Local News

Lauren Spierer Still Missing, Family Pleading for Answers

Published

5 years ago

June 3, 2020

Bloomington, Indiana – It has been nine years since IU student Lauren Spierer went missing.

Despite thousands of tips and years later, her family is still hoping for that one piece of information that will bring their nightmare to a close.

Spierer, a 20-year-old sophomore from Greenburgh, N.Y., went out for a night with friends in downtown Bloomington on June 3, 2011, and vanished after a night of partying as she was walking home to her Smallwood Plaza apartment around 4:30 in the morning. She rounded the corner of 11th Street and College Avenue and was never seen again.

Her disappearance received national attention and Bloomington police say the case remains a top priority.

“We remain dedicated to following up on all leads and continue to seek assistance from the public,” Bloomington Police Capt. Ryan Pedigo said in an emailed statement.

Her body has never been found and police have not made any arrests in the case.

Charlene Spierer, Lauren’s mother, marked the ninth anniversary of Lauren’s disappearance by posting a plea for information on Facebook today.

The following is the Facebook post:

“Lauren has been missing since early Friday morning, June 3rd, and was last seen on 11th St. and College Ave. in Bloomington, IN.” – Words from the posters created after Lauren’s disappearance. Those words…still so jarring. Still inconceivable. Nine years ago, Lauren vanished into thin air. It’s as if it just happened. For nine years we’ve followed every lead that has come our way, all either dead ends or lies. Not one single step closer to the truth. Most who visit this page already know Lauren’s story. Do I think her disappearance was random? No. I do not. Do I think we will ever get the truth or find Lauren’s remains? I don’t know. Will we ever stop searching? No, we will not. Will Lauren ever be less a part of our family? No, she will not. We are all so fragile, this inner circle who knew and loved Lauren. No cure for the emptiness Lauren’s disappearance has left in our hearts. So, for those responsible, how lucky you have been. Nine years of dead ends for our family. Nine years of freedom for you. It will not always be that way. I hope that someday, someone will have a crisis of conscience and speak the truth. If not, well you got away with it. Or did you? Anyone with any first-hand knowledge of what happened to Lauren on June 3, 2011, I beseech you please contact us through in of the following ways: