Cindy Song

Halloween marks fifth year of Song tragedy
Police hope that Cindy Song's disappearance five years ago will help remind students to take safety precautions when going out to celebrate Halloween tonight.


By Jessica Turnbull
Collegian Staff Writer
While Penn State students celebrate Halloween tonight, many might not remember the girl who disappeared on the same night five years ago.

Cindy Song was 21 when she vanished on Halloween after attending parties at Players Nite Club, 112 W. College Ave., and several apartments. She was last seen, dressed as a Playboy bunny, entering her apartment at 4 a.m. Nov. 1, 2001.

Now, five years later, most students have never heard of Song or her disappearance. Police said they wish Song would serve as a reminder to students to stay safe during the holidays.

Song Timeline
A sampling of The Daily Collegian Online's Cindy Song coverage over the last 5 years

Penn State student missing for days - November 5, 2001
Rescue workers look for student - November 12, 2001
Hounds' search fruitless - November 19, 2001
Students on search team help look for Song - December 3, 2001
Tips lead officials to Philadelphia - December 5, 2001
Police consider abduction in search for Song - January 7, 2002
Song family speaks out in press conference - January 16, 2002
Cindy Song group criticizes investigators - February 1, 2002
Police to look in Song bedroom" - February 8, 2002
Witness claims to have seen Song with man - February 13, 2002
New tips in Song case uncover little - February 22, 2006
Song investigation still pending after almost 8 months - June 24, 2002
Song case first in department to use psychic - August 1, 2002
Song investigators still hopeful - August 27, 2002
State police asks for help in Song case" - October 30, 2002
Song still missing after 1 year - October 31, 2002
Song investigation turns toward Midwest for answers - November 18, 2002
Police say body found not Song's - October 8, 2003
Police to meet for Song case - October 15, 2003
Chasing a mystery - October 29, 2003
Police offer few facts on Cindy Song meeting - October 31, 2003

Ferguson Township police Detective Brian Sprinkle, the lead investigator on the case, said it is very important that people don't walk alone on Halloween and other nights.

Sprinkle said there have been no substantial leads in Song's Hallow een disappearance since 2003, when a Luzerne County man claimed that he and another man drove to State College to find a young girl and then killed Song and four others.

Five bodies were found on the property of Hugo Selenski, 30, who claimed he and Paul Weakley murdered the people. Though one of the bodies remains unidentified, police determined it was not Song.

"It's a case that is still active," he said.

"I don't work on it every day. But it's constantly in the back of my mind."

Ferguson Township police searched Song's West Clinton Avenue apartment Nov. 6, 2001. concluded that there were no signs of forced entry or that Song had planned to leave the area.

The Centre County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team, assisted by the Elk County search and rescue team and the Alpha Fire Co., searched Song's apartment complex with no results.

Bloodhound search dogs were also used in the area with no positive results.

Sprinkle said, as a police officer, the case is difficult because there is no crime scene or body.

"I try to be optimistic that someday we'll get an answer about what happened or, at the very least, to find her remains," he added.

Pam Centonze (junior-finance) said she had never heard of Song, but that it was important that students be aware of her disappearance to be safer.

Lacey Johnston (junior-marketing) said she knew of Song's name and her disappearance because a police officer used the story as a warning to her and her roommates to lock their doors at night.

Johnston said she lives in the same area where Song once lived but does not feel the neighborhood is unsafe. She also said that she thinks people will be continue to be safe while they are out tonight.

"I wouldn't see why [Halloween] would be any less safe than any other night," she said.

State College Mayor Bill Welch said most Penn State students do not remember Song because the core group of students living in the area when she disappeared has now left State College.

Song's disappearance was once featured on the TV shows Without a Trace, Psychic Detectives and Unsolved Mysteries, but media coverage has now come to a halt with no new progress in the case.

In 2003, police called in a Los Angeles psychic investigator to help. No new leads resulted from it.

Welch said it is important for students to be safe during Halloween, just as on every other night. "Don't drink too much," he said. "Don't wander into the street talking on your cell phone. Exercise some common sense. Don't drink until your brain falls out."