IN - Lauren Spierer, 20, Bloomington, 03 June 2011 #33

[TB Rhine]

But there again, college kids buy/give each other booze all the time. Unless one of these guys either had something to do directly with Lauren's death (as in, he assaulted her), OR one or more of them have knowledge of the circumstances of her death and have chosen not to come forward for fear of incriminating themselves, then they're not guilty of anything that a million other college guys (and girls) aren't guilty of. The only difference is that in this instance, unlike most, things didn't ultimately turn out for the best.

I think a big drawback with a mystery like this is that we tend to believe we have all the pieces to the puzzle, and just need to figure out how to put them together, when in fact we may be missing one or more crucial pieces. Lauren may have been abducted by a random psycho. She may have happened across someone doing some shady doings and wound up seeing something they didn't want her to see. She may have encountered another friend or acquaintance along her route home, and that person is the one who wound up killing her. She may have stumbled drunkenly into the road and been hit by a car, and the person behind the wheel (possibly drunk themselves) decided, in a panic, to hide the body somewhere.

The only thing we can positively rule out at this point is accidental death without later interference with the body, as presumably if she'd simply slipped and fallen or something her body would have been found.

 

[Ixchel13]

quote from TBRhine
"The only difference is that in this instance, unlike most, things didn't ultimately turn out for the best."

classic understatement. There are a few differences though. Lauren was, by all accounts, asking to go home, asking for help and they admit not giving it! These
"college students" know right from wrong. IMO, they know what happened to Lauren, and they won't divulge that because of how many people probably saw them dispensing drugs that night. It's obvious, at least to me and JMO, that they aren't talking because it isn't a "plus" as jamicat pointed out, also gross understatement there. If they were just partying, getting high and drinking with Lauren, not dealing the drugs, then they could have called an ambulance or the police.
They chose to do whatever they did to Lauren, so they wouldn't get in trouble. Conversely, if LE finds out they did something, then they're in trouble! This board is a place where people hope that happens. IIRC, this board does not blame victims even obliquely. Because people do get abducted and yes, murdered when they're out on the town, does not mean they deserve whatever they got, IOW. The killer, or perhaps the dealer who dealt a lethal dose or hid a body, does not get ANY sympathy. Being alive, when someone isn't, because of them, is the only "plus" they get and I say that with irony, sadness and disgust. As Charlene Spierer said at the beginning, "Shame on them!" If they turn out to be innocent, I won't feel bad for a single word I have written, because in that case, they turned a friend out into the streets w/o a prayer of helping herself home. If they're too lazy, too immature, too
selfish, too entitled to understand that, too bad.

 

[Mahouston69]

I agree the pieces don't fit because we're missing crucial ones and even more frustrating is I think the police have them and really haven't fit the rest together like we have. I know our local dept has a online, social media investigator. Hope Bloomington does and has all the information they need to find Lauren.

 

[imkeylime]

But there again, college kids buy/give each other booze all the time. Unless one of these guys either had something to do directly with Lauren's death (as in, he assaulted her), OR one or more of them have knowledge of the circumstances of her death and have chosen not to come forward for fear of incriminating themselves, then they're not guilty of anything that a million other college guys (and girls) aren't guilty of. The only difference is that in this instance, unlike most, things didn't ultimately turn out for the best.

I think a big drawback with a mystery like this is that we tend to believe we have all the pieces to the puzzle, and just need to figure out how to put them together, when in fact we may be missing one or more crucial pieces. Lauren may have been abducted by a random psycho. She may have happened across someone doing some shady doings and wound up seeing something they didn't want her to see. She may have encountered another friend or acquaintance along her route home, and that person is the one who wound up killing her. She may have stumbled drunkenly into the road and been hit by a car, and the person behind the wheel (possibly drunk themselves) decided, in a panic, to hide the body somewhere.

The only thing we can positively rule out at this point is accidental death without later interference with the body, as presumably if she'd simply slipped and fallen or something her body would have been found.

