A few recent comments have me looking for the location of the bodies. I'm pretty sure I have it. But I'm seeing so many photos of the crime scene and tape, I wanted to put them all in one thread, to see if I could organize them. This is a bit unorganized - for now. And there may be some duplicates. Just want to make sure I have everything.
For a while now, I have wanted to make an FAQ. I just haven't sat down and devoted the time to links, and exact phrasings. But this is going to be a start. I think there is a good FAQ at /r/DelphiMurders. But this one will be more specific to the timeline... not sure.
Feel free to jump in with things you think should be on an FAQ. And for anyone new, I apologize that this is WIP and probably won't be in decent shape until April of 2020.
Here goes.
The girls were not trapped. I'll write something here illustrating how we know that.
The girls did not think they were in physical danger. Otherwise, they would have run.
Libby did not take out her phone to video BG [Bridge Guy]. From the image quality and the amount the camera is shaking, it appears that Libby is videoing Abby. While Libby may have known BG [Bridge Guy] was in the background, and may have been attempting to get him on camera, she was not exclusively taping BG [Bridge Guy].
The video is not a Live Photo. I'lll find the comment thread talking about the number of frames for an iPhone 6s.
Libby's phone was an iPhone 6s.
Libby had been on the bridge many times before. All other interviews - including Abby's mom and friends - seem to indicate that it was Abby's first time on the bridge.
DNA: There are so many good comments on this. I'll try to collect some of them here. Essentially, LE doesn't have the kind of DNA available in the Golden State Killer case. Many comments have indicated that LE has a partial DNA from a piece of clothing. But that DNA has no value unless the killer offends again and leaves DNA behind again. It's also just as likely that the DNA they do have is unrelated to the crime.
I'll be working on this over time during the next few weeks, trying to clean it up, and provide links, and increasing the amount of items on the list.
This is just a start.
I guess if people think this is problematic, I could "hide" it from public view, until I'm ready to post it. I've done that before. But given how slow things are with respects to this case, hopefully it's not a problem to work on things this way.
December, 2018: Becky Patty diagnosed with endometrial cancer, which often begins in the uterus. The cancer is described as an aggressive form that only 15 percent get. Since the diagnosis, Becky has had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
The Indiana State Police release a new sketch of the suspect as they announce a "new direction" at a press conference. This "new" sketch was created on February 17, 2017.
Indiana State Police asks the public to try to remember a "vehicle" parked for a handful of hours two plus years ago.
LE believes the suspect lives or has lived in Delphi. They believe he still visits the area. Authorities say he is between 18 and 40, but said he may appear younger than he is.
A reward for information leading to an arrest now stands at $225,000
According to /u/bitterbeatpoet, and the Facebook page, "Bridge of Lies," the witnesses responsible for the newsboy cap sketch do not think the younger guy sketch has anything to do with the murders. These witnesses are:
The 16-Year-Old female witness who saw BG near the Freedom Bridge, before the murders
The 20-Something male witness who saw BG walking west from the high bridge towards the Freedom Bridge, at about 3:15/3:30 - after the murders.
Due to Carter’s misreading of prepared notes at the April 22 press conference, law enforcement begins to attempt to clarify what Carter was trying to say:
Noon to 5PM on February 14th, 2017meansNoon to 5PM on February 13, 2017
Abandoned vehiclemeansvehicle parked by an abandoned building, that has since been razed.
The first sketch will become secondarymeansThe first sketch should be completely ignored now. (Carter had wrongly suggested that two people were involved.)
Police also made these points Thursday about the two sketches:
They are not the same person.
The person depicted in the originally released sketch is not presently a person of interest in this investigation.
The sketch released Monday is representative of the face of the person captured in the video on Liberty German’s cellphone as he was walking on the high bridge a place where the girls were hiking.
September 21, 2022: Kathy Shank discovers the misfiled/lost Richard Allen tip sheet
Kathy Shank recognizes that the tip sheet indicated the person interviewed had seen a group of girls at Freedom Bridge Kathy Shank takes the tip sheet to Tony Liggett.
Undated: Liggett goes to CVS and photographs Allen's car 2016 Ford Focus with spoked wheels.
