On Friday, the Julia Niswender case heated up once more in Monroe County.
According to the Detroit Free Press, James Turnquist, Julia's step-father, has lost his motion "to suppress a contested search warrant affidavit in the child pornography case...." that he is involved in.
In December 2012, Niswender – then a senior at Eastern Michigan University – was found murdered in her Peninsular Place apartment.
After a number of years of starts and stops, the investigation into how she was drowned in her bathtub heated up when her stepfather was named a "person of interest."
The Ypsilanti Police Department discovered child pornography on Turnquists laptop, which has started a separate case. They claim they found it while they were searching it, under warrant, for information regarding Niswinder's murder. The Detroit News reported in a March article that Turnquist was arrested on Feb. 26.
Turnquist's lawyer, Paul Stableim, attempted to argue that the warrant was handled improperly. The judge dismissed this.
As the Free Press article said, there has been a rift forming in the Turnquist/Niswender family. Kim Turnquist, Julia's mother, has stood by her husband. She has maintained that her husband was asleep with her, in their Monroe Township home, when Julia was drowned.
“The whole affidavit is based on lies. We are still supporting Jim and we're going to be behind him 100 percent,” Kim Turnquist was quoted saying in the Free Press.
Rose Newswinder, Julia's grandmother, is on the other side of the fence.
The Free Press quoted her as saying, in part, "I believe wholeheartedly that he had something to do with her murder. I'm very pleased with the judge's decision today. We're going to get justice for Julia."
James Turnquist has taken two polygraph tests, one private and one by the Washtenaw County Sheriff, the Free Press said.
The Monroe News reported, back in March, that the Turnquist family has been complaining about the Ypsilanti Police Department targeting the 47-year-old for some time.
The crime scene did not show signs of forced entry and Julia was not sexually attacked. But a number of things around the apartment were missing.
Turnquist's legal troubles are still in the preliminary phase. The trial proper will start on the Sept. 21.