I actually agree with much of what you say in the first paragraph here. This does go on at campuses across the country, even at more high school parties than we'd like to imagine. What may make it different is what the POIs knew during the night ... which is hard to nail down in CR's case, as he allegedly can't remember the night in the first place. But if LS did indeed take Klonopin, and CR knew she had and continued to provide access to alcohol because he wanted to get her more intoxicated in order to hook up with her, it's worth digging deeper into, IMO.

I'd love to have some confirmation that she did Klonopin with DR and that JR (and CR) knew about it. Because that would also give him (JR) a heads up when she showed up with a bruised face and didn't recall how she got it. It's possible that he made a bad judgment call. Then again, why the followup calls to DR and whomever?

In terms of the possibilities noted in paragraph two, the thought that she did encounter another friend or acquaintance while en route home interests me. I do struggle with her being able to leave JR's at all. But if she did, and there wasn't a random abductor lurking around, going home with someone she knew enough to trust isn't out of the question. There was a rape at IU that had those elements ... a "friend" helping an intoxicated young woman home and then assaulting her in a laundry room, I believe.

One thing that I've always wondered a bit about is the guy who found her wristlet, and how his roommate had seen it earlier. Hope I got that story right ...

 

[TB Rhine]

ETA: Bleh.

 

[imkeylime]

Not quoting the whole post(s), but it seems like what you are saying is that it is not odd reactions from people who don't want to incriminate themselves. Right, we are on the same page. Only, I am not overly concerned with what is in the POI's self interest. Also, there's no blanket rule - criminal defense lawyers do not have a problem with their clients cooperating with an investigation to the extent that they are not incriminating themselves... and this isn't always the primary concern anyway. For all of the cases that you have mentioned (which I am not very familiar with), there are others where friends have reacted in a totally different way - Look at Mickey Shunick's friends, for example. In some cases, the primary concern of the friends is finding their missing friend.

There have been a few comments recently about LE hampering the investigation by not focusing more on the possibility of a random abduction. Aside from the fact that they have indicated they did pursue this, you know what else may have hampered that possibility? The last people with Lauren not cooperating with the investigation. Even if they did watch Lauren walk out at 4 am? They refused to take LE polygraphs, which would have helped rule them out, they withheld information and gave misleading statements to the public, leading people in the early days of the investigation (and some even still) to believe she left looking to 'party', when all evidence points to her being unable to even stand on her own, and have remained silent and/or contributed to red herrings that led people to look at all kinds of theories that made no sense whatsoever. Think of how different the search for Lauren and media treatment of this case might have looked like if they cooperated even a little, by giving say, a clear timeline of events leading up to Lauren disappearing. Then on top of all of this, the only statements they gave to the media consisted of them attacking Lauren, her parents or whining about how they are the victims.

So yeah, I'm not so concerned with what is in their self-interest. I'd really like to see justice for Lauren.

Re: random abduction. I have the worst directional sense (seriously), but were there directions, i.e., toward the Waffle House or the railroad tracks, that wouldn't show LS on camera if she left JR's and wandered off? It's been said that the Morgan Harrington case wouldn't be solved until the killer acted again, which he apparently did with Hannah Graham. But random abductors can also be transient, obviously. Not sure where to proceed from that ...

I believe that LE would have questioned those in the white truck as to both what they were doing as well as what they saw that morning. Maybe people coming and going at the Waffle House were also questioned? While I do think that the POIs have hindered this case whether or not they were directly involved, I have no problem looking in other directions. But where do we start?

One thing I do think is that even having a strong starting point doesn't always yield results. The other case I've followed for years began with a Blue Gremlin, which really didn't pan out but is still the defining image. What is the defining image in this case, in your opinion?