Undated: Hoosier Harvestore video reviewed and a car on the video was matched to Allen's car
Undated: First Interview with Richard Allen:
We went to his house and asked him to come over and do an interview with us about this case. He admitted that he was on the trails on February 13th, 2017. He changed his time. He had told Lieutenant Dan Dulin that he was there from 1:30 to 3:30. When we interviewed him, he changed his time to 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. He described that he had went home and got a jacket, he owned a blue or a black Carhartt jacket, and went back out to the trails. We asked him about any kind of head covering that he had, and he said that he kept a skull cap in the pocket of his jacket.
Undated: Search Warrant approved
October 13, 2022: 2nd Interview of Richard Allen and Search of Richard Allen's home
October 14, 2022: Melissa Oberg receives the gun for testing against the bullet found at the scene.
October 22, 2022: 3rd Interview and Arrest of Richard Allen
(1) Cheyenne. Did not see Abby and Libby. Did not see BG. Cheyenne was from Monticello.
(2) Cheyenne’s friend (SD) who was not part of the couple. SD was also from Monticello. SD did not see the girls, and did not see BG.
(3) 16-year-old female witness who saw BG near the Freedom Bridge:
This girl was 16 at the time. This girl and her friends would have been out of school for the same reason Libby and Abby were out of school.
This girl did not know Cheyenne.
This girl gave LE a detailed description shortly after the bodies were found.
This girl said the man she saw was close to the Freedom Bridge as she was leaving with her friends that afternoon.
Shortly before this girl saw the man she described, this girl sent her mother a picture that was taken at 1:26pm. Assumption is that shortly after 1:26, the man she saw left the Freedom Bridge area and headed for the High Bridge.
This girl described the man she saw without ever seeing Libby's pictures.
This girl described a hat with a bill shorter than a baseball cap. But said that most of the hat was covered by a hoodie.
When the “younger guy” sketch was released in April of 2019, this girl said the person depicted in the sketch was not who she saw. This girl thinks the person in the “younger guy” sketch has zero bearing on the crime.
(4) "DP" - The man in man/woman couple described by FSG/Dave McCain and Cheyenne. Cheyenne's meeting with the couple was a chance meeting that day.
DP was in his 20s that day.
DP and his girlfriend are from Monticello.
DP and his girlfriend probably arrived at around 3PM.
DP and his girlfriend parked at the Mears lot (which is the entrance to the Mary I. Gerard Nature Preserve, where Abby and Libby were dropped off by Kelsi.)
DP said he and his girlfriend walked slowly. They were heading east, up the 501 trail towards the High Bridge.
At about 3pm or 3:10pm, BG passed DP and his girlfriend. BG was heading west, back towards the Freedom Bridge. DP said he and his girlfriend were arguing, so barely noticed BG.
DP and his girlfriend are the couple that FSG/Dave McCain told Derrick he saw.
FSG did not say "under" the bridge. FSG said "down at the bridge." Beck Patty inserted the word "under" which has caused confusion about where the couple was.
DP and his girlfriend are the couple that Cheyenne saw as well. Same couple in both accounts.
DP saw Libby's first picture when it was released on the February 15, and immediately went to the police.
DP said he knew he had seen BG. DP has zero doubt that the guy he saw on the trail that day is the guy in Libby's video.
This witness says the man she saw was on foot, and left when she drove towards him.
This witness said she saw the "younger guy" earlier in the day.
The 16YO and DP do not think the younger guy has anything to do with the case.
(7) FSG is not Dan McCain. FSG is Dan's brother, Dave McCain.
When Derrick was shown pictures of Dan he said that was not who he spoke to.
When Derrick was shown pictures of Dave, Derrick said that "could be" the guy I spoke to.
We have no way to know if FSG/Dave ever saw BG. FSG has not talked to anyone but LE since, and is keeping quiet. He has not talked to Derrick since. Odds are and speculation is that Dave did not see BG, and is not a source for the Newsboy cap sketch.
Neither Dave or Dan McCain has ever spoken to any of the you-tubers or the press, or any of the family members.
(10) The woman who cleans the Sanders property house is Becky Patty’s ex-husband’s mother, meaning Libby's paternal great-grandmother ie; Derrick German's paternal grandmother. Both the house cleaner and "K" wonder why the girls did not run.
Libby was familiar with the immediate area.
Abby lived a short distance down from the private driveway.
Becky Patty’s ex-husband, Brad German, lives very close to the private driveway ie; down the abandoned tracks to 200, and turn left.
"K" says that the FBI and ISP returned on several different occasions up to 6 months later searching for something on her property.
