IN - Lauren Spierer, 20, Bloomington, 03 June 2011 - #15

[Blythe]

JW didn't react to a WPIX reporter, family members did. Not wanting some reporter sticking a camera in your face at your house is not at all suspicious to me. TOTAL SILENCE is much more suspect, IMO.

Anything can be suspect when you are a POI. I am not speaking to suspecting him. I am only asking for any evidence that he has actually shown concern. He doesn't have to make a statement personally or through a spokesperson that he is grieving or feels for the family; but he was given the opportunity. He doesn't need to say he misses her and he is a victim as well, but he could without incriminating himself. He doesn't have to use his FB page to remember her. His family didn't have to offer some money towards the reward, though they might have. Indeed, none of this would prove his innocence and the skeptic would find this more suspect. My point is that either way, he hasn't. We haven't seen him emote. We haven't evidenced any behavior which indicates he cares about anything but protecting himself.

Not to mention, why be so defensive of the reporter? It wasn't Arnold Diaz.

None of this points to his guilt. I wasn't saying that but rather refuting a poster's comments that he demonstrated concern.

 

[goodgirl65]

http://tonygatto.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/is-this-supposed-to-be-funny/

One thing is for sure, AB is not a nice person. I'm glad you called him out. Are all the "friends" like this?

Sounds to me like an immature person who most likely had nothing to do with Lauren's disappearance...which is why he can "joke" so freely...and again, the mention of drugs...

 

[elmomom]

Of all the "suspicious" behavior that has been mentioned, the one thing that doesn't raise my suspicions too much is the "lawyering" up. In fact, John Douglas (the FBI Profiler) does a really good job in one of his books of explaining why Jon Benet Ramsey's parents acted the way they did, and "lawyered up". Incidentally, this also caused many to suspect them, which, imho derailed the case from the start. But according to Douglas, people in the higher socio-economic class, and with upper management mentality usually will hire attorneys much sooner than the rest of us.

 

[webrocket]

Of all the "suspicious" behavior that has been mentioned, the one thing that doesn't raise my suspicions too much is the "lawyering" up. In fact, John Douglas (the FBI Profiler) does a really good job in one of his books of explaining why Jon Benet Ramsey's parents acted the way they did, and "lawyered up". Incidentally, this also caused many to suspect them, which, imho derailed the case from the start. But according to Douglas, people in the higher socio-economic class, and with upper management mentality usually will hire attorneys much sooner than the rest of us.

true. people of means recognize the implications of talking to the police. I don't blame them for having the attitude of "If you've got the evidence get an arrest warrant from a judge, otherwise leave us alone". it is basically telling LE to do their own job while acting upon their constitutional rights not to talk to the police.

many people here at WS fault them for that but not me. thhe problem is that LE has little if any dirt on these guys who in the end might be completely innocent of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Lauren's demise. especially when LE wants to pin something on someone, why create a problem when one does not exist?

given the fact most if not all these guys were partying, I seriously doubt any of them could state with certainty where they were at any given time unless caught on video. that is a feeding frenzy for interrogation and I for one would not subject myself to it.

if your liberty were on the line, there is nothing altruistic about offering statements to the police, even if completely innocent.

 

[Btown]

Bit of a scathing article in the IndyStar critical of how BPD has handled the case.

 

[northsider]

See, this is what's worried me from the start.

White is critical of aspects of the dearth of information made public, the use of volunteer searchers who have been "traipsing" through potential crime scene areas, the wait before involving the State Police -- nine days after the disappearance -- and the prominent role Spierer's parents have played in the investigation.

"I think we all feel sorry for the family, but this is a police matter," White said. "The family had people searching all over town, and in fact what they did was contaminate a crime scene."

On Friday, Charlene Spierer, in thanking the police for their work, said: "I just want to say that we are part of an investigative team."

But it was a team that moved slowly into certain areas. People who live in the neighborhood where Spierer was last seen said police didn't come asking what they might have seen until 12 days after the 20-year-old disappeared. A salon worker who noticed keys and a purse near the spot where Spierer was seen on surveillance cameras June 3 has never had a face-to-face interview with police, or the chance to show them the location.

"Generally speaking, in missing-person cases, a canvass of the neighborhood should occur quickly, usually within two hours of when the person was reported missing," said Quinet, author of a homicide textbook, "The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder."

 

[bessie]

People who live in the neighborhood where Spierer was last seen said police didn't come asking what they might have seen until 12 days after the 20-year-old disappeared. A salon worker who noticed keys and a purse near the spot where Spierer was seen on surveillance cameras June 3 has never had a face-to-face interview with police, or the chance to show them the location.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110702/LOCAL/107020344/4-weeks-no-answers?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE

Comments?

 

[jjenny]

I am very confused about the purse and keys? I am not sure this article is correct-wasn't salon worker the one who turned the keys in? Wasn't it the student who first noticed the keys that said he was not interviewed?

 

[jjenny]

Bit of a scathing article in the IndyStar critical of how BPD has handled the case.

Hardly any info was released by police, and considering there is still no sign of the girl, I really don't think the refusal to release the info is working well.

 

[jynkal]

It probably didn't help that Captain Qualters was out of town for the first few days following her disappearance (http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=81901)

 

[webrocket]

Quote:
People who live in the neighborhood where Spierer was last seen said police didn't come asking what they might have seen until 12 days after the 20-year-old disappeared. A salon worker who noticed keys and a purse near the spot where Spierer was seen on surveillance cameras June 3 has never had a face-to-face interview with police, or the chance to show them the location.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110702/LOCAL/107020344/4-weeks-no-answers?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE

Comments?

here's a comment for what it's worth -

perhaps the hysteria surrounding the boys clouded their judgment to investigate all angles. I'd say they were looking for an easy answer which never materialized.