 

[TB Rhine]

The prevailing theory seems to be that the POIs in the case were at least witnesses to Lauren's (probably accidental) death, then disposed of her body to avoid being implicated. As you note, we have a "strong start" here, in terms of plenty of POIs, more than one of them acting more than a little fishy. But, for all that, they may not actually be guilty... all the clues in the world are worthless if none of them points you in the right direction. One or more of these guys may be guilty -- or it may be that the cops went hard on them in the early running, antagonism developed as a result (not unlike what happened in the JonBenet Ramsay case), the boys clammed up, and as a result of THAT the investigation continued to focus on them, along with family and bystanders' suspicions, when in fact the real answer lies in some completely other direction.

 

[imkeylime]

The prevailing theory seems to be that the POIs in the case were at least witnesses to Lauren's (probably accidental) death, then disposed of her body to avoid being implicated. As you note, we have a "strong start" here, in terms of plenty of POIs, more than one of them acting more than a little fishy. But, for all that, they may not actually be guilty... all the clues in the world are worthless if none of them points you in the right direction. One or more of these guys may be guilty -- or it may be that the cops went hard on them in the early running, antagonism developed as a result (not unlike what happened in the JonBenet Ramsay case), the boys clammed up, and as a result of THAT the investigation continued to focus on them, along with family and bystanders' suspicions, when in fact the real answer lies in some completely other direction.

I wonder if what you mentioned about the guys clamming up also has to do with JW's behavior. It's not that the investigation has focused on him, as the 5N POIs get most of the attention. But I wonder if he does know more than he's shared but is unwilling because of antagonism (i.e., the boyfriend does get a certain type of attention, IMO, and he and his parents sure seen antagonistic).

So one strong start would be a possible OD, that the POIs know about. Going back to your thought about her possibly encountering a friend of acquaintance while en route ... another turning point, IMO, is the fight at SW, since none of this would have happened had she stayed. Anyone who saw her there could have seen she was seriously messed up. I wonder where those that witnessed the fight ended up that morning? Maybe she encountered someone else on his/her way home or someone followed her from 5N.

Just trying to look in new directions ...

 

[AbbeyR]

The one thing that I got from talking to parents of a former IU student is that it's not at all unusual for college students to be walking around at all times of the night drunk and under the influence. Happens all of the time. So what happened to Lauren was not a big deal up until she did not show up later and is missing...

[Respectfully snipped for space]

But we could also think of it this way: In a place where it is not unusual at all to have drunk girls (and guys) stumbling around at all hours, Lauren's condition and what was going on with Corey was bad enough that several and unrelated people tried to stop Corey and get him to take her home, or see if she needed help. It was bad enough, that people were concerned enough the next day to report her missing, in less than 24 hours. And it was bad enough that people describing her condition thought an overdose was a very likely possibility.

It should be concerning to see a guy dragging home a girl so intoxicated she can't walk or talk at 4 am, and if there's something we can take from Lauren's disappearance, maybe it's not to write this off as 'no big deal'...

 

[imkeylime]

I found this on the Hannah Graham WS forum and found it informative. There are things here that I really hadn't thought of. I thought I'd share it here (and with my daughter). It's good stuff ...

http://www.roanoke.com/opinion/comm...cle_bc39e6c3-1022-5393-9e84-7dae0909094f.html

 

[TB Rhine]

It should be concerning to see a guy dragging home a girl so intoxicated she can't walk or talk at 4 am, and if there's something we can take from Lauren's disappearance, maybe it's not to write this off as 'no big deal'...

It's certainly a fishy situation, as others have stated. But consider... he may, in fact, have been attempting to do the gentlemanly thing and escort her home (the very thing he and others have been criticized for NOT doing, even assuming they weren't actually involved in her disappearance), but was embarrassed/irritated by her behavior, constant prat-falling, others' seeming assumptions that he was up to something nefarious, and so on, and eventually chose to wash his hands of the situation. Or maybe he *was* hoping to get a little action that evening, and simply stalked off in a huff when he realized she wasn't about to invite him up to her room. (This, too, would explain his short-tempered behavior, in addition to his own apparent drunkenness).

