Family Offers $100,000 Reward for Information in Spierer Case
- Details
- Hits: 5421
It’s now been seven long days since Edgemont’s Lauren Spierer disappeared in Bloomington, Indiana where she recently completed her sophomore year. Though police, family, friends and over 400 volunteers have been scouring the area the investigation has failed to lead to Lauren.
Here are the latest developments in the case:
A New York Post article updated on Thursday morning June 9th reports that a male friend, Corey Rossman was seen entering her apartment building with her at 2:40 am. According to witnesses, Spierer was drunk and Rossman was “overly aggressive” and “belligerent.” Rossman took a polygraph test and gave conflicting reports in the news about what happened that night – in one report he says he last saw her walk away at 4:30 am.
However, in another report he says he was punched in the face and “has no memory of their last moments together.” His first memory was of the following morning when he woke up in his bed.
Lauren Spierer’s father announced that the family is offering a $100,000 reward for information that leads to her safe return.
Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, has offered a $10,000 reward for information.
In a press briefing, Lieutenant Bill Parker said that police and volunteer searches will continue, and that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will provide resources and help to coordinate the search.
Police obtained a search warrant and broke down the doors at the Smallwood Apartment Building on the night of 6/7 and seized the security camera footage.
Day 6: Update on the Search for Lauren Spierer
- Details
- Hits: 6461
Wednesday, June 8th: According to published reports, Bloomington, Indiana police issued a search warrant at Smallwood Plaza, the apartment complex where missing Indiana University and Edgemont resident Lauren Spierer resides.
The police seized two computer hard drives from rooms off of the lobby believed to contain security camera footage from the night Lauren Spierer went missing.
According to the local Fox News affiliate, at about 8:25pm local time, police used a battering ram to knock down two doors near the lobby of the apartment building since a Smallwood Plaza staff member was not on-site to provide a key to gain access.
Lauren’s parents, Charlene and Robert Speirer were reportedly present when the police searched the complex but left before the police did.
Bloomington Police will hold a press conference later this morning.
Developing….
Tuesday June 7th: About 400 people are continuing to search for Edgemont’s Lauren Spierer on Tuesday June 7th. According to the Indiana Daily Student, searches are scheduled for 10 am, 2 pm and 5 pm today in Bloomington for the Indiana University student who was last seen on Friday June 2 at 4:30 am.
In addition, police released new details about the case on Tuesday morning.
- Though there is no suspect, police do have the names of people of interest
- Lieutenant Bill Parker of the Bloomington Police Department confirmed that someone saw Spierer at 4:30 am on Friday
- Police suspect that foul play was involved
- Her hair may have been cut or colored
- Police have her cell phone, which she left with her shoes at Kilroy’s Sports Bar on the night of her disappearance
- Police also found a small purse along with Spierer’s key on the path between her friend’s apartment and Smallwood Plaza
In Scarsdale concerned neighbors and friends will gather for a prayer service for Spierer at her temple, Scarsdale Synagogue on Ogden Road at 7 pm on Tuesday. An email from Rabbi Klein, Rabbie Gordon and Cantor Becker says, “In such a situation, there is little we can do, and yet we feel the need to “do something." Whether or not you know the family, we can come together as one community to share our concern and pray for this family.”
As so many in Edgemont and Scarsdale know Lauren and her family and have children her age, the news is terribly troubling. A Help Find Lauren Spierer Facebook page has over 8,700 followers.
In Bloomington the Jewish community has organized as well and Hillel at Indiana University is helping to coordinate the search. Visit their web page here.
Lauren Spierer, age 20 of Edgemont is a student at Indiana University who vanished at 4:30 am on Friday June 2nd. The plight of the 4’11” college sophomore has captured national attention and hundreds have mobilized in an effort to find her. Now in its fifth day her story is being reported far and wide. Her parents were interviewed on the Today Show on Tuesday morning – see the interview here:
See the original post on Spierer's disappearance here.
Fire on Garth Road
- Details
- Hits: 5700
An underground electrical fire on Garth Road on Wednesday afternoon 6/1 resulted in a large scale evacuation of local businesses and apartments due to the threat of an explosion of manholes on the street. When fire officials arrived just after 2 pm they found heavy smoke and fire coming from a manhole on Garth Road at Freightway and smoke coming out of another manhole at Garth and Popham Roads. Smoke was also rising out of the lamposts that line the roadway. Firefighters report that flames shot 50 feet into the air and Con Edison was called to shut off the power in the area. After the power was turned off, firefighters flooded the manhole to extinguish the fire.
