Former student accused of threatening University of Northern Iowa staff

CEDAR FALLS — A former University of Northern Iowa student faces charges of threatening a dean and her husband and threatening to shoot a university staff member.

Aisha Ahmad Nyala, 25, currently of Altoona, was arrested Tuesday on warrants for five counts of first-degree harassment and three counts of stalking by use of a technological device. She also had been arrested in January on a charge of intimidation with a weapon.

She was released from jail pending trial.

According to court records, Nyala threatened to harm Allyson Rafanello, the dean of students, and her husband, Nick Rafanello, UNI’s executive director of housing and dining.

Police allege Nyala used an alternate Facebook profile to post messages in November to a Rafanello family photo saying, “I will get someone to deal with you” and “I will make sure that what you've done comes back to haunt you."

In January, UNI officials received an online student complaint stating, in part, “I promise that I will get revenge on you if it's the last thing I do. That's something I'm willing to dedicate my entire life to … my new studies will be how to successfully get revenge.”

Then on Jan. 22, Nyala allegedly phoned the Iowa Board of Regents to ask about a complaint she filed. During the call, she allegedly stated if something isn’t done, she will go to the university and “shoot that woman in the head.”

Documents don’t identify the intended victim of the alleged shooting threats, but prosecutors handling the case sought restraining orders to protect Allyson Rafanello and Heather Harbach, UNI’s vice president of student life.

The bogus Facebook account that posted the messages was eventually linked to Nyala’s email address, court records state. Investigators also used the IP address on the January student complaint to trace the message to Nyala’s home address, according to court records.

The cases were investigated by the Cedar Falls Police Department and UNI Police Division.