I'm not saying that Rossman and the other guys aren't at fault... just that there's no proof that they are, and everything that casts suspicion on them could reasonably be explained in a variety of other ways. So when folks seem TOO certain of their guilt, it makes me feel like they're suffering from what SAR people call 'Scenario Lock,' where they get married to a particular interpretation of events and refuse to consider other possibilities.

Never walk, jog, hike or do things alone, especially in remote or private places. Never meet a job-related customer alone in a private or remote place, such as showing property for sale.

This guy's heart is certainly in the right place, but I wonder: is this really the type of advice that people can follow? Some people, such as realtors, property managers, and so on, it's part of their job to go somewhere and show someone a property. Can a woman really tell her boss that she's not willing to show houses?

 

[jamicat]

[Respectfully snipped for space]

But we could also think of it this way: In a place where it is not unusual at all to have drunk girls (and guys) stumbling around at all hours, Lauren's condition and what was going on with Corey was bad enough that several and unrelated people tried to stop Corey and get him to take her home, or see if she needed help. It was bad enough, that people were concerned enough the next day to report her missing, in less than 24 hours. And it was bad enough that people describing her condition thought an overdose was a very likely possibility.

It should be concerning to see a guy dragging home a girl so intoxicated she can't walk or talk at 4 am, and if there's something we can take from Lauren's disappearance, maybe it's not to write this off as 'no big deal'...

First of all, no one really has come out and said exactly what was the cause of the conflict between CR and the guy who punched him. Initially, it was said that it had nothing to do with Lauren. Bob Spierer said it outright. The other thing is that CR was taking Lauren home. They went from the bar to Lauren's apartment building and that's where they were standing when the situation occurred. So what the heck with this taking Lauren home business? She was home.

CR was banned from the building for other issues and that he was standing there might have been part of the issue, or maybe just some drunken brawl. No one has out and out said what that whole business was about. And right afterwards, instead of going to Lauren's apartment, CR makes a beeline to home without even stopping at Lauren's apartment and Lauren goes with him. All of this is on tape, you know CR is apparently injured enough that he feels he needs to get home right away. So there they were in Lauren's building, Lauren without shoes even, and he takes off. She apparently was tripping over herself, as some video shows, but CR is focused only on going home, and claims he doesn't remember any of this, and he did take a hit. But if those guys were trying to convince CR to take Lauren home when the whole lot of them are standing in side the very building, they did just the opposite. I think they were telling CR to go home, and this had nothing to do with Lauren, except possibly as an after thought.

What I see is CR took Lauren home, almost got to her apartment was actually in that building , when he was distracted and waylaid by some guys, and got punched. At that point he just wanted to go home and headed straightaway to there with no regard to Lauren. Helped her when she fell, carried her when needed--most of all of this is on tape, but was going home like a homing pigeon. Got there, threw up--yes vomit is noted. Roommate who is up with two papers due then next day, helps him to his room and bed, and then has Lauren on his hands. Looking at the time, it makes sense he doesn't want to party--he's been up working, has classes the next day, I think the last class for the course. He doesn't know Lauren well; she prefers to go to JR's place. JR is an old friend, a closer friend. So MB takes her there. Which JR substantiates. It all makes sense to me. Why would selfish, spoiled JR take the hot potatoe in a case like this, take the entire blame if MB or CR did stick around? No way, IMO. I know JRs, many of them and they would implicate as many people as they could to avoid getting the sole responsibility. It's late, he's tired, probably tapped out, drugged up, drunk and doesn't feel like doing squat other than going to sleep Tells Lauren the same. She wants to go home. She's in better shape at this point after resting. But the parties are all over, and she wants to go home. NO shoes, no keys, no wallet , no phone. Tries to call DR in hopes he'd give her a ride, let her in the building because roommates are not going to be happy having to get up at 4 in the morning to let her in. They would be ticked off for sure. Who wouldn't be? Especially since there are indications she's done this sort of thing before. No answer, so Lauren decides she will just walk home and use the buzzer and wake her roommates. Doesn't want the stay any longer with JR. JR's car is in the shop, probably in no shape to drive anyways, he doesn't want to walk her there and have to come back to his place Remember this is 4 AM. EVeryone is exhausted.

