IN - Lauren Spierer, 20, Bloomington, 03 June 2011 #34

[Ixchel13]

Definitely interesting but could be a jumbled-up rumor, IMO ... it kind of combines the spot in Martinsville and the mystery man scenario (before it was determined MM could be CR), both of which never really panned out. Glad to see it was called in to LE, though!

if you changed Lauren's name for Crystal Grubb's, I would totally believe the story was true. which is actually, IMO, what these two want us to do.

 

[bx2]

And speaking of speculation and the stalking angle that has been brought up, with the idea that he somehow knew HW (which AFAIK is based on a family member saying he'd mentioned the name "Hannah"), it was said he'd picked up a drunken girl at one point (did that go back 3 years?) giving her a ride. Could that have been HW? And even if not that time, is it possible he did it more recently, thereby learning her name and where she lived or frequented?

Monday afternoon, he recalled the night the Indiana University men's basketball team defeated Kentucky in a buzzer-beater a few years ago. Messel told him a story about driving downtown into the celebratory fray, picking up a random drunken female and giving her a ride home.

The above game was played on Saturday, 12/10/11.

 

[imkeylime]

Hi, all. It's nice to see familiar names and activity here. I didn't realize Lauren's thread was still open. I came back via Hannah. I've very little time these days to be on board but will try to keep up and share what may (or not) be pertinent.

I'm recalling the Harley Davidson event in Brown County for Lauren. Her parents were there and her uncle rode. It was well attended. The riders rode through the hills and hollers, stopping on their way to raise awareness about Lauren. This did not take place in any other area. I had the sense that there was a reason, beyond general awareness, for being there.

Wondering if Hannah's killer is fond of the Lake Lemon area, here's what I found about whether they searched Lake Lemon for Lauren. I take it that the search was on foot and not in the water. Does anyone know? I sort of recall that the water was too muddy (it's a shallow lake) but I could be confusing it with another place as that often seems to be the case.

By From IDS report | IDS
POSTED AT 11:23 AM ON Jun. 5, 2011

The Bloomington Police Department and family and friends of missing woman Lauren Spierer are searching Lake Griffy, Lake Lemon and Lake Monroe today.

And FWIW I can't help thinking about one of the psychics describing a scene that matches the photos of where Hannah was found. I remember because on my drives alone searching for her, I was looking for that type of location.

As for DM, Hannah's murder suspect may be bright and a good trivia player but the fact that he used his phone in 2012 to call the police using the same phone he has now, is not the mark of a perp who leaves no trace behind. I wonder if his obsession with Lauren's case make him want to act it out in real life.

Hi again, Jupiter! So glad to see your post. I don't recall reading to much about the Lake Lemon search, but there seemed to be a lot of activity at both Monroe and Griffey:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/10/police-focus-on-lakes-in-search-for-missing-indiana-student/

Also, it makes sense that DM's obsession with LS' case could have precipitated HW's murder, especially given the fact that no arrest was made here and acquittals occurred in the other two cases mentioned in relation to him. Maybe he thought he could get away with it and hence was sloppy?

Anyhow, it's good to hear from you!

 

[JerseyGirl]

Possible connection between Lauren, Hannah Wilson and Marina Boelter:

http://www.southbendtribune.com/new...cle_72e8bc4a-1d73-5fe9-8f61-eac34a9f283c.html

Marina Boelter's thread on Websleuths: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Marina-Boelter-18-Bloomfield-31-December-2014

Hannah Wilson's thread on Websleuths: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...und-dead-in-Brown-County-24-Apr-2015-*ARREST*

 

[Ixchel13]

he probably received info from other FBI agents he knows who are still active. JMO

 

[Jacobite]

I see the arguments that Messell is not as slick in being a boogeyman as the creep who got Lauren Spierer because he was sloppy and left his phone at the scene of a murder.
But, keep in mind that Hannah Wilson was fighting for her life. I think she kicked him between the legs and his cell flew out of his pants. That's why it was found at her feet.
He could not have been on the phone while committing the crime. My opinion.

 

[jamicat]

One can retain a lawyer but still cooperate with an investigation and the parents of a victim. One can retain a lawyer and not fully cooperate, but still show some compassion towards the victim and her family. How people act in times of crisis is a true test of character. I think the Spierers have shown incredible restraint, courage and grace over the past few years in light of what they have had to deal with. I can't say the same of the POI and some of their family members.

This must be an incredibly difficult time, yet again, for Lauren's friends and family. Thinking of them, as we all hope for a break in her case.

When one retains an attorney, one follows the advice of said attorney. Really, the POIs did exactly as I would advise anyone to do, when questioned about such a case, where involvement is there prior to the disappearance. Yes, you can get railroaded if not careful. I am saying this even as I have little sympathy for those men, and all the sympathy for the Spierers.

As for the Spierers showing great restraint, I'm not sure what more they could have done in going after those POIs, with really no proof that they were directly, hands-on responsible for Lauren. They believe that they are and have done ALL they could to find evidence, which has not gone well at all for them. Had more been done in other venues, maybe something more could have been found. Or maybe the POIs were all that LE and the PIs could find.