Over 100 people were evacuated from Garth Road including all the stores lining the street as well as apartment dwellers up to #56 Garth Road. Both CVS on the Popham Road Bridge and the 7-11 on Garth Road were without power. Temperatures were above 90 degrees and the store’s refrigerators had to be emptied. The Popham Road Bridge and the lower portion of Garth Road was closed from 2:00 to 4:45 snarling traffic for hours. The fire department had a Bee Line bus sent in to shelter the evacuees as it was extremely hot outside.
Two fire trucks, a ladder truck and three command vehicles were on the scene. Scarsdale career firefighters and ten volunteers were assisted by a unit from Greenville, and firefighters from White Plains and Hartsdale manned Scarsdale fire stations during the Scarsdale crew’s absence. Scarsdale Fire Chief Thomas Cain reported that firefighters worked closely with Police and Con Edison and all decision makers worked together in a well coordinated effort.
Scott of Gianonnis on Garth Road reported smoke outside and a power loss, but fortunately his back up generator kept their food cold. The store
Marie Labropoulos, owner of the Kalliste Organic Soap shop on Freightway gave the following account and took the picture shown at the top:
I noticed something was wrong as the lights in my shop started to flicker and initially attributed it to an overload on the electrical system due to the A/C running all day. Just seconds after that I could smell ozone and knew there was a definite taxing on the system so I switched off my lights and A/C and stepped outside where I saw black smoke billowing out of the manhole.
Sam, who works for the village and is a volunteer fireman was down the street and immediately got on his radio to call for emergency response. Within a minute the first officers arrived and began informing all of the commercial and residential tenants of Garth Rd. to evacuate the vicinity and not breathe in the harmful fumes. The Fire Department and Con Edison worked together for the next several hours to get what I believe were three underground fires out and electricity as well as safety to the neighborhood restored. Today Con Edison continues to work underground on rebuilding the lines while the Fire Department and Police Department are patrolling the area.”
Police Report: A Head On Collision and a Dead Possum at the Door
- Details
- Hits: 10153
Accident: A three-car accident on Fenimore Road near Brewster Road sent six people to area hospitals around 8 am on Monday morning June 6th. Cars travelling in opposite directions on Fenimore had a head-on collision when Chester Gould, age 82 of Morris Lane drove his 2010 Jaguar across the yellow line into oncoming traffic and struck a 2010 Mercury driven by Richard Smith, age 41 of Victoria BC. As a result of the collision, Gould’s car then hit a third car, a 2011 Kia, driven by Khalilur Rahman, age 57 of Edgemont Circle, Scarsdale. The Mercury was carrying 39 year-old Lily Selwa, and two children, James and Richard Selwa, ages 9 and 5.
Gould was extracted from his car by the Fire Department and SVAC ambulances and crews from Eastchester, Greenburgh, Harrison and Transcare EMS all arrived to assist. The victims were taken to White Plains Hospital and Westchester Medical Center and their condition is unknown. Fenimore Road was closed and the accident tied up morning traffic and took some time to clear and investigate.
Damage at Lange’s: Anthony Domini of Lange’s Deli reported that he spotted a graffiti tag on top of the toilet lid in the deli’s restroom on Thursday, June 2. The tag read, “Tag one?” He also informed the police that when he arrived at work in the morning he found paper towels covered in dry blood near two plastic chairs that had been damaged the night before in the outdoor dining area. Policemen have been told to increase drive-by’s in the evening to prevent any future incidents.
Arrest: Tareek Lightfoot, age 20 of Oakwood Avenue, White Plains, was arrested on an outstanding bench warrant for unauthorized use of a vehicle at 11:30 pm on 5/31. After processing in Scarsdale, Judge Galloway remanded Lightfoot to Westchester County Jail in lieu of $500 in cash bail.
Summons: An underage drinker was issued a summons just after midnight at the intersection of Sheldrake and Mamaroneck Road on 6/5. Police were alerted concerning an incident of disorderly conduct and went to investigate.
Missing Car: A Colonial road woman called police at 2:47 am on 6/4 to report that someone had taken her 2000 Mercedes from the driveway. Police went out to investigate and found that the car had been repossessed.
Lost Boy: A Dell Road woman reported that her 12 year-old son was missing at 7:26 pm on 6/3. He had gone for a ride on his scooter and failed to return. While police were getting the details from her, the boy returned.
Animals: A Post Road woman found a dead possum in a cardboard box on her doorstep on the evening of June 1. It appears that the possum had been dead for a while as it was already decomposing. The box bore a Griffen Road address but Police could not determine whether the origin of the box was related to the incident. The woman who reported the incident said that it may be related to a dispute her son is having.