So Lauren leaves. JR should have called security or LE, but unfortunately this is so par for the course, such ordinary business that he doesn't. Lets her go.

So what should one do with the many, many girls being dragged, helped, supported to where ever because they are so intoxicated they cannot walk or talk straight at whatever time 1-4AM? just hang around the bar scene after last call and you'll see all of them. It's not considered a big deal at all What do you do, call the cops on all of them? The ones walking alone, yes, one should, as it 's dangerous but those being helped by someone, you don't. But you just hope that the one helping will get the person home safely In CR's case, he wanted to go home after getting hit. Lauren was already home, right in her building . There is no menton of CR abducting her, forcing her, and it's all on tape. And he says he was in bad enough shape he has no memory, but again, most of this is on tape and no charges filed for that. Apparently she showed enough signs of wanting to come along even as she could barely walk.

 

[jamicat]

I found this on the Hannah Graham WS forum and found it informative. There are things here that I really hadn't thought of. I thought I'd share it here (and with my daughter). It's good stuff ...

http://www.roanoke.com/opinion/comm...cle_bc39e6c3-1022-5393-9e84-7dae0909094f.html

It's a great article. I think a lot of young women feel that it is "their right" to go when and where they please, and alone if they so wish. And it is. But I wish more of them would understand that the risks are there and "the monster" is not ging to care about "rights" or what is right or wrong for that matter. The monster is just going to look for opportunity. ALso the monster could be someone you know. With cell phone so prevalent these days, taking a quick shot even when going off with friends and letting someone know where you are going, who's with you can be so important especially if the person with you is aware you've done that. It's on record.

It's not as though Lauren's disappearance has been the only crime that Bloomington has had. THere have been reports of attempted rapes and other complaints from women of possible monsters in the area. Lauren's could have been the case where death occurred and the perp didn't want to be left holding the body Who that perp might be is the issue, since too often the monsters are those who are the closest to the victim. Statistically, that is the case which is why the attention has been on the UI POIs. They can't prove they did as they say and I doubt a LE polygraph would do it. They know they can get blamed for the disappearance, as they did indeed get blamed by many but not by LE who have to have more evidence, and they know they could get blamed for murder if a body was found. The truth of the matter is that they probalby contributed to her death in that they likely supplied drugs,drink to Lauren. As did many that day.

But on the flip side, can't disprove their stories either. The tip of the scales goes their way as our system goes. There is not even enouge evidence to bring the case to Grand Jury to see if there is enough for any charges to stick in court. If they are all lying, then they came up with iron clad lies. Not an iota of proof hey did anything other than what they said they did. I get the feeling, though, that LE, and the PI took tunnel vision in this case and focused it all on them, and still got nowhere.

 

[Ixchel13]

First of all, no one really has come out and said exactly what was the cause of the conflict between CR and the guy who punched him. Initially, it was said that it had nothing to do with Lauren. Bob Spierer said it outright. The other thing is that CR was taking Lauren home. They went from the bar to Lauren's apartment building and that's where they were standing when the situation occurred. So what the heck with this taking Lauren home business? She was home.

CR was banned from the building for other issues and that he was standing there might have been part of the issue, or maybe just some drunken brawl. No one has out and out said what that whole business was about. And right afterwards, instead of going to Lauren's apartment, CR makes a beeline to home without even stopping at Lauren's apartment and Lauren goes with him. All of this is on tape, you know CR is apparently injured enough that he feels he needs to get home right away. So there they were in Lauren's building, Lauren without shoes even, and he takes off. She apparently was tripping over herself, as some video shows, but CR is focused only on going home, and claims he doesn't remember any of this, and he did take a hit. But if those guys were trying to convince CR to take Lauren home when the whole lot of them are standing in side the very building, they did just the opposite. I think they were telling CR to go home, and this had nothing to do with Lauren, except possibly as an after thought.

