Community, family marks anniversary of Spierer disappearance - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

The Bloomington community is marking one year since Indiana University student Lauren Spierer disappeared.

People gathered on the IU campus to mark Sunday's anniversary with a vigil. Family, friends and those who helped search for Spierer in the days after her disappearance had a message for whoever knows what happens to her.

"You are not only acting selfishly, but in a cruel, evil way," said Rabbi Sue Laikin-Silberberg, director of the Hillel Center at IU.

Vigil organizers did not mince words about whoever knows the whereabouts of the missing IU student. Around 4 a.m. on Friday, June 3, 2011, Spierer walked to her apartment on College Avenue on Bloomington, only to never be seen again.

Countless searches by hundreds of volunteers and police have turned up nothing.

"May we find comfort in each others' presence as we pray for Lauren," said one speaker at the vigil.

Friday's event was filled with prayers, music and speeches, broken up by emotion and tears.

"Weary, but not taunted," said Dean Pete Goldsmith.

"I said to myself that I was not going to cry. There are so many things I could say," said search volunteer April Cole.

Search crews organized immediately by the hundreds, many who didn't even know Lauren. Eventually, to possibly generate leads, Bloomington Police released a security camera photo of Lauren leaving her apartment. Everyone speaking on her behalf Friday said one year later, it's time for one person to come forward with the one clue that could solve the case.

"If you knew what happened, speak up. Somebody knows. That's all I have to say," said volunteer search coordinator Don Cranfill.

"Hoping there would be some clue uncovered in the ongoing investigation. I want there to be information," said Dean Pete Goldsmith.

But after more than 2,600 tips, police are no closer to knowing the whereabouts of Spierer than they were the day she disappeared.

Spierer's family spoke on NBC's TODAY Show Friday about how her friends could have helped the night Lauren disappeared and changed the outcome.

"The people that were with her that night really did nothing to help her and that's part of the tragedy here, is that we believe the events would have been completely different if somebody had reached out and called for help, taken her to a hospital, taken some kind of action," said Robert Spierer, Lauren's father.

"We're aware of the fact that Lauren was not in great shape, the idea that Lauren was on the floor of her apartment building and steps away from her apartment and she could have been taken home and was not is unconscionable," said Lauren's mother, Charlene.

"We could have never imagined still not having the answers we so desperately want, but every day we are trying to stay together, we are leaning on each other, just doing the best we can," said sister Rebecca.

The family says they have hope Lauren could still be found alive, but say after a year, they "don't think that it's likely."

Robert Spierer also said that underage drinking is rampant among college students and talked about the importance of the recent lifeline law passed in Indiana. That law grants immunity to underage drinkers if they get help for friends who are suffering from alcohol poisoning and goes into effect on July 1.

Lauren Spierer was 20 years old at the time of her disappearance.