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'Find Lauren Day' focuses in missing IU student

A steady stream of volunteers arrived early Saturday morning at McNutt Hall on the Indiana University campus to search for missing IU student Lauren Spierer.
/ Source: WTHR-TV

A steady stream of volunteers arrived early Saturday morning at McNutt Hall on the Indiana University campus to search for missing IU student Lauren Spierer.

Friday marked three weeks since the 20-year-old's disappearance from downtown Bloomington. Since then, her parents and supporters have helped organize several searches, and Saturday was declared "Find Lauren Day."

Volunteers spent the day searching areas on the outskirts of Bloomington, including wooded areas in Brown County, 20 miles away.

"They told us to be on the look out to be on the lookout for anything she might have been wearing. She had black leggings and a white V-neck," said volunteer Megan Sharkey.

Sharkey, a Bloomington nurse, is part of a search team looking for any sign of the missing student.

"The least I can do is, you know, come help search," she said.

Spierer's parents, Robert and Charlene, were among the first to head out on Saturday's search, which culminates three weeks of searching ever since the IU sophomore went missing after a night out with friends on June 3.

A Franklin couple participated in Saturday's search efforts.

"Kevin and I have three daughters ourselves, and our youngest was just married last Saturday. We said then we're lucky. We know where our daughters are and to attend the last one's wedding last Saturday and these parents deserve to know where their daughter is. We can't imagine what they're going through and we wanted to be part of this search today," said Terri Nigh.

She said she sympathized with the Spierers, who spoke at every press briefing hosted by Bloomington Police over the past three weeks. Police said Friday's would be the final press briefing on the case, although the investigation continues.

Information on the case also is posted at http://www.findlauren.com/.

"Just the emotion in their faces, and the hurt and the pain they're going through. The exhaustion on their faces. Just can't imagine what they're going through," Nigh said.

"Anything we can do to help," said her husband.

Saturday's was not the largest search effort, but it may be the most concentrated and intense. Volunteers say it's not the last time they'll be out looking for Spierer.

"We'll keep going. As we have the resources, we'll keep pushing, as long as we're having volunteers. There's a group of us that have kind of vowed to see this thing through the end," said search coordinator John Summerlot.

Despite not having any firm leads or suspects, Bloomington Police have also said they are committed to solving this mystery.

"I am confident that something will happen on this case," said Bloomington Police Capt. Joe Qualters. "Our hope is that we will have information as to what led to Lauren's disappearance, as well as any circumstances that may be related to that."

Until that happens, the search goes on, with volunteers doing what they can to make a difference.

The search effort will continue Sunday. Volunteers can meet at McNutt Quad after 8 a.m. Sunday morning.