What I see is CR took Lauren home, almost got to her apartment was actually in that building , when he was distracted and waylaid by some guys, and got punched. At that point he just wanted to go home and headed straightaway to there with no regard to Lauren. Helped her when she fell, carried her when needed--most of all of this is on tape, but was going home like a homing pigeon. Got there, threw up--yes vomit is noted. Roommate who is up with two papers due then next day, helps him to his room and bed, and then has Lauren on his hands. Looking at the time, it makes sense he doesn't want to party--he's been up working, has classes the next day, I think the last class for the course. He doesn't know Lauren well; she prefers to go to JR's place. JR is an old friend, a closer friend. So MB takes her there. Which JR substantiates. It all makes sense to me. Why would selfish, spoiled JR take the hot potatoe in a case like this, take the entire blame if MB or CR did stick around? No way, IMO. I know JRs, many of them and they would implicate as many people as they could to avoid getting the sole responsibility. It's late, he's tired, probably tapped out, drugged up, drunk and doesn't feel like doing squat other than going to sleep Tells Lauren the same. She wants to go home. She's in better shape at this point after resting. But the parties are all over, and she wants to go home. NO shoes, no keys, no wallet , no phone. Tries to call DR in hopes he'd give her a ride, let her in the building because roommates are not going to be happy having to get up at 4 in the morning to let her in. They would be ticked off for sure. Who wouldn't be? Especially since there are indications she's done this sort of thing before. No answer, so Lauren decides she will just walk home and use the buzzer and wake her roommates. Doesn't want the stay any longer with JR. JR's car is in the shop, probably in no shape to drive anyways, he doesn't want to walk her there and have to come back to his place Remember this is 4 AM. EVeryone is exhausted.

So Lauren leaves. JR should have called security or LE, but unfortunately this is so par for the course, such ordinary business that he doesn't. Lets her go.

So what should one do with the many, many girls being dragged, helped, supported to where ever because they are so intoxicated they cannot walk or talk straight at whatever time 1-4AM? just hang around the bar scene after last call and you'll see all of them. It's not considered a big deal at all What do you do, call the cops on all of them? The ones walking alone, yes, one should, as it 's dangerous but those being helped by someone, you don't. But you just hope that the one helping will get the person home safely In CR's case, he wanted to go home after getting hit. Lauren was already home, right in her building . There is no menton of CR abducting her, forcing her, and it's all on tape. And he says he was in bad enough shape he has no memory, but again, most of this is on tape and no charges filed for that. Apparently she showed enough signs of wanting to come along even as she could barely walk.

wow, what a great defense for the POIs. so I guess everything was just Lauren's fault?
I will probs get a timeout for saying this, but what a piece of work.

 

[TB Rhine]

The point, I think, is that it's not necessarily anyone's "fault." There's a tendency to talk about Lauren (and others like her) as though they were frail, defenseless little creatures with no agency of their own or ability to make their own choices (and, thus, no responsibility for the consequences of those choices), whom everyone else is therefore somehow responsible for looking after and taking care of. Is everyone in Bloomington -- nay, the world -- expected to play guardian angel to the drunken little blonde waifs of the world?

Something tragic obviously befell Lauren, and that's not her fault. But nor is it the fault of every man, woman, or child who crossed paths with Lauren that night and failed in their perceived "duty" to play white knight and make sure she got home safe and sound and tucked into bed okay.

