IN - Lauren Spierer, 20, Bloomington, 03 June 2011 - #13

[AbbeyR]

Not really because we are a message board, not a news site. I was nitpicking on TG because I was treating him as a media site, later I realized he is just blogging about the case - which means he is able to say whatever he wants.

I haven't seen of us posting picture/name of Lauren's friends... what we posted about JW's brother was on a message board, like this one. His name remained anonymous.

Anonymous? The quoted posts contained his first name and he was identified as JW's brother! But now I'm the one nitpicking...

I agree with your point about holding media to a higher standard. Still, for a bunch of people (myself included!) who have been sleuthing around message boards, social media sites, and analyzing just about every person and scenario related to this case, it feels like things are getting a little high-horsey in here.

Berk13, thanks for the info about hazing. I've heard reports about this kind of thing, but had no idea it was so common. Sounds terrifying!

 

[elmomom]

If I could have any piece of information (other than the location of LS I mean of course) I would want to know the nature of the interaction between LS, CR and whomever it was that punched CR. Of course the story we have heard was that it was friends of JW, upset that LS was being "taken advantage of" and it was (modsnip) who threw the punch.
But the fact is, we don't know any of that - at all. So it is very hard to understand if it had a major, or any, role in the disappearance of LS. I do think it is extremely odd that LE did not want this info coming out. If it was important enough to keep under wraps, my thinking is that it must matter.

 

[Ven]

From video:

Reporter on Tape: "...and Tamir who was also in Rosenbaum's apartment that night."

HT on tape and labeled as June 9: ...I wish we were out that night, but we weren't...and the one time...not with her.

http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-atto...raph-in-spierer-case-20110627,0,3846816.story

So HT was at JR's that night? ... no?

Has LE thoroughly checked her out? I mean, I wouldn't suspect her of anything either, but her stories always change, and at the very least it's possible she might have been present at an accident.

Of course, if we'd just hear that for sure she was at Smallwood all night (they have cameras, so LE could verify this) then we could all stop giving her a hard time if it's not warranted.

 

[elmomom]

Of course, if we'd just hear that for sure she was at Smallwood all night (they have cameras, so LE could verify this) then we could all stop giving her a hard time if it's not warranted.

Oh I think "a hard time' is warranted. She seems to change up the details of the evening an awful lot. And quite possibly to influence the outcome or target of the investigation.

 

[Ven]

Although I am tired of being suspicious of these people when I have very little reason to be, I agree it seems strange that AR would ask people to direct their tips to HT. Like HT is the official who should be fielding any potential leads/filtering information. Maybe at that point they thought LS would still just turn up/that one of their friends would feel more comfortable contacting HT to tell her something relatively innocuous like LS was sleeping off a crazy night at a guy who's not her boyfriend's house. That kind of thing would probably be something rather tweeted to the friend than the police/parents. Still...it could be an indication of yet another weird thing going on...

I wouldn't read anything into this. If people received word directly from HT that Lauren was missing, they might have just passed along HT's number.

And even though I'm always distrusting of HT, I wouldn't read anything into her lack of tweets that weekend anyway. One way or another, I'm sure there was a lot going on. (of course it would be another matter if she was tweeting about all kinds of other stuff, but not Lauren)

 

[Ven]

You judge her much more harshly than I do.

I just get the feeling that -- at best -- she's an attention-you-know-what, and her statements don't add up, so I am always suspicious of her.

 

[Ven]

Some people in Bloomington reported intense helicopter activity a few hours ago, not sure if that is related to this case or not?

 

[sueC]

Yes, an arcade is also a covered passageway, which is what folks should be referring to. There are security cams at the north and south "entrances". The sidewalk is to the east and continues downhill along side the building, so that the north end is even with the sidewalk, but the south end has several stairs to get down to the sidewalk.

Thanks bx for clearing that up! Didn't the bar manager say she saw Lauren and mystery man on or near some steps. There are steps in the breezeway, and also from the sidewalk on College to the breezeway. Here are pics by Btown- 2nd pic shows breezeway security camera.

 

[bx2]

Thanks bx for clearing that up! Didn't the bar manager say she saw Lauren and mystery man on or near some steps. There are steps in the breezeway, and also from the sidewalk on College to the breezeway. Here are pics by Btown- 2nd pic shows breezeway security camera.

Here's a pic of the south end at the 10th St. and College intersection where that report was from. (via hoosiertimes.com photosynth). You can see the other camera from the arcade, though it faces north toward the building entrance.

 

[jjenny]

Yes, an arcade is also a covered passageway, which is what folks should be referring to. There are security cams at the north and south "entrances". The sidewalk is to the east and continues downhill along side the building, so that the north end is even with the sidewalk, but the south end has several stairs to get down to the sidewalk.

Well maybe we finally can stop discussing "mystery man." If there are cameras there, and whatever the supposed witness described is not on camera, then clearly it is not a credible sighting.

 

[sueC]

So for all the crap I'm taking -- can we please identify the news organizations who ran the photo of a man who has nothing to do with this and identified him as one of the top persons of interest in this case, the last person who supposedly saw Lauren, Jason Rosenbaum?

