Missing Yale student found dead behind wall on day of her planned wedding.

[Caliga]

Well, some sort of affair or unrequited relationship could explain the murderous rage. It is otherwise pretty difficult to understand why a lab tech would strangle a graduate student to death.

It's hard for me to understand why anybody would kill someone with their bare hands, and I'm not sure such behavior can be rationalized.  It's like trying to figure out "the reason why" Ted Bundy kidnapped, raped, and murdered so many innocent women he randomly targeted.  I think it's a pointless exercise.  Not that I'm comparing this kid to Ted Bundy, but the senselessness of the crime is the same.... so I think it's just as likely he killed her because he was mad she left some dead mice in a cage as it is that he had some lustful obsession with her.

[DisturbedPervert]

But I just can't believe if he had a plan to rape and murder her, or murder her for some other reason, he would intend to carry it out at such a secure facility in the middle of a working day.

He doesn't need to have a plan even if they were involved.  It could have been any number of things that sent him in to a murderous rage, like her deciding to end the relationship since she's about to be married.

Him strangling a girl he wasn't involved with because she pissed him off that day seems very odd, but I suppose possible.  You'd think he would have had a history of assault charges if he could be set off like that.

[DGuller]

Well, for one, some information as to motive and what the DNA evidence revealed would be good.

So far, the evidence released is all circumstantial - as far as I know they can monotor commings and goings from the building but not the room, his wounds could be caused by any number of things, polygraphs are not reliable tools. I hadn't heard he was trying to flee, but that could be explained through stupidity - a person knowing he's likely a suspect may well act guilty.

Not saying he's probably not guilty - he probably is - but the vital and conclusive evidence hasn't been released yet.

It seems like the guy already hired a lawyer.

[Caliga]

Him strangling a girl he wasn't involved with because she pissed him off that day seems very odd, but I suppose possible.  You'd think he would have had a history of assault charges if he could be set off like that.

Yeah, I suppose, but this is what I was trying to get at earlier (but did not explain very clearly, on re-reading my post).  If he is the kind of person capable of that sort of murderous rage, I don't think there needs to be a logical reason that the rest of us can clearly understand and relate to.

[Malthus]

It seems like the guy already hired a lawyer.

Oh no, I'm not doing anything that smacks of pro bono. 

[Malthus]

Him strangling a girl he wasn't involved with because she pissed him off that day seems very odd, but I suppose possible.  You'd think he would have had a history of assault charges if he could be set off like that.

Yeah, I suppose, but this is what I was trying to get at earlier (but did not explain very clearly, on re-reading my post).  If he is the kind of person capable of that sort of murderous rage, I don't think there needs to be a logical reason that the rest of us can clearly understand and relate to.

I think you are missing his point a bit - if this was an example of pointless murderous rage, would that not indicate the guy was prone to violent outbursts? And if so, wouldn't he have a criminal record already?

If he lacks a criminal history, that would make it more likely he had a powerful motive (rather than simply having a hair-trigger temper) for being angry at this particular person.

[The Minsky Moment]

And if so, wouldn't he have a criminal record already?

Six years ago, he was questioned by police after getting into a fight with his high school girlfriend.  The girlfriend gave a statement at that time to the police that he had recently forced her to have sex against her will, but then declined to press charges, and the matter was dropped.

It's possible for a person to carry out violent or anti-social behavior for a time without it ending up in criminal convictions.

[Caliga]

No, I didn't miss his point... that's what I meant with my "I suppose" response.  I'm not sure that we know either way whether he has a history of violent outbursts, just that he has no criminal record associated with such behavior (his record is clean save for a speeding ticket).  OTOH some ex-girlfriend went public accusing the guy of raping her several years back, but since she declined to press charges he was never tried for it or anything.  If she's telling the truth, I'm sure she feels incredibly guilty right now.

[Caliga]

And if so, wouldn't he have a criminal record already?

Six years ago, he was questioned by police after getting into a fight with his high school girlfriend.  The girlfriend gave a statement at that time to the police that he had recently forced her to have sex against her will, but then declined to press charges, and the matter was dropped.

It's possible for a person to carry out violent or anti-social behavior for a time without it ending up in criminal convictions.

[Malthus]

And if so, wouldn't he have a criminal record already?

Six years ago, he was questioned by police after getting into a fight with his high school girlfriend.  The girlfriend gave a statement at that time to the police that he had recently forced her to have sex against her will, but then declined to press charges, and the matter was dropped.

It's possible for a person to carry out violent or anti-social behavior for a time without it ending up in criminal convictions.

Certainly it is possible. We are I think discussing probabilities. The lack of an extensive history of violence (if there is such a lack) simply makes it more probable that he has some more specific motive for his crime than an argument over lab protocol gone badly wrong - because it is probable that someone who had such poor impulse control would, sometime prior to adulthood, come to the repeated attention of the cops.

[merithyn]

There are reports that he was very controlling of his fiancee, but who knows how accurate - or important - that is.

Personally, my guess leans more toward the unrequited love thing. The statement his fiancee put up wasn't that he was having an affair, but rather that he had the hots for someone at the lab. She posted that he was just friendly with everyone.

And because I watch far too many Law & Order-type shows, were it not for the defensive wounds, I'd have blamed the fiancee. She had access to his card, worked there as well so knew the layout, and seems to be a bit of a bitch herself. I could see her killing the Le girl in a fit of rage over a supposed relationship, and doing it in a way to kill the girl and get the guy for it.

[Caliga]

Certainly it is possible. We are I think discussing probabilities. The lack of an extensive history of violence (if there is such a lack) simply makes it more probable that he has some more specific motive for his crime than an argument over lab protocol gone badly wrong - because it is probable that someone who had such poor impulse control would, sometime prior to adulthood, come to the repeated attention of the cops.

Well, what possible motives would you suggest in this case?  I am curious why you think he might have committed this crime in this particular manner.

[DisturbedPervert]

Not only did the ex high school girlfriend not press charges, she continued to date him after the incident.  He just went a bit too far making her love him this time. 

[merithyn]

I've changed my opinion to agree with Caliga:

Police said it was a case of workplace violence, but didn't elaborate.

"It is important to note that this is not about urban crime, university crime, domestic crime but an issue of workplace violence, which is becoming a growing concern around the country," Lewis said.

[Caliga]

Personally, my guess leans more toward the unrequited love thing. The statement his fiancee put up wasn't that he was having an affair, but rather that he had the hots for someone at the lab. She posted that he was just friendly with everyone.

What this theory has going for it are two things that I am aware of:

* Apparently he texted her that morning requesting that they meet to talk about some mice-related shit.  I thought it was strange that he would be texting a co-worker on her cell phone, unless they had some relationship outside of work.

* He belonged to some "Asian cultural" group in high school that apparently did stuff like go on trips to Chinatown, cook ethnic Chinese food, and so on.  Thus maybe he has a fixation on Asian chicks (seems flimsy, but you never know).