Town asks: "Where is Ann?" by Laura Manske Her eulogy ended: "We give Ann back to you in love and solitude. Love her like we loved her." Cambridge City residents dramatically displayed that love in their unusual community effort to locate their hometown friend, Ann Louise Harmeier. An IU theatre and drama major, 20year-old Ann began a two-hour drive back to school from her eastern Indiana hometown on Sept. 12. Upon arrival in Bloomington, she was supposed to call her mother. However, that call never came. After abondoning her troubled car on Ind. 37, north of Martinsville, Ann disappeared. Cambridge City citizens immediately established a reward and search committee and collected over $20,000, much of which was used for printing reward posters. The city offered $5,000 for information concerning her whereabouts. Don Winslow
Scott Goldsmith
Throughout the United States and Canada, thousands of bumper stickers and fliers were mailed. Ads on Indiana and Ohio television stations publicized Ann's disappearance. NBC "Today Show" briefly mentioned the search. Ground and air searches and road blocks were implemented by police. The effort produced by these people illustrated real caring. "The approach the town was taking showed she was something special," said Bob Nicholas, an IU senior who had dated Ann. But that effort came to a halt on Oct. 19, when Ann's body was discovered in a Morgan County cornfield, seven miles northeast of her abandoned car. Her murderer has not yet been found. Leads are scarce. However, Cambridge City residents are concentrating their efforts on finding the killer. Throughout the campus and community, news of Ann's death sparked safety awareness. Dorms and community groups scheduled self-defense meetings. Women were advised of precautions they should take in every area of their lives from opening their doors to strangers, to walking through unlighted areas, to car trouble. George Huntington, chief of the IU Police Department (IUPD), advised that one remain in the troubled car until an authorized person arrives. A female should even ignore strangers who seem friendly and helpful. "In fact, this appearance of genuine concern and willingness to help is a hallmark of the men (who later attack the women they offer to help)," Huntington said. But for Ann, the advice came too late. For everyone else, the advise is worth heeding. "You may feel bad for a little while about turning down a sincere offer of help, but feeling bad is a small price to pay for your life," Huntington said. Ann Harmeier's tragic death prompted people to work toward preventing other such tragedies. (LEFT) Junior Ann Harmeier receives a helping hand from Susan Hope in preparing for her role as an inchworm in the T300 production of "Piffany." (CENTER) "Where is Ann?" was the question asked on posters, billboards and bumper stickers after Harmeier's disappearance on Sept. 12.
49
