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.
13 comments:
Her disappearance was one of reasons I changed from communications to criminal justice
It seems like just yesterday. Every couple years I hear a rumor that they have a lead into what happened but it never pans out. I still hold out hope that we will someday have an answer as to what happened and who was responsible.
I think of her (Tricia) often. I took personal offense against her mysterious and suspicious disappearance since I had been a lifelong resident of the community, as well as a fellow student. I still pray for her family, as well as the resolution to this 14 year nightmare. I am looking to contact my friends from college. If you attended school with Teala Ebert at IWU, please contact my secondary email address at sweetnurse1972@yahoo.com . Please put your name (or name I would have known you by) in the subject line.
It still is shocking just to see a picture of her. It's hard to believe its been so Long! Seems like yesterday!
I was in 3rd grade in Marion and still remember talking about it like it was yesterday. I remember them searchin the woods behind my house for her body, I remember it all. I remember being a scared little girl. at the time I thought this is marion things like that don't happen here, but now i know just how bad marion really is. Kids I grew up with killing each other and others I just can't believe any of it. I want them to find Tricia Reitler and what happened that day. Why can't those guys who were playin ball come forward...why can't someone just send a total annoymous letter saying where her body is...
I lived in Shatford Hall that year. It's been 14 years now. Mr. and Mrs. Reitler, none of us have forgotten and we never will. I was a freshman like Tricia. I'm a mother, a nurse, a wife now. I think of her with every new missing persons report. I think of her every time any criminal in Indiana makes the national news. I will never forget. I can not. It is somehow a bit of a part of me, woven into me. Blessings on you and your family this day.
Feltzy,
Every so often I google Tricia's name...why? Maybe looking for something passed over, maybe hoping to find a clue...mostly looking for closure.
Yesterday when I did a search I came across this and was extremely blessed by your words.
Thank you for never forgetting one of the most beautiful, vivacious, strong willed, caring, adventurous people this world was blessed to have for 19 years...my sister.
~Melissa (Reitler) Cole
www.coleconnection.com
PS...Hi Donetta! I would love to hear from you and find out how your family is doing!
I was born and raised in Marion Indiana, my name is La'Kesha and i have always been deeply sad about Trisha, i wish so bad that her family can have some closure. She is always in my thoughts and prayers and hopefully one day she will get Justice !! R.I.P
I was born and raised in Marion Indiana, my name is La'Kesha and i have always been deeply sad about Trisha, i wish so bad that her family can have some closure. She is always in my thoughts and prayers and hopefully one day she will get Justice !! R.I.P
I can remember it like it was yesterday. I was a 13 year old girl living in Jonesboro. I Google her name every few months. I still think about her all the time. I looked up to those girls that went to college, I thought she was so beautiful and I never understood how someone like that could just disappear. The man who confessed to murdering her should really let someone know where her body is. There are so many people who would love to see this cold case solved.
Tricia was one of my sister's best friends growing up. I was 4 years old when she dissappeared. I still remember it clearly. We were all scarred by her loss.
The reitlers are like family to me. We call them cauzins and her Mother is my Aunt Donna.
When this happened we all suffered this loss, and the empty feeling of being robbed of tricia has never gone away.
I recorded a song I wrote to the Reitler family on my cd "Endless Mercy" and it is posted on my myspace. Look for "Coming Home", song number 2 on www.myspace.com/jamespadley to listen.
Thank you, everyone for helping us keep her memory alive. Keep praying that god will make known all of important details needed to solve this case.
God Bless
James Padley - Missionary-Brazil
This may seem like a pointless question, but could you tell me if spring break occurred before or after Tricia went missing?
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