Behrman case to grand jury

MARTINSVILLE -- Investigators \nannounced they have requested a grand jury inquiry into the May 2000 disappearance of then-IU sophomore Jill Behrman.\nAfter nearly six years of investigation by multiple state agencies, Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega said in a press conference Wednesday he will present the Behrman case to be heard by a grand jury. The grand jury has the power to subpoena witnesses and require them to testify under oath. Currently, the state has subpoenaed some 90 witnesses in the case, Sonnega said. \nIt also has the power to issue a criminal indictment of suspects. The grand jury will begin work between March and April and could work on the case for up to two years, Sonnega said.\nBehrman never returned home from an early morning bike ride on May 31, 2000, in Bloomington. Police and volunteers searched for her but found only her abandoned bicycle. Hunters found her remains in a Morgan County woods in March 2003. To date, Behrman's disappearance remains unsolved, though police have investigated several suspects over the years. Police are currently focusing on two Bloomington men in their mid-20s, said Indiana State Police Det. Rick Lang.\nInvestigators are also asking two potential witnesses in the case to come forward. Early in the Behrman investigation, an anonymous caller told police she had seen a suspicious red compact car at the intersection of North and West Maple Grove Road, near the location of Behrman's bicycle. Det. Lang believes the caller could have some other details pertinent to the case.\n"I would specifically like to speak with the anonymous caller, and I feel that this information could be vital to the investigation," he said.\nPolice are also seeking \ninformation from a newspaper carrier who called police and described a woman similar to Behrman's description riding near Maple Grove Road on the day of her disappearance. \n"Our plea would be that if anyone has any information out there that would be helpful to this case, please come forward," said Jill Behrman's mother, Marilyn.\nThough it has been several years since Jill Behrman's disappearance, she has left a substantial mark on the community. In October, more than 1,100 students and community members participated in the sixth annual Jill Behrman Run for the End Zone, an event that raised money for Jill's House, a charity also named in Behrman's honor. \nDespite this outpouring of support, the Behrman family said it just wants to see an end to the investigation and some insight into the death of their daughter. \n"As only a parent can understand," said Jill Behrman's father Eric, "what we seek is justice for Jill."\nAnyone with information concerning Jill Behrman's disappearance is urged to contact Indiana State Police at (800) 225-8576.