Authorities Search Indiana Home In Connection With Disappearance Of Lauren Spierer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (CBSNewYork) -- Police and FBI agents in Indiana have raided the home of a jailed sex offender in connection with the disappearance of an Indiana University student from Westchester County who has been missing for more than four years.
Lauren Spierer, of Scarsdale, vanished June 3, 2011, after a night of partying with friends. The 20-year-old left without her shoes or cell phone and was later seen on surveillance video stumbling out of an elevator at her apartment. She was last seen wearing black pants and a white top.
On Thursday, authorities raided a property in Morgan County, Indiana that investigators say belongs to convicted sex offender Justin Wagers.
He's currently behind bars on several felony sex offenses and also linked to three missing persons cases, including Spierer, CBS2's Ilana Gold reported.
Agents and Bloomington police were seen going in and out of the home removing evidence. Cadaver dogs also scoured the area as anthropologists sifted through dirt.
Spierer's mother Charlene has never given up hope of finding her.
"I think that after all this time, I think I have thought about it and considered every horrible thing that could have happened and there is nothing that takes precedence over losing her," she said. "Not knowing and not having her is devastating and there's just no words. It's very hard to live with every single day."
Her parents have vowed they will not rest until they find Spierer, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported. They hope this new search will give them some desperately needed answers and possible closure on what happened to their daughter.
Earlier this month, the family posed a message on its Facebook page dedicated to finding Spierer, posting: "Happy birthday, dear sweet, Lauren. Missed every second of every day. Always in our hearts forever loved."
So far, no remains have been found at the property but investigators plan to question Wagers. A lawyer for Wagers said he knows nothing about Spierer's disappearance, 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.
For more information about Spierer, you can visit the family's website at www.findlauren.com