A female Pug was turned over to police on the afternoon of 5/31. Police called the dog’s owner who said she was unable to pick up the dog so police turned it over to the New Rochelle Humane Society until the woman could retrieve her pet.
Hawk: Police rescued an injured hawk from Catherine Road at the afternoon of 6/5. They called a wildlife rehabilitator to care for the hawk.
Theft: A Madison Road woman came to headquarters on May 31 to report $1,500 of silver jewelry that was taken from her home about a month ago. The woman believes she knows who is responsible.
A Walworth Avenue man reported that he found some envelopes he had placed in his mailbox for pick up on his front lawn on June 4. A check for $300 was missing from one of the envelopes.
On 6/3, a White Birch Lane woman reported that pearl earrings, valued at $800 were missing as well as a black Channel wallet, worth $1,500. In November she noticed that the earrings were missing and the wallet went missing about two weeks ago.
A Church Lane man reported that his Mac Book Pro laptop computer was taken from his 2001 Volvo when it was parked in his driveway sometime between May 25 and May 27. The computer was valued at $2,500 and the man reported the incident on 6/3.
Identity Theft: A Grand Park Avenue woman reported $1,880 of unauthorized charges on her credit card on 5/31. She cancelled the account.
On 6/2 a Cooper Road man reported that someone used his American Express rewards points to purchase $8,000 in American Express gift cards.
Disputes: A Forest Lane woman called at the night of 5/31 to report that her landscaper was having a dispute on the street. When police arrived they found the landscaper Arnoldo Damien arguing with Luis Dicapua of Climatrol. Damien accused Dicapua of running into his lawnmower with his car. However, Decapua denied it and police told the men it was a civil incident.
On 6/1, a Scarsdale Avenue woman called police when the owner of the dry cleaners on Garth Road was preventing her from getting into her car. Turns out the caller owed money to the dry cleaners but had not paid up after several phone calls. When police arrived, the two agreed to settle the matter by Monday 6-6
A Brewster Road woman complained that landscapers in a blue truck dumped debris in the woods at the intersection of Farley and Brewster Road on May 27th.
On 6/3 a solicitor was reported near Sprague and Nelson Roads. Police stopped the woman who was selling books and magazines for Unity Management. Since she did not have a permit she was instructed to stop going door to door. Another solicitor was reported on Eton Road on the afternoon of 6/5. The woman claimed she had a permit from the New York Youth Club but police did not have it on file.
Pinecrest Road parents called police when they had a dispute over their daughter’s homework. By the time police arrived, the issue had been resolved.
A Wayside Lane woman called police at 10:17 pm on Saturday night 6/3, claiming that her husband had locked her out of the house. When police arrived, they found an unlocked door and let the woman in.
On 6/5, a Carstensen Road man was permitted to remove some personal items from his home by order of the Village court. Police accompanied the man to the house.
Grafitti: Yellow paint was used to make graffiti on a mailbox at Boulevard and Gaylor Roads. The word “Rizo5” appeared with a three point crown and the graffiti was reported on June 3rd.
Underage Drinkers and a Pitbull Attack: From the Police
- Details
- Hits: 5790
Party! Shortly after midnight on 5/29 police received a report about a party on Blackhawk Lane. When they arrived they heard noise and saw five to ten kids fleeing from the house. They also saw others carrying large garbage bags full of beer cans out of the house -- and the 19 year-old girl who lived there said she was having a birthday party. Another group of about 20 kids left and police found partially drunk cans of beer in the house. The girl was issued a summons for unlawful possession of alcohol and told to appear in court on June 1st.
Missing Porsche: Cooper Road residents awoke on the morning of May 25 to find that their 2004 Porsche Cayenne SUV was gone. The car had been left unlocked in the driveway and there was a valet key in the owner’s manual inside the glove box.
Missing Child: A mother from Chateaux Circle called police at 3 pm on 5/25 when she couldn’t find her two-year-old son. She had last seen the boy in the apartment and he was wearing only a diaper. She realized he was missing when she was preparing to pick up her older child at school. Police found the child asleep under a blanket in a bedroom and he was evaluated by SVAC and found to be fine.
Missing Briefcase: A Scarsdale man left his Louis Vuitton briefcase containing checks and personal papers in the back seat of his car when he parked it on East Parkway on the morning of 5/24. When he returned about an hour later he found that the briefcase was missing.