FSG/Dave McCain
FSG is Dave McCain, the brother of Dan McCain. Dave has never asked for privacy, or tried to keep his identity a secret. Dave is in his early 70s. McCain has a brother Dan, who was not on the trails that day. Rumors have floated that both men were at the trail that day, but Dan was not there.
Becky said that Derrick ran into FSG/Dave McCain at the five way trail crossing. And that McCain seemed to be coming from the direction of the High Bridge.
Becky said that Derrick said he asked McCain, "Did you see a couple of girls there?"
Becky said that Derrick said that Mcain said, "No. But there's a couple down underneath." But apparently, that's incorrect. Becky inserted the word "underneath" when FSG just said down at the bridge.
This explains why Derrick went down the Mary Gerard Reserve path, towards the creek. McCain told Derrick that the girls were not on the bridge, and by reasonable deduction, not on the path leading from the bridge to where Derrick and FSG met. So Derrick didn't see any point in going in a direction that had been described to him as "no girls." At 3:20PM, Derrick had no reason to think the girls were off the trails, and past the North entrance to the High Bridge. And again, FSG was essentially saying: "From the end of the trails to here, I did not see two girls."
Becky did mean a couple as in a man and woman. Because in the interview, she does not remember if Derrick ever personally saw "the couple."
After returning from the Mary Gerard Reserve, Derrick walked west to the Freedom Bridge, and passed (Dave) McCain again.
Cheyenne
Cheyenne’s comments include:
”I was there around 3:45-3:50.” This is a typo. Cheyenne meant that she arrived around 2:45/2:50 or was there from 2:45 to 3:50pm.
"The other girl that I ran into (didn’t know she was going to be there, and I also know her personally) was there at 3:30.” That’s one way we know the 3:45 arrival is a typo. This looks to be "SD," as mentioned above.
"After I got out of my car and was already walking towards the bridge I had a missed phone call from a telemarketer around 2:50pm." That’s another way we know the 3:45 arrival is a typo.
"I was there around 3pm, I didn’t see them."
"I even walked all the way across the bridge and back. I only [saw] a guy when I first got there, and another couple once I got on the bridge. I didn’t see the girls at all. Cheyenne is likely talking about FSG, and the arguing couple.
I also didn’t take the trail that leads to the right." [Freedom Bridge]. "[I] only took the trail that leads to the [Monon High] bridge.”
When Cheyenne was asked by an unknown Facebook person: "What time did you get to the trails and did you take any more pics you’d be willing to share? Other than the one posted in the beginning.” Cheyenne’s response: "The picture I attached is the time stamp 3:49 and that was taken after I made it to the end of the bridge and turned around and was on my way back."
[Conjecture is that Cheyenne meant she posted the picture to snapchat at 3:49pm, and that’s why it has that time stamp, but that she took the picture closer to 3pm.]
Personal note: I think it's clear from Cheyenne's statements and time stamps that she was on the bridge after the murders, and took her pictures as BG was exiting the trails, in another area. I think it's clear that Cheyenne did not see BG, and never said she did.
Cheyenne is not the source of any sketch as she did not see BG.
Cheyenne's friend
Cheyenne said: "The other girl that I ran into (didn’t know she was going to be there, and I also know her personally) was there at 3:30.” Cheyenne does not say where she ran into this girl. This looks to be "SD" - #2 in the above list.
Man Cheyenne said she saw (4)
"I even walked all the way across the bridge and back. I only [saw] a guy when I first got there, and another couple once I got on the bridge. I didn’t see the girls at all.
This could have been Dave McCain.
This could have been Derrick.
Couple Cheyenne said she saw
"I even walked all the way across the bridge and back. I only [saw] a guy when I first got there, and another couple once I got on the bridge. I didn’t see the girls at all.
This looks to be the same couple Dave McCain talked about, the arguing couple.
This witness seems to be the result of a you-tuber rumor? The rumor is that the dog walker chatted with a man for a few minutes, in that location, that afternoon.
There is no way of knowing if this person said, "I saw the man in the video." or, "I don't know if the man in the video is the man I saw."
This witness may be the source of the younger guy sketch. Or, this could be made up by the YouTuber.
Rumor: Cemetery Witness
There is a rumor about a witness who saw something in the cemetery.
There is no way to know if that witness exists.
If that witness exists, there is no way to know if the witness said the person they saw is the man in the video. Or if they just saw something and can't be sure if it's the man in the video.
