BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Saturday, June 3, marks 12 years since the disappearance of Indiana University student Lauren Spierer.
Spierer was a 20-year-old sophomore when she vanished after a night out with friends in Bloomington in 2011. The mystery of her disappearance remains unsolved, but her family still holds out hope.
There's a website dedicated to finding her, with resources to provide police with tips pertaining to her disappearance.
On Saturday, her mother, Charlene Spierer, shared a message on social media.
"Lauren is a memory that lives in my heart," she wrote. "What could have been, I’ll never know. So much untapped potential. Too many broken hearts left in the wake of destruction. What happened to Lauren could have happened to anyone. I think most college students believe they are invincible. I think Lauren trusted that she was safe. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong people. She wasn’t careful and she wasn’t safe. Someone with means, motive, and opportunity waited for her, held out the hand she took and just like that she was gone."
Charlene also addressed the person responsible for Lauren's disappearance in her post, writing, "12 years you have kept your secret. 12 years we have continued our search. I write today as a reminder that we will never stop."
The Bloomington Police Department has said Spierer's case remains active. In 2021, police said they had received more than 36,000 tips since Lauren disappeared in 2011. Of those, 1,100 were described as "actionable." They also said they had executed at least 10 search warrants in the previous three or four years related to the case and received 800 tips, 100 of which required some sort of follow-up.
Spierer was last seen wearing black leggings and a white top. She is 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 95 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information should contact the following investigators:
- BPD Tipline: 812-339-4477
- Beau Dietl & Associates: 212-557-3334, mike@investigations.com
- IU Police Department: 812-855-4111