Missing Since: March 29, 1993 from Marion, Indiana
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: February 9, 1974
Age: 19 years old
Height and Weight: 5'3, 105 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair, blue eyes.
Details of Disappearance
Reitler was a freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana in 1993. She was last seen at approximately 8:00 p.m. on March 29, 1993. Reitler walked to Marsh Supermarket, which was approximately one-half mile from the university's campus. Reitler purchased a soda and left the store, intent on returning to her dormitory in Bowman Hall. She never made it there and has never been seen or heard from again.
Reitler's bloodstained jeans, shirt and shoes were discovered in a field near Seybold Pool and Center Elementary School, which is located between Marsh's Supermarket and the campus. Investigators said that 6 to 7 unidentified people were playing basketball in the Center School playground adjacent to the pool at the time Reitler disappeared, but none of the possible witnesses have come forward with information regarding her case. Authorities believe that Reitler was taken against her will while walking back to campus. Foul play is suspected in her disappearance.
March 29th, 1993 is a day that will be forever etched into my memory. I remember it like it was yesterday and I just get this empty, hollow feeling about losing Tricia Reitler. I remember all of the fear that surrounded our campus and how everyone had this overwhelming need to do something, anything to try to help bring back Tricia, and along with her, our sense that we lived in a safe, secure world free of the evil that had done this.
We were all wrong. I still think about Tricia from time to time. I worked with her in the cafeteria but I am ashamed to say that I didn't really know her. I had only been at Indiana Wesleyan for a couple of months and so I was still trying to get adjusted to everything. I remember seeing her working and saying Hi to her a couple of times but that was it. I remember Tricia as a reminder and motivation for everything that I do in my life now as a Residence Hall Director. I use Tricia's memory to remind me of how self-centered and naive we can be when we are young. I use Tricia's memory to help motivate myself and others in the world of Student Development to never forget her so that this kind of thing will never happen again-that the sacred trust that we take on as the surrogate caretakers for parents will not be forgotten.
I take this time to honor the memory of Tricia Reitler by making a pledge to her parents and all those that were affected by her disappearance to say that I have not forgotten about Tricia and I will make sure that no one else will either because the lessons learned from Tricia will continued to live on through the lives of the students that I, and others, minister to on a daily basis.
Please take a moment to say a prayer for Tricia Reitler and the Reitler family: her parents, Gary and Donna Reitler, and her sisters Melissa and Sarah, as well as her brother Garry Jr.
