Investigators seek clues for missing Indiana student's case

Investigators seek clues for missing Indiana student's case

INDIANAPOLIS Bloomington, Ind., police investigating the 2011 disappearance of an Indiana University student are awaiting DNA test results of skeletal remains found in a remote area in eastern Illinois.

Later this month, the results from the Illinois State Crime Lab will determine whether the remains are those of Lauren Spierer, from Greenburgh, N.Y. Capt. Joe Qualters of the Bloomington police said the body was found in mid-March in Newton, Ill., about 100 miles west of Blooming ton.

This is the latest in a still-ongoing search for Spierer, 20, who disappeared June 3, 2011, after a night out with friends.

"Any situation where we become aware of a body that has been found, we're certainly going to pursue it to determine if it's related to our case," Qualters said. "We've had several of these along the way."

Qualters said detectives have inquired to other agencies about at least 10 bodies found in the Indianapolis and Bloomington areas, hoping to end the prolonged search.

But 10 months since Spierer disappeared, the search continues and closure evades those who are seeking it.

In early March, her mother, Charlene Spierer, wrote a blog post addressed to the person responsible for her daughter's disappearance.

"You were with Lauren, you know what happened," Charlene Spierer wrote, "and you know where she is."

There have been several persons of interest -- but no suspect -- in the case.

One person of interest is Jay Rosenbaum, an Indiana University student who lived in the apartment Spierer visited before she disappeared. The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News reported that Rosenbaum was the last person to see Spierer before she vanished. He had said he had nothing to do with her disappearance and that he had fully cooperated with police.

Corey Rossman and Mike Beth, who both lived in the same building and are Rosenbaum's friends, are also considered people of interest.

Meanwhile, Spierer's family has set up a website called findLauren.com, as well as a PayPal account for donations to support the search. In February, the family announced a $ 250,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to finding the Indiana University sophomore.