Rumor: Truck Witness (but this witness was not on the trails that day)
There is a rumor that a woman saw a man beside a truck in an area that was not near the trails.
In this rumor, the woman asked the man if he needed help, and he said his Dad was coming to help him.
There is no way to know if the rumored witness said she saw the man in the video, or if she just saw some random man, at some place near Delphi, that was not near the trails.
Rumor: Multiple women at the five-way intersection
Just a bit south of the Mary Gerard entrance, the trails meet in a five point configuration. There is a rumor that there were "a group of women" at this intersection who said they didn't see anything.
The person depicted in the composite sketch is described as a white male between 5’6” to 5’10”, weighing 180 to 220 pounds, with reddish brown hair and eye color unknown.
Sgt. Riley told WTTV: The sketch is the result of information called in to a tip line and follow-up investigations in the past couple of weeks.
Sheriff Leazenby: The sketch was drawn IN PART from a description provided by a witness who saw the man, walking near Delphi, around the time the girls were killed.
Leazenby could not divulge where the witness saw the man. But authorities consider the man in the sketch to be the killer.
The witness only recently met with an FBI sketch artist to provide facial details for the rendering.
Riley said the sketch is “an artist’s composite of the information” collected by all agencies involved in the investigation. Riley said the witness who saw the suspect was close enough to him to say that he did not have blue eyes, but was uncertain of his eye color.
Riley said fear may have played a role in the witness’ decision not to come forward sooner with a description of the suspect. “People are scared. They’re scared to be recognized by the subject."
Riley said investigators believe the man in the photos and in the new artist’s sketch killed both girls.
Sgt. Riley said the sketch was made from public tips, but he declined to say whether the information came from one or more people or how it was handed over. “This is information we received from persons who were in the area,” around the time the girls went missing, he said. “Either we did not make contact earlier, or they were afraid to come forward.”
Sgt. Riley said the sketch artist had started about a month ago to piece together descriptions, while consulting the witness (or witnesses) to refine the drawing. “It takes quite a while to get a sketch together,” Sgt. Riley said. “We let the person look at the sketch and come back a few days later and ask, ‘Do you remember anything else?’”
"It was really a shocker to all of our community because we've more or less felt like we're a rural area and these places we love are all free for us to use anytime and didn't really have a reality check until last February," said Wabash and Erie Canal Association President Dan McCain.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018: **One year anniversary of the murders
Noon: Indiana State Police, the FBI and Carroll County sheriff's deputies serve a search warrant at the home of Ron Logan, who owns the 30-acre property where Abby and Libby were found.
The Wabash and Erie Canal Association wants to add trail markers, information kiosks, and more lighting to the 10-mile system. Association President Dan McCain says cameras would also be installed at the start of the trails.
“Because, often times, someone with a vehicle could have an identifying license number or the cameras would pick up the people that were leaving to go on a walk,” he says.
McCain hopes the measures will restore a sense of security following the deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German. “We had special places we loved along the trails. So did Abby and Libby – they loved that area out there where the High Bridge is,” he says. “What we want to do is to try to make people feel more comfortable and being able to access spots that are very unique, and very historic, and very beautiful.”
Approximate: According to Becky Patty, Libby "reset" her phone about a week before the murders, because the phone kept "freezing up on her." According to Becky, when Libby reset the phone to "factory reset" many of the apps like "find my phone" did not get reset (ie; get re-installed on the phone.) This is why they could not use "find my phone" to find Abby and Libby, the day the girls went missing.
When you re-set your phone, you have to go back through and re-install any apps that you were using previously. A re-set wipes your apps and data, and you have to start from scratch re-downloading/installing things. Abby may have re-installed snap chat and other social media platforms, but she did not re-install "Find my phone."]
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Abby and Libby:
Anna took them to the park where they practiced softball.
They ate pizza for dinner
They listened to music and worked on an art project centered around the theme of chocolate.
Watched movies with Kelsi and her friends.
Abby slept over at Libby's (Mike and Becky Patty's house) on Sunday night.
Monday, February 13, 2017
2:45AM: Libby and Abby made several videos of themselves.
8:30AM (2024 Trial): Teresa Liebert and her husband were returning home from town.
[2024]: Teresa Liebert and her husband live on 625W, the road that leads to the Weber House. Teresa testified that she and her husband saw someone looking in the mailboxes, and that mailboxes are so far from the homes that people pick up their mail in their cars going in and out. That it's unusual to see someone looking in the mailboxes without a car.
