Just bumping this to see if anyone has heard any more information on this case since the holidays?

Don't quote me but my parents and I both heard on the news that they would have to stop the search because it was too difficult with the harsh weather:(

law enforcement has stopped organized searches until spring - there's just too much snow and it's too cold up here.
but, dru's family hired a private investigator and together they are organizing private searches.
on a positive note, the community came together the other night to raise $6000 at a rally for dru and her family.

Hearing on Court TV
 

FYI, Court TV is showing a hearing regarding Dru's disappearance now. They have charged Alphonso Rodriguez with her kidnapping only at this point. Still no sign of Dru :( Of course, I am sure more charges will be added when they do find her... not if, but when.

her family, with the help of a private investigater and volunteers, have continued to search for dru almost every week, several times per week.
a bloodhound did pick up a scent once, but they couldn't continue that day.
they continue to search new locations and re-search others. hopefully there will be a break soon.

Sad but true. If she has not been found by this time then expect the worst.:(

With better weather coming, there will be more liklihood that she will be found! At least some closure will be had for the Friends, Sisters, and Family. That beleive it or not is a key point to putting to rest the many feelings of all!

As has been seen many times like this, it will be just a happenstance that she will be found by a hunter or a farmer! May we all only hope that this will happen soon!

the whole thing is too sad...
but spring is coming and tom is right.
hopefully some closure is coming.

They were talking about this the other day on the Today show. Did you see all that snow. I mean I figured it snowed a lot there....but the idea is that it starts snowing there in November and they don't see the ground til late March. Woah! That wasn't like 5 inches either...it was like a few feet!

I didn't realize it would be so difficult to perform a search there. I don't think they are looking for her...they are looking for a body. So sad. But then again, they were looking for the body of Elizabeth Smart as well...

Oh no! I hope they nail the bastard! :mad: I feel for her family

God bless her.
That is so awful....just terribly sad :(

At least this brings some closure for her family.

I was checking my email before coming on GC and I read this on their front page. How horrible for her family but I hope that they can find consolation in finding her. I will keep her family, friends, and sisters in my prayers...

OMG, thank you for the quick update on this!

The only good part about the message, is the closure for Her Family and Friends.:(

Maybe now, She Can find peace!:)

I am glad the family now has closure but I am sorry that this is how it ended up. :( My sympathies to her friends, family, and Gamma Phi Beta sisters.

I am happy her faimly has her body back. Now they can fully greave. It's sad that it's confirmed she is no longer alive. My prayiers are with her family and sisters.

she was found about 3 miles from where rodriguez grew up.
as sad as it is, her family is just thankful that they were finally able to bring her home.

also, it's a better scenario that she was found on the minnesota side of the river. since she was taken across state lines, the sentencing could carry the death penatly.

there was supposed to be a news conference at 3pm, but it has been postponed until at least 4:30.

I feel sick to my stomach :(

I am happy, I guess, that now at least Dru's family knows for sure what happened. Living with that uncertainty had to have been torture. But I so wish this could have had a happy ending like the Elizabeth Smart case did.

I'm glad they at least found her body so her family and friends can have closure.

I'm keeping her loved ones in my prayers... :( And I hope whoever did this will be punished

Just FYI, better HOPE that the feds take over the case on the basis of crossing the state line, so that the death penalty IS an option.

Neither Minnesota nor North Dakota have the death penalty, which is the only punishment this monster should get.

Actually, The Feds. have the least Death Penelity of anyone in the USA!:confused:

Did anyone realize that????

I am sorry... I don't understand what you are trying to say. What do you mean by "the least Death Penalty"??

Don't mind Tom... his unique way of posting gave rise to the term 'Earpspeak' on GC! :)

I think what he meant was the Federal death penalty is one of the least-used. Last execution I recall the Feds doing was Timothy McVeigh back in 2001.

Big D... you in Dallas?

How Sad...
 

How sad...a pretty girl taken with everything in life in front of her.

I hope that monster that did this to her burns in hell for this!

My prayers for her family and her sisters.

I have seen the infamous Earpspeak & can usually figure it out if I squint :D

The federal gov't may not prosecute/impose the death penalty often, but I will make you a bet... there is a hell of a better chance of getting it with a federal prosecution than either state. I bet a whole lot of death penalty opponents in ND & MN are at least rethinking their stance.

I am in the Dallas 'burbs!

Like Killarney Rose, I was so hoping for an "Elizabeth Smart" ending as opposed to the finding of Dru's body. I hope her death was quick & realitively painless. I could cry - this could so easily happen to so many young women....

As for her killer, I hope he is punished to the full extent of the law. I'm sure it will be nothing in comparison to the punishment he'll receive after his death!!