Missing Laptop: A Connecticut woman parked her car in the driveway of a Brookby Road home on the night of 5/24. When she returned to the car the following morning her briefcase and laptop computer were gone.
Missing GPS: A Garmin navigator was removed from a car parked on Ross Road overnight on 5/24-5/25.
Missing Sunglasses: Residents on Farley Road heard a car alarm around midnight on 5/29 and saw someone inside their car. Though they claim the car was locked there was no sign that someone forced their way into the car -- but a pair of $400 sunglasses was missing. Neighbors across the street also heard someone outside their home that night and saw another car next to their car. They activated a panic alarm and the man got into his car and drove off.
Missing Bikes: An $800 custom road bike was stolen from the rack on East Parkway on 5/26. The bike had been locked and chained to the rack. On 5/27 an orange Raleigh mountain bike valued at $250 was also stolen from a rack on East Parkway.
Gun: On 5/25, a man from Reynal Crossing turned over his handgun to police for safekeeping until he could get a valid pistol permit.
Stolen Car: A Wheelock Road woman noticed that a 2000 Lexus had been parked in front of her house and no one returned to move it. Police ran a check on the car and it turned out to be a stolen vehicle that belonged to a White Plains man. The car was towed.
Locked out: The owner of Embassy Cleaners on Christie Place locked his keys inside his vehicle on the morning of 5/23. Heathcote Gulf was called and they were able to open the car and retrieve the keys.
Frustrated motorist: A Bronx man was seen videotaping the intersection of Popham Road and East Parkway around noon on 5/23. When police asked the man why he was doing this he said his wife had been issued a ticket there and he was videotaping the intersection to show at her trial.
Coyotes: Two coyotes were reported on Birchall Road at 6:53 pm on 5/23. Police saw the animals in the backyard of the home before they ran into a wooded area behind the house. Another coyote was reported on Dolma Road on the morning of 5/27.
Scavengers: Two Village employees were caught scavenging for items on videotape in the storage room at the Sanitation Building on Secor Road on 5/24. The employees were instructed to return anything they took and were advised that there were penalties for scavenging.
Theft: Greendale Road residents reported that they saw four kids putting Village-owned saw-horse barricades into their car at 4:30 pm on 5/26. The resident reported that the vehicle was a tan SUV or a suburban.
A Ross Road man came to police on the night of 5/24 to complain that his neighbor had not paid him for damage done to his car. The man said that his neighbor promised to pay him to repair his car after the neighbor backed into his car in January, causing $1,030 in damage. Since the two did not report the accident to police at the time, he was advised to handle the dispute on his own.
Solicitors: A woman soliciting for Urban Development Solutions was selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door on Brookby Road on the evening of 5/24. Police received a complaint and stopped the woman who did not have a permit to solicit. She was issued a warning for violating Village code.
Another solicitor was dropped off at Fenway Golf Club on the evening of 5/24. The club manager asked the man to leave the property and he refused. Police responded and the man’s supervisor came to retrieve him.
A third solicitor was reported on Webster Road at 5:30 pm on 5/25. Police stopped a man who identified himself as Llamar Richards and said he was employed by a glass repair company. He was unaware that he needed a permit to solicit and agreed to stop.
Michael Basciano of White Plains was issued a summons on the morning of 5/24 for placing flyers on the windshields of parked cars in Fox Meadow.
Fires: On the morning of 5/27 there was a fire in the basement at 25 Park Road. The fire broke out downstairs and caused heavy smoke and fire damage to the basement, as well as the first and second floors. In order to contain the blaze, firefighters broke open walls on the first and second floors and according to Chief Thomas Cain, "the home sustained quite a bit of damage." Scarsdale, Greenville and Hartsdale firefighters all came to assist as well as SVAC. The Westchester County Arson Investigation Department was called to look for the source of the fire and determined that it was caused by an overloaded power strip that caught fire and set the basement carpet in flames. A home attendant who has a bedroom in the basement was the first to report the fire.
Another fire broke out when a transformer blew out on a telephone pole at the corner of Post and Olmstead Roads on the evening of 5/27. Police closed the northbound lane of the Post Road while Con Edison and the Fire Department put out the fire.
Wires on Post Road across from the library were on fire on the afternoon of 5/29. The Fire Department was notified.
Worried: At 10 pm on 5/27 a concerned friend called police when she received a disturbing text message from another woman that said, “I’m leaving now. You will never see me again.” Police went to the home of the woman who sent the text and her son was able to let them in. They spoke to the woman who had sent the text who said that she was in pain from an injury and agreed to have her son take her to the doctor.