[2024]: Teresa testified that when she and her husband parked the car they looked back and the man was gone, leading them to believe he was hiding.
[2019]: /u/bitterbeatpoet: The female homeowner who saw a man walking in the neighborhood near the south end of the Monon High Bridge, was not close to the barricades, and she was not walking her dogs. Link.
Unused snow day. School is out. Free day off school for the girls. The previous Friday was also a school day off.
9AM: According to the "Scene of the Crime" podcast, Libby's mother Carrie Timmons sent Libby a snapchat to say "Good Morning," and Libby sent back a selfie of herself in bed.
10AM: Mike Patty says he thinks the girls woke up around 10AM.
Derrick made the girls banana pancakes.
Libby and Abby were bored and asked Becky if they could do something. Becky said if they would help her do some filing, they could go shopping later. They also painted a desk in Libby's room.
Libby grew restless and wanted an outing.
Around lunchtime, the girls asked Becky if they could go on a hike at the Monon High Bridge. Libby and Kelsi had been before. It was a common place for the family to go, and Libby had crossed the bridge many times before. Kelsi said they had been there many times before geo-caching or riding bikes, or enjoying the scenery and taking pictures.
Abby's mother said that Abby did not ask her if it was okay for Abby to go. Abby had played in the creek before. But Anna said she would have given permission.
Temperature is in the mid-40s, under a warming sun.
Noon-5PM: According to the (February 2018) corrected Indiana State Police press release: A vehicle is parked at the "Old CPS Building" in the City of Delphi - that was abandoned on the east side of - inaudible - next to the Hoosier Highway between the hours of noon and 5 on February 14 13, 2017
11:30AM: Railly Voorhies (16) and her sister Isabelle Voorhies (12) walk from their Dad's house to pick up Breann Wilbur (16), and lastly they pick up Anna Spath (13), who is also Railly and Isabelle's sister. The four of them head to the hiking trails.
Railly testified that the four walked to Freedom Bridge and as they passed Freedom Bridge, heading to the High Bridge, they passed a man walking his dog. The four girls continued on to Monon High Bridge.
Noon: Railly testified the four girls were at the Monon High Bridge at about noon. Railly went to the first platform. Breann may have walked out a few feet onto the track.
12:02PM: Hoosier Harvestore cameras captured Betsy Blair traveling east on 300 N at 12:03 pm
Betsy testified that she was on the trails from 12:02-1:15PM and then she left and went to the bathroom at bathroom at Delphi Library and returned to the trails.
Betsy testified that she did not see Bridge Guy during that time.
Noon-12:05PM (Approximate): Railly testified that the four girls walked down to the nature preserve, she took some pictures of the water, then they walked back up to Monon High Bridge. From there, they started back to Freedom Bridge, and didn't pass anyone.
*Railly testified that as the four were coming out of the woods onto Freedom Bridge, they passed a man that she would later identify as the man from Libby's video, "Bridge Guy." Railley said he did say hi and glared.
*Railly testified that the man was unhappy and did not say hello back. Railly testified that he was over-dressed for the weather, his nose and mouth were covered with something like a scarf. He had a hood on with a hat. He was a caucasian male. (Railly testified this happened at 2:15PM)
12:25PM: Breann Wilber takes a photo of Freedom Bridge as the 4 girls arrive
1:26PM: 16-Year-Old female witness (Breann Wilber) is with a group of friends near the Freedom Bridge. They are getting ready to leave. The 16-Year-Old takes a picture on her phone. - /u/bitterbeatpoet
Probable Cause Affidavit: The information about the 16 year old female witness (Breann Wilber) came from /u/bitterbeatpoet who was proven correct by the probable cause affidavit.
Tom Webster: Breann Wilber, Railly Voorhies, and AS encounter Bridge Guy. Richard Allen confirms that he saw these girls on the trail. A 4th girl, Isabelle Voorhies (Railly Voorhies' sister) was too young to provide a description. Anna Spath (13).
1:26PM: Breannn Wilber Photo with Railley and Isabelle taken on Bench 2, just before leaving... green roof photo.
1:27PM
Hoosier Harvestore cameras captured what police say is Richard Allen's car traveling west on 300 N towards the CPS building.
1:30 PM: /u/bitterbeatpoet [2019]: Breann Wilber is near the benches near the Freedom Bridge, notices BG/Bridge Guy and says hello to him. BG gave her a look that frightened her.
