2 years, 3,060 tips later, still no answer

This past spring, as graduation caps flew into the air following the 2013 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies, one particular cap was never thrown.

Today marks the two-year anniversary of the disappearance of then-20 year old IU sophomore Lauren Spierer, who vanished on June 3, 2011. It is a night that remains a mystery to this day. 

In his commencement speech at the Undergraduate Ceremonies, President Michael A. McRobbie asked the IU community to keep Spierer and her family and friends in their thoughts. McRobbie noted that Spierer is a member of the community who will never be forgotten. 

“This is something that is on our minds every day,” Dean of Students Pete Goldsmith said. “We constantly think about her family, friends, and people that knew her and the fact that she was supposed to graduate this year. We hope there is a resolution for her family as well as the IU campus who remembers her daily.”

The details of Spierer’s last known whereabouts are no more clear two years later than they were the very day she was reported missing.

According to police reports, Spierer left her Smallwood apartment complex with then-IU student Corey Rossman and walked to Kilroy’s Sports Bar at 1:46 a.m. 

Spierer and Rossman entered the bar, the outside area of which had been filled with sand to simulate a beach area, and walked around barefoot.  At 2:27 a.m., Spierer was seen on camera leaving the bar barefoot and without her cell phone.

Rossman accompanied Spierer back to her apartment complex, arriving at 2:30 a.m., where he was involved in an altercation with another resident. Rossman was reportedly punched in the face and fell to the ground, but he claims he does not recall this incident.

The two exited the Smallwood complex at 2:42 a.m. after a brief 12-minute stop, which the apartment security footage confirmed. Street cameras between Smallwood and the apartments she visited at 11th and Morton streets captured additional footage of Spierer, which shows her walking with another person through the camera fields.  

The sequence of events that followed after she left her apartment building remain 
inconclusive.

Mike Beth, Rossman’s roommate, said he helped Rossman to his bed and then accompanied Spierer down the hall to the apartment of Jay Rosenbaum, an acquaintance. Rosenbaum claims he tried to persuade Spierer to stay on his couch that night and that she refused.

He said he stood on his balcony as he watched Spierer walk home alone back to her apartment complex around 4:30 a.m. Rosenbaum was the last person to see Spierer.

Police reported Spierer’s keys and purse were found along a route between the two apartment complexes. Spierer’s boyfriend, Jesse Wolff, reported Spierer missing on the afternoon of June 3 when she didn’t return his phone calls or text messages.   

The Bloomington Police Department issued a statement noting that as of May 24, 2013, a total of 3,060 tips have been received by the Department, 166 in 2013. 

“Since the time of Lauren’s disappearance on June 3, 2011, the Bloomington Police Department has continued its ongoing effort to provide answers to Lauren’s family and the Bloomington community,” the statement read. “Despite being nearly two years into this investigation, information continues to come in regarding Lauren’s case and investigators diligently pursue the information with the same level of commitment as in the beginning. No amount of time passing will deter us from our responsibility and we remain dedicated to Lauren’s case.”

IUPD Deputy Chief Laury Flint reiterated the Department’s diligence in continuing their service by doing extra patrols in areas that aren’t well-lit, as well as areas that are frequented by intoxicated people, being proactive in regards to keeping people safe and looking for people who need help.

“We are always vigilant and trying to look for people who need help,” Flint said. “We aren’t only looking for people who are doing something wrong. We want to protect people and sometimes that even means from themselves.”

Flint said the majority of the campus population are young adults ages 18-22 years old who will inevitably experiment with alcohol. Though they can’t always stop this activity, Flint cited educational programs provided to students as the key to learning to be more responsible when drinking alcohol. 

“People have to be willing to pay attention and listen when these programs are presented to them,” Flint said. “They have to be willing to take advice.”

Melanie Payne, senior associate director of the Office of First Year Experience Programs and director of New Student Orientation, said safety is one of FYE’s biggest concerns, due to orientation being a major transition time. 

Following Lauren’s disappearance, Payne said the program has added safety sessions with IUPD and have placed a bigger focus on the importance of making the right choices. Payne said in the very first session with parents and students after Lauren disappeared, the Office laid out what information they had to those concerned.

“Here’s what we as a community know, here’s what this campus is concerned about, lets talk about your students’ safety,” Payne said. “We put it in context of bad things can happen anywhere, lets talk about how to minimize that. You have a role in it and we have a role in it. Our role is to provide information, resources, access to those resources and the student’s role is to think and make good choices and the family’s role, again, is to guide and remind.” 

As IU continues to mourn the absence of Lauren, who should have been standing amongst the ranks of graduating seniors in May, her story has left a mark on the IU community, emphasizing the importance of making the right decisions and being safe.

“No parent, sister, brother or friend should have to endure the prolonged ordeal that those closest to Lauren have faced over the last two years,” said Mark Land, associate vice president of IU Communications. “In particular, our hearts go out to Lauren’s family, which has displayed unwavering faith and uncommon grace under unspeakably trying circumstances. We also join them in urging anyone who may have information that could bring resolution to Lauren’s disappearance to the attention of the Bloomington Police.”