BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A 20/20 investigation into the disappearance of Lauren Spierer has raised new questions about Bloomington police's handling of the case.
TIMELINE | The disappearance of Lauren Spierer
In an hour-long special aired Friday night, ABC News Chief Investigator Brian Ross and former FBI agent Brad Garrett revealed a year's worth of digging into the case. Their report featured interviews with Lauren's family and friends – and even possible suspects in the case.
'LOOKING FOR LAUREN' | Former FBI agent & 20/20 track new lead in Lauren Spierer case
Notably absent: Input from Bloomington police, who are the chief agency responsible for the case.
"I can tell you from the perspective of Lauren's parents, they feel the Bloomington police have shut them out," Ross told RTV6 in a satellite interview. "They have not shared any information with them. They’ve been very disturbed about that. That's why they went ahead and hired private detectives in the first place. They also question why the Bloomington police have refused to release all of the surveillance videos they have of Lauren on that fateful night. That's not how it's happened in most places."
Ross traveled to Bloomington in hopes of speaking to Police Chief Michael Diekhoff, but was rebuffed, with the chief declining to talk to him.
Watch Ross' interaction with Chief Diekhoff below (mobile app users click on the video player above):
Garrett, the former FBI agent, said he received no cooperation from Bloomington police in his investigative efforts.
"It's very difficult to assess law enforcement in this case, because they don't tend to talk publicly about what they're doing," Garrett said. "I've gotten very little … I've gotten actually no feedback or information from the Bloomington police, which presumably would be the lead agency. So, what they've done, not done, I don't really know. I will say it's a bit odd, the lack of communication with the public, because the public is what helps you solve the case. It's worked for me for 30 years. The more you can put out to the public, they more you're going to get back."
Bloomington police have declined to comment to media on the case, but did issue a statement last month just before the five-year anniversary of Spierer's disappearance:
From the time of Lauren’s reported disappearance, the Bloomington Police Department (BPD) has dedicated an extraordinary amount of resources while investigating this case. Over 3,500 tips have been received, documented and investigated. Searches involving hundreds of volunteers were organized and managed by Department personnel with those searches occurring within and outside the City of Bloomington and Monroe County. An exhaustive search of a landfill was conducted over the course of several days. The number of regular duty hours associated with the case cannot be quantified and the Department has documented over 2,505 hours of overtime for personnel since the beginning of the investigation. Detectives have traveled to other jurisdictions within Indiana and outside the state for interviews, consultation, and other investigatory efforts. The Department has explored possible connections to a number of criminal suspects arrested in other jurisdictions for heinous crimes against female victims. Investigators have contacted numerous agencies located within and outside the state of Indiana where bodies or human remains have been found in an effort to see if there might be a connection to the case.
Find Bloomington police's full update from the five-year anniversary of the case here.
READ MORE | Years later, Bloomington still remembers Lauren Spierer | On 5-year anniversary of her disappearance, Lauren Spierer's parents post heartfelt message | Bloomington police say Lauren Spierer 'not a cold case'