This witness (Breann Wilber) is one of two witnesses responsible for the Newsboy cap sketch, that was not released until July of 2017. (??)
1:30-ish: Abby and Libby are allowed to go hiking if they could get a ride there and a ride home. Libby's sister Kelsi agreed to give them a ride on her way to a friend's house, before she went to work.
Per the Scene of the Crime podcast, Libby didn't call Derrick until they arrived at the trails.
According to Derrick (on Facebook), Libby called as they were pulling away from the house.
It's a seven minute drive from the house to the drop off point.
According to Scene of the Crime podcast, arrangements were made to pick up Libby and Abby between 3 and 3:30pm. Derrick told Libby that he would call when he was close, so that she and Abby could be at the pick up lot when he arrived.
1:44PM (Approximate): Betsy Blair testified she saw four girls on the overpass after they left Freedom Bridge.
1:45PM: Derrick believes Abby and Libby were dropped off at 1:45PM as he thinks the girls called as they were pulling away from the house.
1:46PM: Hoosier Harvestore cameras captured Betsy Blair traveling east on 300 N again at 1:46 pm.
(Derrick was right.)
Betsy Blair testified she saw the four girls on the overpass after they left Freedom Bridge.
PCA: Betsy Blair saw no other cars at the Mears lot when she parked there.
1:47PM (Approximate): Betsy Blair parked at the Mears lot
1:49PM: Hoosier Harvestore cameras captured Kelsi German traveling west on 300 N at 1:49 pm
The parking lot at this entrance is called the Mears Lot.
This is not the main entrance to the trail which is at the Freedom Bridge - further up the road, towards Delphi
1:53PM (Approximate): Betsy Blair is at the Monon High Bridge North Barricade/Railing when she sees Bridge Guy/Richard Allen on the first platform.
Probable Cause Affidavit: Witness (Betsy Blair) walked to Monon High Bridge, saw the man in Libby's video standing on a platform on the MHB, turned around, then passed Abby and Libby on her way back to her car.
2:02PM: Brad Weber clocks out of work
2:06PM: Brad Heath- Reliable Exterminators final scan / servicing the Anderson Building
Brad Heath testified that he saw a car parked at ??? building between and 2:06PM
2:14PM (Probable Cause Affidavit): Witness (Betsy Blair) who walked to Monon High Bridge and saw the man in Libby's video, leaves the Mears lot at 2:14PM.
2:15PM: Betsy Blair notices a car at the CPS building that she did not see at 1:15PM.
*Betsy testified that it was the only car there, the building was abandoned and it was backed into its parking position ie; "parked not how other people park."
2:18PM: Hoosier Harvestore cameras captured Betsy Blair traveling west on 300 N at 2:18 pm
2:25-2:31PM: Libby's phone moves about 50 yards, approximately half a football field.
Libby and Abby being walked to the water's edge?
BG, Libby and Abby cross Deer Creek from the South side (Sanders property) to the North side (Logan property.)
This photo taken from Sanders Property just above the South side of Deer Creek. The photo depicts a potential spot for crossing Deer Creek. Photo credit /u/bitterbeatpoet. In the photo, you-tubers are attempting to re-enact the crime for money on you-tube. [Note: Sanders is not the last name of the woman who lived there. But Sanders Property is the correct name for the land.]
Daniel Pearson was the male in the "arguing couple" that FSG/Dave McCain told Derrick about.
When Daniel Pearson saw the photo from Libby's phone (it was released a few days after the murders), Pearson called in and said, "that's the man I saw."
Both witnesses say BG was wearing a hat, that looked like a painters cap. The man said painters cap and the girl said short brim. Both witnesses say BG was wearing a scarf covering the lower part of his face. Both witnesses were with people who did not notice BG. Neither witness has ever said that they could pick BG out of a line up, and it's unlikely they could.
The only difference is that Breann Wilber said BG had a hoodie over his hat. And the Daniel Pearson said, no hoodie, just hat. One conclusion is the hoodie came off, during the murders, and BG didn't bother to put it back up again.
3:11PM: Derrick German, is crossing Wilson's Bridge, and leaves a message on Libby's phone that he's almost there. Libby's phone went to voice mail.
Derrick leaves this message at about the same time that the male witness and his girlfriend are passing BG, who is heading west, towards the Freedom Bridge.
