Principal Michael Johnson. Faculty and former classmates at the grade 6-12 magnet school learned of her disappearance on Wednesday.
"Twenty-four hours ago, this was a school holding its breath. Today our exhale is filled with sadness and grief," Johnson said during a news conference at the Beaverton campus. "Haruka was a very talented, high-spirited, lovely young woman and certainly was a treasured member of our school community."
Weiser belonged to Dance West, a student dance troupe that performed with the Oregon Symphony a few times a year, said Julane Stites, the group's director. She was in Austin on a full dance scholarship - the largest ever for a graduate of the magnet school, Stites said.
"She was intelligent, spirited and stunningly beautiful," Stites said. "She was loved and respected throughout the dance and arts community, and together we shall grieve."
Weiser performed with The Portland Ballet through its Masters and Curriculum programs from 2013 to 2015. "Haruka was not only a gifted and talented dancer but a gentle and kind spirit that everyone at TPB loved, teachers and students alike," Nancy Davis, the ballet's founding artistic director, said in a prepared statement. "Our hearts go out to her family and friends."
Weiser also had hopes of pursuing a career in medicine, possibly becoming a doctor, a family member told the Austin American-Statesman.
Her personal Facebook page is filled with images of a vibrant life: Playful outings with friends; scenic views of the beach and mountains; and plenty of dancers.
Her love of dance began early, right in her living room, Weiser wrote in a Dance West Facebook post on May 5, 2015.
"My favorite styles of dance are ballet and hip-hop," she said. "I love the precision and grace of ballet, but at the same time I enjoy the freedom and challenges I find in hip-hop."
Weiser came to the attention of the Texas university in 2014, while she was performing with Dance West at the National High School Dance Festival in Miami, according to campus President Greg L. Fenves. The school began recruiting her immediately.
"Haruka was a beloved member of our dance community, liked and admired by her classmates and respected by professors for her intelligence and spirit," he said in a news release.
Austin Assistant Police Chief Troy Gay said Weiser was last seen leaving the Winship Drama Building on campus around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, The American-Statesman reported. She communicated with one of her friends as she headed to her dorm but never arrived, he said. A roommate reported her missing to campus police the following morning.
Weiser's body was found Tuesday in a creek near the campus alumni center and football stadium. The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the case a homicide but did not disclose the cause of death.
During a Thursday news conference, police asked for the public's help identifying a man caught on surveillance video whom they identified as a person of interest. He was walking a woman's bicycle around 11 p.m. Sunday near the Darrell K Royal-Memorial Stadium, The American-Statesman reported. Officials also announced a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Weiser's death is the first on-campus homicide since August 1966, when Charles Whitman stood atop the UT Tower and gunned down 14 people in the nation's first mass shooting.
Hundreds of people turned out for a vigil Thursday evening at the campus, home to nearly 51,000 students.
"I just felt as though I wouldn't be able to face myself if I didn't come," Neusha Rahmati, a 23-year-old biology major, told The American-Statesman.
In Beaverton, Johnson said he met with the advanced dancers at the 710-student magnet school. The students had begun connecting the dots through social media, he said, and he encouraged them to do what Weiser would have wanted them to do: dance.
"We had a great rehearsal," Stites noted.
The students, Johnson said, had "the courage and the stamina to pull back together to do just that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-- Tony Hernandez
thernandez@oregonian.com
503-294-5928
@tonyhreports