A former Northwestern student living on the North Side ofChicago was found dead in the entry hallway of her Logan Squareapartment building early Sunday.
Jennifer Wanner, Education ’98, was found strangled at 2:18 a.m.in the building on the 2100 block of North Albany Avenue, saidJoAnn Taylor, an officer with Chicago Police Department newsaffairs.
Medical examiners determined that Wanner, 26, did not appear tohave been assaulted, said a spokesman for the Chicago MedicalExaminer’s office.
Taylor said there are no suspects in the case. The homicideinvestigation is ongoing and police still are interviewing people,including one witness, she said.
Wanner, who majored in English and was in the teaching educationprogram, lived in Allison Hall while at NU. She also worked in theOffice of Undergraduate Admission as a work-study student.
“She was a very nice lady,” said Maud Smith, an admissionassistant. “She could be firm but was very humble.”
Wanner hired Matthew Schauer to replace her as manager ofadmission services for NU, a position she held after graduatingfrom NU. “She was very educated and a talented writer,” Shauersaid.
He said admission office staff found out about the homicide whenan employee came in Monday.
“We were in absolute disbelief and shock,” he said. “It’sdifficult to comprehend.”
Officials at the School of Education and Social Policy saidTuesday that they were not aware of the Wanner’s death.
She left NU to work for the undergraduate admission office atthe Illinois Institute of Technology in January 2002.
“In her short time at IIT, Jenny touched a lot of people’slives,” said Phil Rozen, IIT director of media relations. “IIT isdeeply saddened by this loss and our hearts go out to family,friends and co-workers who knew her best.”
Rozen said about 80 faculty, staff and students attended amemorial service for Wanner on Tuesday on IIT’s Chicago campus.
The Chicago Tribune reported that power was out in Wanner’sapartment building from 11 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday. Althoughpolice officials could not confirm Tuesday that Wanner’s apartmentwas affected by an electrical blackout, severe thunderstormsbarreled through Chicago and surrounding areas Saturday night.
Wanner was a native of Toledo, Ohio. She was valedictorian ofthe Start High School class of 1994.
Wanner is survived by her parents, who still live in Toledo. Thefamily declined to comment Tuesday.