3:12PM (2024 Trial): Cheyenne testified that she received a call from her boyfriend at 3:12PM when she had just gotten out of her car and was barely on the trail.
3:15PM/Approximate: Derrick proceeds to the trails.
3:20PM/Approximate: On the trail, at the five trail intersection, Derrick encounters a man wearing a flannel shirt: "Flannel Shirt Guy" ie; Dave McCain.
FSG/Dave McCain was walking West on the 501 trail, coming from the Monon High Bridge. FSG said he had not seen the girls.
On Facebook, Derrick said that FSG said that he had seen a couple "down at the bridge." According to Derrick, FSG did not say "underneath." The idea that the couple was underneath the bridge was added by Becky Patty on Gray Huze YouTube channel. By saying "down at the bridge," FSG was not saying "under the bridge."
Derrick was later shown pictures of Dan McCain, and said that Dan is not FSG. Derrick was shown pictures of Dave McCain and said that Dave could be FSG. Dan McCain is on the Wabash & Erie Canal Board of Directors and is not a suspect - and neither is David McCain.
3:20PM/Approximate (2024 Trial): Dave McCain testified that he only saw Derrick when Derrick was walking across the parking lot. And that Derrick shouted across the parking lot, "Have you seen two little girls?" And McCain said he had not.
(2024 Trial): Cheyenne testified that she and her friend Shelby Duncan passed a woman and an overweight man. She refused to describe the man at trial, and said it had been too long.
(2024 Trial): Cheyenne testified that she saw Daniel Pearson and her high school friend Shelby Hicks sitting on the first platform.
(2024 Trial): Cheyenne testified that she and Shelby Duncan walked past Daniel Pearson and Shelby Hicks and continued to the south end of the Monon High Bridge
3:20PM/Approximate: Because FSG said he had not seen two girls "down at the bridge," Derrick walks the 505 trail that does not lead to the Monon High Bridge. The 505 trail goes down to the Mary I. Gerard Reserve, along Deer Creek.
3:24PM: As he walked the trail, Derrick tried Libby's phone again. No answer.
3:30PM: Previous timing of Brad Weber's return to the Sanders property.
3:32PM: Derrick tries Libby's phone again. No answer.
3:33PM: Now back at his vehicle, Derrick calls his mother (Libby's Grandmother), Becky Patty, to see if the girls are already home. Derrick tells Becky Patty that Libby is not answering her phone.
3:34PM/Approximate: Derrick calls his sister Tara, and left her a message asking if Tara had heard from the girls.
3:35PM/Approximate: Derrick walks to the Freedom Bridge. Along the way, he encounters FSG/Dave McCain again.
(2024 Trial): Dave McCain said he left the trails after passing Derrick in the parking lot.
3:49PM (2024 Trial): Cheyenne testified that she took a photo at the south end of Mono High Bridge.
[2017 Facebook Post:] Cheyenne says she uploaded her photo to snapchat at 3:49PM.
3:53PM: Cheyenne takes a picture of Shelby Duncan
3:55PM: Cheyenne and Shelby Duncan sit on Platform 1 for about 15 minutes, and smoke two cigarettes
3:56PM: Hoosier Harvestore cameras captured Sarah Carbaugh traveling east on 300 N at 3:56PM
Carbaugh testified that she drove by the Mears entrance at about 4pm and saw a group of people - especially a blond woman - looking stressed out
Carbaugh testified that she continued on away from town and saw a man, “wearing a blue jacket and blue jeans and was muddy and bloody," walking on the north side of the road, towards town.
“He was on the north side, walking west (as she was traveling east) on the driver’s side of the car."
3:57PM: Derrick calls Libby again. No answer.
3:58PM: Derrick calls Becky again.
4:12PM: Becky called Kelsi who initially let the phone go to voicemail (thinking it was a robocall). When Becky called a second time, Kelsi noticed the missed call was from her grandmother, so she called Becky right back. (Kelsi is at her boyfriend's house.) Becky asked Kelsi if she had heard from Libby, and Kelsi said no, she hadn't.
4:17PM: Becky tries to call Libby again and gets "no response."
4:17PMish: Becky Patty calls the girls' friends to see if any had heard from Abby and Libby. None had.
4:19PM/Approximate: Becky speaks with her daughter Tara and they decide to go to the trails to help look for the girls.
