• WordPress
• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Tumblr
• LinkedIn
• Medium

Lauren Spierer

---

Disappearance

Circumstances (Circunstancias)

Lauren Spierer was the beloved daughter of Robert and Charlene Spierer and was originally a native of Scarsdale, New York. She had moved to Bloomington, Indiana in 2009 to major in Apparel Merchandizing at Indiana University and it was there that she disappeared at the end of her sophomore year. Lauren was an active member of the local Jewish community and had participated in a trip to Israel planting trees during Spring Break.

“She was always pleasant, very pleasant. . . a lovely girl”

Martin Rivlin (Neighbor) (Source: Daily Voice)

Even before entering IU, Lauren had developed some friendships with other students, namely her boyfriend Jesse Wolff and Jason Rosenbaum. Both of whom she had met at a summer camp (Camp Towanda) in Pennsylvania in the past. She had met Corey Rossman more recently over Memorial Day Weekend at a speedway. Jason Rosenbaum, Corey Rossman, and Michael Beth were also students in the Apparel Merchandizing program with Lauren.

---

Key Persons:

• David Rohn — Friend; Accompanied her early in the evening
• Jason Rosenbaum — Old Friend from Camp Towanda. One of the last people to see Lauren (*Usually called Jay)
• Corey Rossman — Newer friend. He walked home with Lauren from the bar. (*Sometimes spelled Cory)
• Michael Beth — Corey’s roommate. He took care of Corey and called Jason to take care of Lauren.
• Jesse Wolff — Lauren’s boyfriend. Was not with them the night she disappeared. He reported her missing.

Key Background & Locations:

• Jason Rosenbaum lived at 5 North Townhomes
• Corey and Michael were roommates. They lived just two doors away from Jason and were his neighbors.
• Lauren lived approximately two blocks South along College Ave. at Smallwood Plaza Apartments (now known as Avenue on College) – 455 N College Ave.
• Kilroy Sport’s Bar was close to Lauren’s home (about one block east) – 319 N Walnut Street

The events of that night took place within a very small area along N College Avenue between 8th and 11th Streets.

---

Lauren spent Thursday evening enjoying wine and watching the 2011 NBA Playoff’s with friends.

At 12:30a.m., Lauren reportedly left home accompanied by her friend David Rohn and headed to a new party at the home of Jason Rosenbaum. There, Lauren also met up with Jason’s neighbors: Corey Rossman and Michael Beth. These four would prove key to the events that followed. The group continued drinking at Jason’s party for some time.

At some point, Lauren and Corey then walked to Corey’s apartment where they met up with Michael Beth (his roommate) again. Lauren was clearly drunk already, but Corey invited her to go with him to Kilroy’s Sports Bar.

At 1:46a.m. Lauren and Corey had walked to Kilroy’s Sports Bar. It would later be discovered that Lauren got in using a false ID, a fact the bar was cited for (Link). Lauren took off her shoes to walk on a sand-covered patio and was now barefoot. Although she was stumbling and clearly over-intoxicated, Corey bought her several more drinks. By the early morning hours, Lauren and her friends were well under the influence and had been taking drugs.

At 2:27a.m., Lauren and Corey left Kilroy’s together and headed back towards her home at the Smallwood Plaza apartment complex, not far from the bar. Lauren left behind both her shoes (she was still barefoot) and her cell phone at the bar ⁠— she and Corey were both still extremely intoxicated.

They were seen entering the apartment complex at 2:30 am at which point a man passing by asks if they are okay. They convinced him they were fine and head on up to the 5th floor of the apartment building.

At this point, Lauren and Corey ran into some men on the 5th floor near the elevator. The two groups argued (supposedly because Corey wasn’t helping Lauren get to her room) and Corey wound up getting hit and knocked his head, splitting his lip. According to Corey, the events afterwards were confused by the hit he sustained (and likely the alcohol / drugs).

According to the lawsuit, Corey and Lauren at this point turned away from her apartment and did not go in. Instead they headed off to Corey’s home. At 2:48 am, Lauren and Corey appeared on a security camera heading into an alley behind her apartment complex. The alley led to Morton Street which ran north to the area where Corey, Michael, and Jason lived.

They exited the alley at 2:51 am, apparently dropping her keys and purse along the way (they were found between 2:30 am – 3:00 am by another student). Corey and Lauren then walked north until they arrived at Corey’s apartment.

At some point, Corey picked Lauren up because she was stumbling as they walked. Although Corey carried Lauren to his apartment, he was not stable on his feet himself. After they entered his apartment complex, Corey’s roommate Michael Beth had to come and help Corey to bed. Corey was inebriated and threw up on the stairs.

After corralling Corey into bed, Michael says he attempted to get Lauren to spend the night at their apartment too since it was clear she wasn’t any better off than Corey. Lauren refused, wanting to go home but still trying to convince Michael to drink with her.

Eventually, Michael called Jason’s apartment at approximately 3:30am, asking him to take care of Lauren. Michael and Lauren headed to Jason’s apartment, where Michael left her.

Upon her arrival, Jason observed that she had an injury under her eye (some sources say wound, others a bruise) but Lauren couldn’t recall how she’d received the injury. Lauren made two calls from Jason’s phone — one to David Rohn and one to another friend. Neither person answered and Lauren didn’t leave them any messages.

According to Jason, Lauren left his apartment at 4:30 am alone and headed back to her apartment. Why he did not accompany her home (or give her shoes to wear) is not clear.

Lauren was last seen at the intersection of W 11th Ave. and N. College Ave. as she walked home.

