Police say murdered IU student made it home in taxi

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Police are giving more details into the investigation of murdered Indiana University student Hannah Wilson. They’re discussing rumors surrounding the case.

One of the biggest rumors has to do with the taxi driver. Was he an actual driver, or was it the suspect posing as a driver?

According to police, Wilson was drinking with friends before she was murdered. She had too much to drink, and therefore took a cab home.

“Rumors were rampant that somebody posed as a taxi cab driver. We have found at this point in the investigation that the taxi driver who was in the taxi was legit,” said Sgt. Curt Durnil of the Indiana State Police.

The taxi driver was one of the last people to see Wilson before she came into contact with her killer, police say.

“They picked her up in front of the bar that night and took her home. We have no reason to believe that that person who did that had anything to do with this homicide or this case at all,” said Durnil.

It’s unclear if the suspect followed the taxi or how they came into contact.

“We know they came into contact after that taxi cab home. We know that she made it home,” said Sgt Durnil.

A motive is also unclear.

The coronor says there is no indication of sexual assault.

The suspect, Daniel Messel, has a criminal history dating back decades which includes accusations of him beating a woman and leaving her with a broken nose and hitting her in the head with a 2×4, severing an artery on her scalp.

“You can take court docs. You can take history but until the motive comes out in court of law, we don’t know,” said Durnil.

Police are looking into whether or not surveillance cameras were rolling in the taxi that Wilson took home.