At the 6-Month Mark-- No Sign of Spierer

December 3rd marked six months since anyone has seen or heard from Indiana University and Edgemont resident Lauren Spierer. The Bloomington, Indiana police appear no closer today to finding out what happened to Lauren than they did on June 4th.

Anyone who knows the case knows at least some elements to the story: 20 year-old Lauren Spierer went out on the night of June 3rd with some friends to local bars and clubs. She was last seen at around 4:30 am on June 4th around 11th and College Avenue. Somehow, Lauren got separated from her phone, keys and shoes that night—apparently the bar, Kilroys, where she spent some time that evening had a beach-like party. Losing her phone and keys may either be a key detail or a most unfortunate coincidence. That evening, after the bars had closed there was some back and forth between Lauren’s apartment at Smallwood Plaza in Bloomington and some boys she knew at another apartment complex close by.

After that, the details get sketchy. Some claimed Lauren was seen walking into the entrance of her apartment building. Someone says there was a fight with an unknown group of young men followed by a blackout from being punched or too many drinks. There was surveillance of a Silverado that was to have thought to have lead to something only to be quickly explained away. Still, no Lauren. She has a heart condition that without medication could fall into a fatal rhythm.

It was big news when Lauren first went missing. Lead by her parents Robert and Charlene Spierer, hundreds of people fanned out around the area and searched for the petite blond with blue eyes. News crews flooded Bloomington and several sent crews to Scarsdale: the parking lot outside Scarsdale Synagogue on the night of a June vigil looked like a media circus. The FBI, Indiana State Police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children all aided in the search. A local landfill was checked for 10 days in August. The Bloomington Police fielded over 2,400 tips on the case. Nothing. Not one sign that we know of Lauren.

After several media inquiries the Bloomington, Indiana Police department released a statement to coincide with the 6-month mark of her disappearance:

The Bloomington Police Department continues to actively investigate the disappearance of Lauren Spierer which occurred six months ago on June 3, 2011. The Department continues to receive tips from the public and from other law enforcement agencies with information about what they have heard or with names of individuals that should be considered as possibly being involved. Those tips are followed up by a team of investigators who have been assigned to the case since the beginning and Lauren’s case continues to be the priority assignment for them.

Despite the time that has passed since this investigation began, much has been done and much continues to be done on this case. The Bloomington Police Department remains as committed to this investigation as we were on June 3rd and our vigorous efforts will continue as we seek to provide answers to Lauren’s family and the Bloomington community.

Above the statement in all caps it states:

NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT WILL BE OFFERED OUTSIDE OF THE STATEMENT BELOW.

So they have nothing either.

Some believe that the young men that Spierer hung out with that night may be hiding something, or at least being less than forthcoming about the series of events on the night of Lauren’s disappearance.

Not charged with anything, the students Corey Rossman, Michael Beth, David Rohn and Jason ‘Jay’ Rosenbaum all headed home for the summer. They all retained attorneys, as is their right.

Details here

At the three-month mark, Charlene Spierer wrote and open letter to Lauren’s unknown assailant;

“This is no game. We are in this for the long haul. Do you think we are going to walk away without finding out the answers? Do you think we are going to rest until we find Lauren? We will not. You have no idea who you have taken from us. We will never give up,” she concluded in the letter.

In other instances she has made emotional pleas to parents whose children may be withholding key information about Lauren. She has also reached out to the college students asking what they would want their friends to do if this happened to them.

Still, nothing.

There are still signs about Lauren’s disappearance in shop windows around Scarsdale Village. Her pretty face, her blond hair, her diminutive frame, now almost appear like a memorial to her than a missing poster.

Some may shrug and say nothing good can happen at 4:30am and a 20-year-old shouldn’t be allowed into a bar to begin with. That may be so, but that is what happened and that is the reality for many college students across the country. It doesn’t make what happened to Lauren any less tragic or unlikely to happen to anyone else.

There have been several fundraisers and attempts to raise awareness to keep this case from entirely fading from the public eye. The next is a self-defense class at NYU on Saturday December 11th. To sign up, go to SafetyforSpierer@gmail.com, www.nyu.edu/ticketcentral , or go to 566 LaGuardia Place. All Proceeds go to find Lauren.

In a Facebook message thanking those who attended the “Support for Spierers” event the previous evening, Lauren’s parents concluded their post as they do many: We are just as determined to find Lauren today as we were on June 3. We will Never give up. Hoping today is the day...

Jen is a freelance journalist who has covered the economy and markets for over a decade at a major financial news outlet. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband and 2 children. Jen has yet to bake a successful batch of cookies.