CARMEL, Ind. — In a case that has gone unsolved for almost 13 years, the disappearance of an Indiana University student in 2011 has captured national attention.
On June, 3, 2011, 20-year-old Lauren Spierer was out for a night with friends in Bloomington. Security cameras captured the last-known images of Spierer before she disappeared.
Since then, the case remains a mystery.
However, a new book titled "College Girl Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight" hit store shelves Tuesday, May 28. Author and journalist Shawn Cohen shared his efforts with Hoosiers in book-signing events in Bloomington and Carmel.
"When you hear things like this, you know somebody knows something," said Kayla Horne, who attended the book signing event.
Cohen is the first and only reporter to have been given access to all the private investigative files. In the book, Cohen shares some of his findings, as well as new interviews with key people to the case, such as people who were with Spierer the night of her disappearance, like Jason Rosenbaum and Corey Rossman.
Cohen hopes the book can help readers push the case forward.
"I worked my way through, you know, all three of her roommates, her best friends, talking to them, sitting with them, having long conversations about their life with her," Cohen said.
While the book isn't meant to draw conclusions, Cohen hopes it's a step in the right direction for the Spierer family.
"Yes, it's a true crime book, but it's about real people that I know," Cohen said. "I know the family, I've grown close to them ... it's heartening to see that people are showing up."
13News reached out to Bloomington police to ask where the investigation stands. Captain Ryan Pedigo shared the following statement on behalf of the department:
"The investigation into Lauren's disappearance remains very active and is most certainly not a cold case. In the past two years, the Bloomington Police Department has investigated over 30 new tips and leads in the case. Investigators continue to share information regularly with law enforcement partners from Federal, State and local agencies in an effort to utilize every available resource as we work to locate Lauren and determine who is responsible for her disappearance. However, as a police department, it is imperative that we work within the laws of the State of Indiana to ensure a proper and legal investigation. We will not jeopardize the integrity of the investigation by taking shortcuts or utilizing inappropriate investigative techniques.
The Bloomington Police Department is hopeful that a recently released book will generate new leads and keep Lauren's case at the forefront of the minds of those with information about her disappearance. Someone, somewhere, knows something. Anything a person might know, even if it seems small, could prove to be essential in solving Lauren's case."
Anyone with information about Spierer's disappearance is urged to contact police. You can call the Bloomington Police Department at 812-339-4477 or email tips to policetips@bloomington.in.gov. You can also call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 (TIPS) and leave a tip anonymously.