I too, like Killarney Rose and Honeychile, was hoping for an"Elizabeth Smart" result. It is very sad that she was killed at such an early age. I will keep her family, friends, and sisters in my prayers. May GOD Bless Them.

I am happy that her body was found, so that her family can have a proper burial for her and grieve for her instead of wondering if she was still out there alone.

I know that tonight when I am with my sisters I will hug them a little tighter and longer and thank GOD that they are still in my life alive and well, and I urge all of you to do the same to your brothers and sisters,because at college we are each others family.

i'm so sad for dru her family, friends and gamma phi sisters. all are in thoughts and prayers.
i am so angry it had to end this way.

I too was saddened by this news. But I'm glad that her parents have her body back and can grieve and get some sort of closure. Unfortunately that doesn't happen very often. A family here in AZ recently had to bury an empty casket because after 5 years their daughter or her body had not shown up. How horrible would that be? Not really knowing what happened to your child? Even though Dru is dead and I pray to god that the person who killed her receives the strictest punishment in accordance with the law, I'm glad that her parents have her body.

Her family and Gamma Phi sisters are in my thoughts.

Terrible
 

This has been such a sad story. No real good has come from this, except that her loved ones can finally get closure.

I'm vehemently opposed to the death penalty, but it's cases like this that make me rethink it sometimes. I'm just happy that everyone that knew and loved Dru will be able to get some closure.

As I am a student at UND, where Dru attended school, and also a member of the Greek community, I will add a little bit of info that you may have an interest in...Dru's sisters of Gamma Phi Beta organized a memorial candlelight service. It took place this evening in the ballroom of our Memorial Union on campus. It consisted of prayer, music and pictures of Dru, remembered thoughts and features/ characteristics of her...It concluded with a walk from the union to the Gamma Phi Beta house, about 3 blocks down the street, with walkers carrying lit candles (which was tricky due to the wind!).
I also wanted to add a link if anyone wants to look at the articles that were in the newspaper here this morning. Almost the whole first section was articles and information about Dru and everything related...
Grand Forks Herald- April 18, 2004

It is unfortunate that her body was found since when she was still missing everyone was able to still have some hope. Yet, I believe that it is a good thing she was found as this will now allow all her family and friends, and everyone to know that she is safe and in a truly wonderful place. We are no longer waiting and wondering where she is...

May peace and comfort be with you all, now and forever.

i read in one of the articles, and it makes me sick to know that the accused man is a 3 time convicted rapist. people like that should not be roaming around! if you do something 3 times, there is a likely chance you will do it again. such a beautiful girl, im glad shes home now and her family and sisters can have some closure.

This week's People has an article on her and in the table of contents there is a photo of some of her sisters wearing Gamma Phi Beta shirts

Dru Sjodin Case to Be Tried in Federal Court
 

FARGO, N.D. — Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. (search) was scheduled to appear in federal court in Fargo on Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. attorney's office said. Prosecutors planned a news conference afterward but declined comment until then.



The move means it's possible that Rodriguez, a convicted sex offender, would be eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Neither North Dakota nor Minnesota, where Sjodin's body was found last month, has the possibility of the death penalty in state court.

Rodriguez, 51, of Crookston, Minn., was arrested in December and has been in custody since on a state kidnapping charge. Federal authorities could increase the charge to kidnapping resulting in death, which carries the possibility of the death penalty.

Drew Wrigley, U.S. attorney for North Dakota, declined to comment.

Northeast Central District Judge Lawrence Jahnke has issued a gag order barring attorneys on both sides from talking about the state case.

Sjodin, 22, of Pequot Lakes, Minn., disappeared from a Grand Forks shopping mall parking lot on Nov. 22. Her body was found April 17, near a county road northwest of Crookston.

Federal charges have been expected because authorities believe Rodriguez crossed state lines while committing the crime.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,119739,00.html

Update: Guilty Verdict in Dru Sjodin Murder Trial

CNN reports that Rodriguez has been found guilty:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/08/30/sl....ap/index.html

(Ms Sjodin was a Gamma Phi Beta, and trial coverage said that one of her Gamma Phi sisters testified at the trial.)

Good, the more animals like this found and prosecuted the better.

Now, if they can just follow through with the death penatly!!!!!!!!!!!!

the only issue is the defensive was trying to prove that the federal charges dont apply since no one can say for sure if she was alive when she was taken across state lines (that's what makes it a federal case). hopefully the medical examiner's testimony will help the jury make the right call.

Looks like North Dakota has gotten its first death sentence in over a century. Story is here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060922/..._student_trial

Edited b/c I goofed and wrote decade instead of century. Thanks, stagebear. ;)