 

[northsider]

Does anyone know when the FBI was brought in?

And I don't understand why they would wait 9 days to call in the state police. I can't imagine BPD had the manpower to cover all the aspects of the case by themselves.

 

[jjenny]

here's a comment for what it's worth -

perhaps the hysteria surrounding the boys clouded their judgment to investigate all angles. I'd say they were looking for an easy answer which never materialized.

I don't think they were just looking at POIs, considering the search for white truck that was supposedly showed up twice. Turns out the two cameras had differences in internal clocks, and the truck had nothing to do with it. But I am not sure why they couldn't figure out that the camera clocks were off before asking public to search for white truck.

 

[PineMushroom]

"The whole public face of the investigation has been baffling to Jim White, a retired Indiana State Police investigator and criminal justice lecturer at IUPUI. ... White is critical of aspects of the dearth of information made public, the use of volunteer searchers who have been "traipsing" through potential crime scene areas, the wait before involving the State Police -- nine days after the disappearance -- and the prominent role Spierer's parents have played in the investigation."

This volunteer search organization and any changes to it (management, structure, etc) over the course of the investigation I find interesting. I think it changed around June 17/18 with the move to McNutt. I would love to have heard more from Officer White regarding search organization and securing possible crime scenes.

Where were those keys found and whose hands did they pass through? Great question.

"Generally speaking, in missing-person cases, a canvass of the neighborhood should occur quickly, usually within two hours of when the person was reported missing," said Quinet, author of a homicide textbook, "The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder."

They waited 12 days. Some of the neighbors in the area were on the tv news saying that they were expecting someone to knock on their door but they didn't expect it to take 12 days before someone did.

It sure sounds like someone in BPD botched up something in the early days of this investigation - and they have been playing catch up ever sense then. It would be interesting to know when they first expected foul play in this case.

 

[jjenny]

I am most interested if the dumpsters were emptied from the area before police ever got a chance to search through it. And if they missed the dumpsters, are they searching landfills or plan to? Considering the area residents were not questioned for so many days, I sure wouldn't be surprised if dumpsters were emptied before anyone looked through them.

 

[Gabby66]

I found the parents' comments interesting at the last Press Conference, regarding how supportive they are of LE and being on a "team". Surely, they have to know the timeline of events in how this case has been investigated. I wonder if that was a public statement just to encourage them and stroke their egos a bit, or if that's how they really feel. I can tell you with almost certainty, if my daughter were missing this long, and people weren't being spoken to who live in the neighborhood, for 12 days, I would be FAR from supportive. It kind of makes me wonder if that isn't why the Spierers are staying in the area for so long.....perhaps they just want to remain close to keep everyone on their toes. I believe they probably have the financial resources to leave jobs and pay for lodging for this extended stay, but it still costs money. While I realize that they don't want to return home without their daughter, it also takes a toll and after awhile, I think that even the most dedicated surely return home at some point. It's been over a month. I just don't get the feeling that they're as supportive as what they say, but perhaps that's because I wouldn't be.

 

[Gabby66]

And re. the lawyers......

I mean this very respectfully, but I can't quite wrap my head around why so many people do not understand why these kids (ALL of them) would want to get lawyers. It's my opinion that one or maybe more are guilty - good reason to have a lawyer. It's my opinion that the rest are probably innocent - GREAT reason to have a lawyer.

 

[Btown]

People who live in the neighborhood where Spierer was last seen said police didn't come asking what they might have seen until 12 days after the 20-year-old disappeared.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110702/LOCAL/107020344/4-weeks-no-answers?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE

Comments?

At least 2 of the pics I took and [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6679900#post6679900"]posted to this thread[/ame] verify what day the LE began to canvas the neighborhood.

Further North on Morton, another camera at the main entrance to 10th & College Village apartment building. As I took this picture, a friend pulled up to the curb. I leaned in his car as he asked what the heck I was doing. As a silly excuse came out of my mouth, 2 unmarked police cars pulled up just in front of him. 4 uniformed officers got out of each car, and fanned out thru the neighbor hood. You can see a few of them in a couple of these images IIRC. So, they are still out working the case. I worried a bit they might stop me and want to know why I was taking pics.

You can go by the date of the post, or look up the exif image data to verify when the images were taken.



IIRC this is also the day they they came around to surrounding business asking for any video. It was interesting to me that not only did they wait almost 2 weeks before going to business in the surrounding area asking for info and video, but they waited until after 5pm to do this.

Many of the businesses were already closed for the day!

 

[northsider]

At least 2 of the pics I took and posted to this thread verify what day the LE began to canvas the neighborhood.

You can go by the date of the post, or look up the exif image data to verify when the images were taken.

IIRC this is also the day they they came around to surrounding business asking for any video. It was interesting to me that not only did they wait almost 2 weeks before going to business in the surrounding area asking for info and video, but they waited until after 5pm to do this.

Many of the businesses were already closed for the day!

Thanks for reminding us of this. They waited until June 14th to start canvassing? That's insane.

Given that it took them 9 days to bring in the State Police, it makes me wonder if they only started canvassing as a result of that.

 

[Btown]

Does anyone know when the FBI was brought in?

And I don't understand why they would wait 9 days to call in the state police. I can't imagine BPD had the manpower to cover all the aspects of the case by themselves.

I don't recall exactly.
Whats also interesting about the FBI is that there is only 1 agent in Bloomington IIRC.

Also, its my understanding that their involvement is limited until evidence arises of certain circumstances that might indicate a Federal Crime, Interstate Crime, etc.

I suppose older board members might be able to shed more light on that.