 

[doubtingthomas]

The point, I think, is that it's not necessarily anyone's "fault." There's a tendency to talk about Lauren (and others like her) as though they were frail, defenseless little creatures with no agency of their own or ability to make their own choices (and, thus, no responsibility for the consequences of those choices), whom everyone else is therefore somehow responsible for looking after and taking care of. Is everyone in Bloomington -- nay, the world -- expected to play guardian angel to the drunken little blonde waifs of the world?

Something tragic obviously befell Lauren, and that's not her fault. But nor is it the fault of every man, woman, or child who crossed paths with Lauren that night and failed in their perceived "duty" to play white knight and make sure she got home safe and sound and tucked into bed okay.

MB made sure CR got to bed OK. Why not Lauren?

 

[TB Rhine]

That's a lot of initials.

Wasn't MB CR's RM (as in roommate)? Or neighbor, or something? That's a lot less of a commitment than walking Lauren to a separate building. Besides, I recall reading that someone (possibly MB?) tried to persuade Lauren to stay the night but she refused. Should he have kept her there by force?

Rossman tried to escort her home. At least one other guy tried to do so, but was thwarted by Rossman. (And Lauren presumably could have gone with that guy as well, if she so chose, but decided to stay with Rossman). At least one other person after THAT offered to let her spend the night. Where does everyone else's responsibility end and Lauren's begin?

 

[CoolJ]

The point, I think, is that it's not necessarily anyone's "fault." There's a tendency to talk about Lauren (and others like her) as though they were frail, defenseless little creatures with no agency of their own or ability to make their own choices (and, thus, no responsibility for the consequences of those choices), whom everyone else is therefore somehow responsible for looking after and taking care of. Is everyone in Bloomington -- nay, the world -- expected to play guardian angel to the drunken little blonde waifs of the world?

Something tragic obviously befell Lauren, and that's not her fault. But nor is it the fault of every man, woman, or child who crossed paths with Lauren that night and failed in their perceived "duty" to play white knight and make sure she got home safe and sound and tucked into bed okay.

It may not be anyone's responsibility to play guardian angel. But if a "drunken blonde little waif" dies whether accidentally or otherwise it is everyone's responsibility to contact the appropriate authorities and not hide her body. JMO

 

[TB Rhine]

Agreed. Too bad (?) there's absolutely no evidence that anything of the kind happened.

The problem with that whole scenario -- and most people's slavish adherence to it -- is that, while it's consistent with what we know (Lauren being intoxicated, other people being around her and aware of her intoxication, the same people not seeming to be entirely forthcoming with police later on), there's no direct evidence of it. No body. Nothing of Lauren's found in the possession of someone who shouldn't have it. No phantom cell phone pings placing Lauren or anyone else in an out-of-the-way location. No telltale internet searches for "reviving someone after an overdose" or "how to dispose of a body." No blood, vomit, or other body fluids indicating that Lauren had an adverse, possibly fatal reaction to anything she was taking. Zilch.

 

[akh]

Agreed. Too bad (?) there's absolutely no evidence that anything of the kind happened.

Your overall point is valid but needs qualified a bit... There could be evidence such as you mentioned that LE has that we don't know about. Obviously they don't have anything, or enough, they feel they can act upon it though. But since they have been so tight-lipped then the public has nearly nothing to go upon without jumping to conclusions, speculating on speculation, and/or creating theories with little to no way to verify in part or entirety. It's a mish mash of limited information, questionable reporting, biased individuals, questionable sources, and unverified comments. I'm not sure how anyone could come to any kind of conclusion based upon that.

And from all of that we have the supposedly unbiased bar manager witness whose reported information doesn't fit the official narrative or timeline, and allegedly didn't identify CR as being the person with LS. So we're left to assume this person was wrong about the time and the identity of the male so still is confirmation and corroboration of the official timeline... or the reporting was wrong... or else could be anywhere from 100% accurate and exposing a lie or mistake in the official time, to adding a mystery man to the scenario, to potentially being a witness after LS left 5N as claimed, to being totally mistaken about everything, to lying just to be part of a national news story.