---

Lauren’s disappearance was observed when she failed to return her boyfriend’s messages the following day. His text to her phone only got a response from an employee of Kilroy’s (remember she left her phone at the bar with her shoes). He called police quickly and reported her missing. Lauren’s parents arrived from New York on June 4 to help with the investigation.

The investigation brought in the police and FBI who canvased the streets, searched Lake Monroe, dug up the local landfill, and scoured area surveillance cameras but to no avail. The public became involved through the help of news stories on mainstream media, social media (e.g., @NewsonLaurenS) and a website designed by Lauren’s parents.

While police observe multiple persons of interest, no suspect has been formally named.

Both Corey and Michael submitted DNA as part of the investigation; Jason participated in a polygraph test. Lauren’s parents eventually filed lawsuits against Corey, Michael, and Jason accusing them of providing Lauren with alcohol after she was dangerously intoxicated. According to the lawsuit these actions triggered a duty of care which they failed to uphold (Negligence per Se). The lawsuit against all three were eventually dismissed.

---

In 2015, there was suspicion that Lauren’s case might have been related to that of another missing girl (Hannah Wilson) who had also visited Kilroy’s Sports Bar the night she vanished. However, Hannah’s killer was eventually located and it is no longer known whether police still consider the two cases related.

For reasons unknown, police expanded their investigation in January 2016 to include properties in Martinsville belonging to the family of Justin Wager. The police dogs identified something, but an investigation of the area turned up nothing. It was later announced that anything that was found in that investigation will remain private unless the police file charges (which they have not). Wager claims that police were sent to his home on a false tip and that his family is not related to Lauren’s disappearance. It is not clear why police turned their attention that way.

In 2016, a man named Corey Hamersley was interviewed by a private investigator regarding Lauren’s disappearance. Hamersley was in prison at the time on unrelated charges, but was questioned in response to a tip Lauren’s parents claimed had come to them. According to this tip, Hamersley reportedly told his neighboring inmate that he knew Lauren had overdosed on Ecstasy while in the presence of three men. The men became frightened and dumped her body. During the interview, Hamersley denied the conversation ever took place and claimed he had no involvement at all with Lauren’s disappearance.

In 2021, a TikTok video surfaced alleging conspiracies involving Lauren and an online gambling system. A few days later Lauren’s family announced they had reported a TikTok video to police for further investigation but did not say which video it was.

---

Description (Descripción)

---

Distinguishing Marks or Factors (Características Distintivas)

---

Medical Concerns (Preocupaciones Médicas)

---

Clothing (Ropa)

---

Suspect (Sospechoso)

---

Vehicle (Vehículo)

Police initially posted photos of a white Chevrolet pickup truck and asked it’s owner to come forward as a possible witness. They later confirmed the truck was not involved and it’s owner had been questioned.

---

If You or Anyone You Know Has Information About The Disappearances, Please Contact:

---

Resources

• Guerra, K. and Evans, T. (2014) ‘Judge denies Lauren Spierer’s parent’s request to seal information’, Indystar, 20 March. Link
• Hogan, J. (2021) ‘Bloomington Police still actively searching for Lauren Spierer ten years later’, Bloomingtonian, 2 June. Link.
• Dethridge, H. (2021) ‘Where The Investigation Stands After 10 Years Of Lauren Spierer Disappearance’, Vizaca, 9 June. Link.
• Indystar Report (2016) ‘Lauren Spierer: Timeline of her last known hours’, 29 January. Link.
• Indystar Report (2016) ‘ Timeline: The search for Lauren Spierer’, 29 January. Link.
• Greenburgh Daily Voice (2011) ‘Edgement still hopes Lauren Spierer will be found’, 4 October. Link.
• Miley, S. (2019) ‘Inmate can’t sue over Spierer interview’, Washington Times Herald, 6 February. Link.
• Disis, J. (2013) ‘Judge dismisses lawsuit in Ind. co-ed’s disappearance’, Indianapolis Star, 3 December. Link.
• Spierer v. Rossman (2015) US Court of Appeals, 7th Circ. No. 14 – 3171. Link
• Clarendon, D. (2021) ‘Missing College Student Lauren Spierer’s Family Says They’ve Sent a TikTok Video to the Authorities’, Distractify, 8 August. Link.
• Bates, D. (2011) ‘Family of missing Lauren Spierer offer $100,000 reward as last man she was with was in ‘fight’ but ‘remembers nothing”, Daily Mail, 9 June. Link
• Adams, M. (2016) ‘TIMELINE | Disappearance of IU student Lauren Spierer’, Fox59, 29 January. Link.

Podcasts:

• True Crime Twins (Link)
• Crime Weekly (Link)
• Crime Junkie (Link)
• Deep Dark Truth (Link)
• That’s a Bad Sign (Link)
• True Crime Garage (Link)
• Shaken & Disturbed (Link)

DISCLAIMER:

The information offered through our Services is general information only. We make every effort to maintain the database and ensure the data is up-to-date and correct. However, we make no warranties or promises regarding the accuracy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of the data herein. Data is gathered primarily from NGOs, new articles, and Charity postings. This information is not intended for reliance. Under no circumstances will The Suitcase Detective or its owners & operators be liable for any problems that may result from using or reading this information. Continued use of our Services serves as evidence that you approve our Privacy Policies and Terms & Conditions.

Please do NOT copy and paste text from our blog articles. We request that readers be directed to our site instead. This allows us to ensure out-of-date information is not being shared and that readers can access the reference list. If you would like to share a story, you can either use the social media buttons or share a link to this page. The images you are welcome to share.