(Sorry if already answered) I saw it on Fox2 Detroit yesterday and the same pic was on their website this morning. It was changed sometime today to a picture of Lauren. Someone posted here that this pic was also used in NY Post article. And possibly several other sites.

It was a group photo from JR's facebook page. There were 2 men in pic, and I guess someone assumed that JR was the tall guy in blue/white plaid shirt. I'm still not sure if JR's the other guy in the pic? Here's a screen shot of Fox2 before they corrected it- I added the box over his face. Hmmm...wonder if plaid guy can sue anyone?

 

[Ven]

That blog attacking JR is getting pretty libelous, I'll be surprised if whoever is behind it doesn't get sued.
I wonder why JW isn't getting the same heat as JR?

There is nothing to say either of them is guilty, but doesn't look like either one of them has been cleared either.

#1 and #2 POIs, pick your order.

 

[bx2]

Well maybe we finally can stop discussing "mystery man." If there are cameras there, and whatever the supposed witness described is not on camera, then clearly it is not a credible sighting.

I'd consider the Tenth and College complex like Smallwood, where the cameras covering the entrance/exit points can alibi someone's comings and goings. Street corners are another matter altogether. There are no visible cameras that I would consider being able to show any part of College Ave including the corner of 10th and College.

 

[bessie]

Good evening --

Did I miss a big scoop while I was at work today??

Has LE name new persons of interest??

I didn't think so.

 

[British]

..................................
I wonder why JW isn't getting the same heat as JR?

There is nothing to say either of them is guilty, but doesn't look like either one of them has been cleared either.

#1 and #2 POIs, pick your order.

There is nothing whatsoever to suggest involvement of JW. It seems that he is just listed still as POI as he may not have solid alibi, as it was late at night and people usually sleep around that time. But he is one of the few in the list of the POIs for which I am absolutely convinced that he is totally unrelated to what happened. His actions the next day seemed to be the actions of a really concerned innocent person. Simple as that.

 

[cba1956]

is there a new thread open? I couldn't find it if there is

 

[Ven]

There is nothing whatsoever to suggest involvement of JW. It seems that he is just listed still as POI as he may not have solid alibi, as it was late at night and people usually sleep around that time. But he is one of the few in the list of the POIs for which I am absolutely convinced that he is totally unrelated to what happened. His actions the next day seemed to be the actions of a really concerned innocent person. Simple as that.

He's been named a person of interest by police, it's as simple as that.
So has JR ... but JR has been hounded by bloggers and media ... JW has not been touched, even though those 2 are equal in LE's minds at this point.

 

[elmomom]

Let's see... JW is the boyfriend. Rumors have it that there was some sort of falling out with LS that caused him to request she re-friend him on FB on May 30. LS is out and about hanging out with CR, and apparently "friends of JW" are upset enough to throw some punches. JW tries to hook up with LS all evening but is unable to. The next day he declares that she is missing after less than 12 hours, and has LS's two girlfriends go to LE and make the report. After initial statements to LE, he leaves town and lawyers up. And, interestingly enough, people claiming to be friends of his are on the internet badmouthing CR and JR.
Now, tell me again, why we should just not bother even considering him?
LE continues to claim that none of the POIs are cleared.

 

[Darcyline]

It is interesting to me how the blame has shifted in this case. Surprisingly, I have never really seen JW targeted. At the very beginning, CR and MB were the ones to blame and some articles didn't even mention JR as part of the evening. Now it has swung to JR.
However, LE has made it extremely clear recently that absolutely no one has been cleared. That includes JW. I liked what someone else said when they called it a whodunit compass ha ha. My whodunit compass isn't pointing toward JW, but that is one avenue that no one...including LE...has been able to debunk yet.

 

[jhol74]

I don't have anything new or useful to add but I feel like posting. I have been following this case from the first post and, like many of you, have become emotionally involved. The news that there are no more planned searches hit me hard, though it is difficult to explain why. I just cannot imagine to pain Mr. and Mrs. Spierer are feeling right now. My daughter will be going away to school college in 4 years and while that may seem like a long time from now, it's not. She'll only be 45 minutes away but the thought of something happening to her and me not being there when it does.. it really scares me.

I feel so heartbroken for this family as if I know them personally. We all have our own theories and from what I've read here and on many other message boards, I lean towards the OD with a coverup by JR and whomever was in his apartment with them that night. I think he was hoping his story of seeing her at 4:30 would lead everyone to think she was abducted and he never imagined the heat he would be getting. I have such a sad feeling that her body will never be found. I pray nightly that it will so that her parents can say goodbye but I think of the condition her body is in after all these weeks and can't imagine the horror.

As parents, they must be mortified to find out that their sweet daughter was involved in the heavy drinking/drug scene. I've talked to my daughter at length about this case. I constantly talk to my children about the dangers of alcohol and drugs but once the are off to college, all we can do is hope and pray that the lessons we have tried to teach them stick with them. I wish I could keep them home and away from the dangers of the world and the temptations of "peer pressure" and wanting to fit in forever. Instead, I will keep talking to them and keep telling them about these tragic stories and hope they go away as responsible once they are on their own as they are at home.

Thank you for reading and for allowing me to share my feelings. I know I have nothing useful to add but I wanted to share what I'm sure many of you are feeling as well.