Teen runaway indicted on murder charge in Texas killing

Published June 10, 2016

FILE - In this April 8, 2016 booking file photo released by Austin Police Department, Meechaiel Criner is seen. Criner has been indicted on a capital murder charge in the campus killing of University of Texas at Austin student Haruka Weiser in April. The indictment was released Friday, June 10, 2016. (Austin Police Department via AP File) (The Associated Press)

A 17-year-old runaway from Texas' foster care system has been indicted on a capital murder charge in the campus killing of a University of Texas freshman in April.

A Travis County grand jury handed up a two-page indictment against Meechaiel Criner (mih-kah-EEL' KRY'-nur), accusing him of kidnapping, strangling and sexually assaulting Haruka Weiser of Portland, Oregon. The indictment was released Friday.

Criner faces up to life in prison if convicted, but isn't eligible for the death penalty because he's under 18.

Criner is in the Travis County jail. His attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Criner was in the custody of state Child Protective Services before being reported as a runaway March 24.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/teen-runaway-indicted-on-murder-charge-in-texas-killing