I wish some thing, any little thing would come up to give some more direction to Lauren's case. I wish she would be found, even if not alive, which at this point I'd think it's most certainly she is not alive. It would, give the parents, a bit of closure. That they are at such a dead end is very much a sore to them

I have friends who lost their son who had a night similar to Lauren's but he died on the sofa of the last place he stopped. No one noticed for over 12 hours. Thought he was asleep. He'd had head traumas from the night before, and the parents were very bitter that no one called EMTs, insisted he go to an ER, called the parents. Not at Indiana, but another such school. The "friends" all lawyered up and wouldn't say a word due to advice from lawyers and parents. Those grieving parents spent a fortune to send their daughter to a private college far from home, as they blamed the environment, culture and those there. Daughter was present at some "pharm" party where a participant died. And, they got a lawyer, their daughter was told to say little to nothing, and I guess they found out what happens at that side of such tragedies.

No answers to these things.

 

[Jacobite]

What if DM is the creep who got LS?
Might the poi be concerned that BPD was anxious to arrest them for something illegal they did that night like drugs and that's not the real reason Lauren is missing?

 

[akh]

Possible connection between Lauren, Hannah Wilson and Marina Boelter:

http://www.southbendtribune.com/new...cle_72e8bc4a-1d73-5fe9-8f61-eac34a9f283c.html

Marina Boelter's thread on Websleuths: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Marina-Boelter-18-Bloomfield-31-December-2014

Hannah Wilson's thread on Websleuths: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...und-dead-in-Brown-County-24-Apr-2015-*ARREST*

Almost four years ago, another IU student — 20-year-old Lauren Spierer — mysteriously disappeared from the downtown area. BPD Capt. Joe Qualters has received several media inquiries about Wilson’s case and a possible connection to the disappearance of Spierer, who had been partying at Kilroy’s Sports Bar the night she went missing.

I don't think police are saying they have a possible connection (as of yet). He's saying he's received calls from the media about the Wilson case and the media is looking for/wondering if there is a possible connection to the disappearance of Spierer.

 

[stillwatersc]

Just to mention this, since it's popping up on social media, but during the Jill Behrman disappearance there was an incident that happened in Elletsville (girl grabbed but managed to get away) that authorities thought might be related. And a sketch of that man went out. So people revisiting the sketch think it looks like DM. Of course how DM looked 15 years ago would be important because looking like the sketch now doesn't necessarily mean anything. Of course someone was convicted in the JB case, but AFAIK he has always maintained he was innocent. And technically, this sketch was developed in relation to an incident that police thought might be related to JB. So if you want to make the leap the man in the sketch is DM, you don't necessarily have to make the leap the person serving time for JB's murder it not guilty.

The topic is interesting, but I'm not sure how probative it is. But I thought I'd mention it since I'm not sure how widespread the posts about the similarities in the sketch and DM will make it past the Indiana area.

Sketch can be seen here:
http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Jill_Behrman

Image of DM's mug in late 90's vs sketch vs JM.

 

[Btown]

DM and sketch from the 90's.

 

[AbbeyR]

That last photo comparison is pretty compelling.

Messel has violent past

This is just horrifying. With this kind of history of violence it's not hard to imagine that there are other victims.

 

[Jupiter812]

Daniel Messel's ex-girlfriend outlines history of anger, abuse.

http://www.wthr.com/story/28925718/daniel-messels-ex-girlfriend-outlines-history-of-anger-abuse

"If you have a female who was dating him and you saw her, she usually had something wrong with her. Black eyes, bruises on her face, bruises on her arm," said Kevin McGruder."

 

[Jupiter812]

Thank you, Keylime, likewise! I hope all is well with you. Just as I thought, the article you linked states that divers searched Lake Monroe and apparently the others were volunteers on foot.

Now that I've learned even more about DM and his criminally violent temper, he doesn't seem the type who would ruminate for four years over 'what it would be like to kidnap a co-ed'.

 

[Jacobite]

View attachment 74062
DM and sketch from the 90's.

I must admit the Jill Behrman suspect sketch looks like Daniel Messel not Myers who was convicted for her murder. Daniel Messel was released from prison exactly 5 months before Jill's disappearance after only serving part of his sentence. It would be a shame if Indiana has railroaded and incarcerated the wrong man for all these years.

 

[Jupiter812]

I just read a comment on the page I linked above about DM's violence. A woman who has known him since he was a teenage. I read the following quote and it triggered a thought: "He WAS ALWAYS like a wild animal stalking his prey."

If DM is responsible for Lauren, he may have been quiet these past several years waiting to see if he got caught. Maybe he thought he was in the clear and let down his guard.

 

[Jacobite]

Daniel Messel went to Ball State University for awhile. Perhaps there are mysterious cases of missing young women in Muncie Indiana as well.

 

[akh]

View attachment 74062
DM and sketch from the 90's.

Let me just say... whoa... That is a striking similarity!

Edit: We do need to keep in mind that the sketch was based on a guy that tried to grab a girl in (I believe) Elletsville (just outside of Bloomington, IN) and due to the timing of the case and situation (if there was more than that AFAIK it wasn't released publicly), authorities thought he could be involved with the Jill Behrman disappearance.
So the sketch doesn't tie him directly to Jill Behrman so even if he is the person in the sketch it doesn't necessarily mean that incident had anything to do with her disappearance and murder.

 

[stillwatersc]

Daniel Messel went to Ball State University for awhile. Perhaps there are mysterious cases of missing young women in Muncie Indiana as well.

I think he got that degree while in prison. Correspondence?

 

[Jupiter812]

I think he got that degree while in prison. Correspondence?

Yes, from the Indy Star:

"The information I have from the registrar's office is that Daniel Messel earned an associate in arts degree in general arts in May 1999," Ball State spokesman Greg Wright said. "He completed his degree through the prison program when Ball State taught classes at various facilities."

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/...er-suspect-earned-ball-state-degree/26498739/