At 12:20 am on the night of 5/28, police received a report about kids knocking over tents that were set up at the Alternative School on Wayside Lane. When the police arrived they saw three kids running away from the field but were unable to find them.
Shortly thereafter, police received another complaint about noise coming from Chase Park where the Boy Scouts were camping out. Police asked the boys to keep their voices down.
Around midnight on 5/29 police received a complaint about a noisy party on Park Road. When they arrived, they saw a number of kids fleeing and spoke to the residents who were watching a soccer game. They reported that a bunch of uninvited guests had tried to get in and caused the noise.
Damage: The TYVEK on a Carmen Road home was cut on 5/25. The homeowner did not know who might have done the damage.
Accidents: A Stony Point man driving his car at the intersection of Brewster and Fenimore Roads struck a 14 year-old Oak Lane girl who was riding her bike on Fenimore Road on Monday afternoon 5/23. Fortunately the girl was not hurt.
A 16-year-old girl was struck by a car when she was walking along the Post Road on the afternoon of 5/24. The driver did not stop and the girl was not able to see the license plate number of the car. The girl’s mother arrived to take her home.
A 17-year-old Scarsdale girl was hit while riding her bike by a 1999 Jeep at the intersection of Popham and Taunton Roads on the afternoon of 5/25. The driver of the Jeep reported that the girl drove into traffic and did not give him ample time to stop. The girl was taken to White Plains hospital.
A 70-year-old Walworth Avenue man struck a street sign and then drove into a tree on Greenacres Avenue at 10:30 pm on 5/25. The man reported that he fell asleep at the wheel.
From the Greenburgh Police: On Saturday, May 28 shortly after 5 pm Greenburgh police responded to a 911 call about a person who was being attacked by a dog at 107 Juniper Hill Road, near the Metropolis Golf Club. They found a 50-year-old man bleeding heavily after being bitten repeatedly and his 18-year-old daughter who had also been bitten by the dogs. Police learned that the two had been attacked by two pit bulls when they were going door to door dropping off flyers for their church.
The dogs were owned by Mr. Beverly Taylor (age 25) of 103 Juniper Hill Road in the Town of Greenburgh. Police and Animal Control Officers tranquilized the dogs. One of the dogs, however, still lunged at an animal control officer and had to be killed by the police. The second dog was secured.
Mr. Taylor was also bitten on his hands from one of his dogs and refused medical attention and hospital transport. Taylor was issued summonses for Town Code violations, unlicensed dogs, and unvaccinated dogs. Additional charges may be forthcoming.
Both father and daughter were transported to the Westchester Medical Center by Greenburgh Police EMS. The 18-year-old girl was treated and released but her father remains hospitalized with serious injuries to his right arm. At last report, he was in stable condition.
Formula Caper: A man stole ten cans of Enfamil from the Shoprite on Central Avenue and left the store in a 2007 Honda before he could be stopped by security on Wednesday morning 5/25.
Missing Girl: The mother of a 15 year-old girl from Joyce Road in Hartsdale called police at 2:24 am on Sunday 5/29 when she could not locate her daughter. At 10 pm the previous night the girl had been caught trespassing at the Dobbs Ferry Pool by the police and the mother went to pick her up. While returning home to Hartsdale the two had an argument and the girl jumped out of the car on Ashford Avenue. The mother had not seen her since that time and wished to file a missing person report.
A bike belonging to man who lives on Farley Road in Scarsdale was stolen from the Hartsdale Train station where it was locked on 5/27.
Members of the Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force stopped two 19 year-old boys on Central Avenue at 10:30 on 5/27 and found that they had 12 bottles of beer. One boy is from Windsor Road in Scarsdale and the other lives on Kathwood Road in Yonkers. Both were charged with possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21.
Two employees at Marshalls on Central Avenue were caught stealing $230 in merchandise from the store on the afternoon of 5/26. Working together the two purchased items then voided out the purchase and left the store with the merchandise. The store only wished to press charges against one employee as the other was very cooperative with the investigation. However police advised that the store would have to prosecute both employees so instead they opted to fire them both.
Derrick Johnson, age 44 of East Post Road in white Plains was arrested for burglary after he entered an apartment on North Washington Avenue in Hartsdale at 11:30 pm on Sunday night 5/29. According to the resident, Johnson opened a rear window, unlocked the back door and entered the woman’s home without her consent. She tried to call for help but he took away her cell phone and placed both of his hands around her neck with the intention of choking her. The woman screamed and ran out of the apartment toward the Hartsdale Train Station. She called the police and identified Johnson who was arrested.
