Autopsy results show law student didn't die naturally

A UA law student was found dead in her house at 2426 N. Fremont Ave., Monday afternoon, according to Tucson Police reports.

Police have called the death of Susan Barber, 27, a homicide after an autopsy completed yesterday showed that she did not die from natural causes, the report stated.

Police discovered Barber's body during a welfare check requested by the victim's parents. The university initially contacted Barber's parents after she did not show up to her classes, reports stated.

"We are not exactly sure when she died," said Sgt. Marco Borboa of the Tucson Police Department. "But it appears she could have been there up to three days."

One of Barber's neighbors said that she was living with someone that she assumed was her boyfriend. The house is part of a group of duplexes situated on the block. The landlord allegedly told the neighbor that the boyfriend had been planning to move out for the last few months. Police have not been able to contact the boyfriend since Monday, Borboa said. For students and faculty in the James E. Rogers College of Law, the news of Barber's death sparked various emotions.

"The atmosphere of the school was a mix between real sadness and confusion as to how or why this happened," said Laura Winsky, a student in the college.

However, UA and the college have provided various outlets to help students cope with the tragedy.

"We are a tightly-knit community," said Dr. Willie Jordan-Curtis, the assistant dean of student affairs in the college. "Students have been grieving all day."

Students were informed of the death through a blanket e-mail sent to members of the college. Jordan-Curtis said that students had been in and out of her office and that a counselor from Campus Health had been working within the college.

"Susan was a generous, giving person," Jordan-Curtis said. "She loved animals and people. She was training to become a public defense lawyer, serving people who couldn't help themselves," she said, adding that Barber would have made a good lawyer.

Anyone with information relating to this case should call 911 or 88-CRIME.