Area coed accused of killing
Diné coed accused in UA killing

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

GALLUP — An 18-year old Tuba City freshman at the University of Arizona died Wednesday morning of injuries sustained from a fight with her roommate.

Mia J. Henderson was pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. at the University Medical Center from wounds “consistent with stabbing,” university police officials said.

Henderson was a 2007 graduate of Tuba City High School, and a recent Chief Manuelito scholar. She began classes on Aug. 20, in which she declared a biology major.

Her roommate Galareka Harrison, 18, was booked into Pima County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder after receiving care for nonlife-threatening injuries. Harrison, who is Navajo, is also from northeastern Arizona on the Navajo Nation. Her hometown was not released as of Wednesday night.

Campus police responded to Graham-Greenlee residence hall at 5:45 a.m. after a call was made regarding a fight with injuries. Officers found both women injured and they were immediately taken to University Medical Center.

A University police spokesman, Sgt. Eugene Meija said a weapon was recovered, but details surrounding the fight between Harrison and Henderson have not been released.

Friends of Henderson reported that she had talked about recent conflict with her roommate, and Henderson’s MySpace page also mention problems with her roommate, although Harrison’s name is never mentioned.

Henderson filed a police report Aug. 28 saying that she had been the victim of property theft and suspected her roommate. University Police Chief Anthony Daykin said the roommate was an “investigative lead,” named as a possible suspect in a theft report.
another dorm resident.

Daykin said Henderson had told officers she would not stay in the dorm room until her roommate was moved. The university offered her alternative housing but she declined, and Daykin said he did not know when she went back to the room.

The university kept students updated on the situation via their homepage web site, and opened up counseling services to the university community.

The University of Arizona President Robert Shelton sent out a statement electronically regarding the incident, and referred to the death of Henderson “a terrible tragedy that saddens everyone in The University of Arizona family.”

A candlelight vigil was held at the Tuba City High School softball field where Henderson played.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.