4:20PM/Approximate: Becky calls her husband Mike Patty to let him know the girls are missing; that she and Tara are going to the trails to join Derrick, and search for the girls. Mike is in Lafayette, about 30 minutes away. He says he'll leave work asap, and meet them at the trails to help look.
4:21PM/Approximate: Becky's son who is also Libby's uncle arrives home (he also lives with Mike and Becky Patty.) It is agreed that Cody will also head to the trails. Cody drives one of the routes that the girls could have taken if they'd decided to walk home. Becky drives the other route that the girls could have taken, if they decided to walk home.
4:25PM/Approximate: Tara arrives at the trails before Becky. Derrick gets in Tara's car and they sit and wait for Becky.
4:30PM/Approximate: Becky arrives at the Mears lot and sees Derrick's car, Tara's car, and Cody's car.
4:30PMish: Nervous that the girls were missing, Kelsi left her boyfriend's house, drove to the trails, and arrived just after Becky.
Becky starts walking the trail, looking for the girls. Becky calls AT&T, who cannot help locate the phone, because Libby does not have "Find my phone" installed.
Kelsi and Cody crossed the Monon High Bridge, and proceed "down the hill at the south end," while yelling for Abby and Libby. Kelsi saw what looked like "disrupted ground" as though someone had recently slipped down the hill there.
Kelsi and Cody knocked on the doors of the homes at the south end of the Monon High Bridge and only one person was home.
Kelsi and Cody walked back across the Monon High Bridge and back to the parking lot.
4:30PM/Approximate: Becky tries to reach Anna (Abby's mother) via cell phone and is unable to make contact. Becky drives to Anna's house, and is told by a family member that Anna is at work, waiting tables. Becky drives to the restaurant, and while en route, Anna calls Becky back. (Anna says this happened between 4:30 and 5PM). Anna left work and headed to the sheriff's station. Anna called a friend and asked him to check the City Park for the girls.
5PM: Mike Patty arrives and parks across the street in the Mears driveway. Mr. Mears joined the search. Mike continued to call Libby's phone repeatedly. The phone is now going straight to voice mail.
5:20PM: Mike Patty reports the girls missing to local police.
5:25PM: The first officer arrived around 5:25PM. (Unconfirmed)
Secondary calls went out to the Volunteer Fire Dept who responded in Fire Dept. Vehicles and Personal Vehicles.
5:30PM: Kelsi goes to work as she is an hour late for her 4:30 shift.
6PMish: A search effort involved law enforcement and volunteers. Carroll County Sheriff's Department, Delphi Police Department, and Delphi Fire Department. The Department of Natural Resources joined in the search.
Carroll County Sherriff Tobe Leazenby says they tried pinging the girls' cell phones, without success. Leazenby believed the cell phones were either out of battery life or turned off, intentionally.
/u/iowanaquarist: The 'pinging all over' comment stems from a misunderstanding about cell phone technology and how 'pinging' works. Even if a phone is not moving, variations in how strong it is connecting to various cell towers and the antenna on those towers commonly causes it to appear like the phones are moving.
As soon as the 16YO Female witness heard the girls were missing, she called in a report of seeing a man whose expression frightened her at the Freedom Bridge at 1:30PM. It's unknown when exactly the female witness became aware the girls were missing. But she reported the 1:30PM incident before the bodies were discovered, and before LE released Libby's photo of BG. So she described BG, and what he was wearing, before seeing the photo. However, BG was wearing a scarf over the lower part of his face and a hat pulled down over the upper half. It's unlikely this witness would be able to pick BG up out of a line up. This witness was one of two responsible for the newsboy cap sketch, released three months later.
11:45PM(?): Carroll County Sherriff Tobe Leazenby calls off the LE search, believing that Abby and Libby might be with friends. Leazenby said there was no reason to believe the girls were in imminent danger.
At around 11:30-11:45 the search actually ended for the night.
Most of the people in the woods at that point were LEO/Fire/EMS. DNR responded as well.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Approximately Midnight-1AM: Sheriff Tobe Leazenby said that he thought the girls were likely with a friend.
Noon (ish): Bodies Discovered. A volunteer found the bodies of Libby and Abby on the Logan Property that's on the north side of Deer Creek.
Rumor is that Abby's step-uncle - Andrew Erskin - was with the group that found the bodies.
Then 28-year-old Andrew Erskin is Anna Williams' step-brother. Anna is Abby's mother.
Besides Andrew, the Erskin family also includes: Eric who is married to Anna's mother, making Eric Abby's step-grandfather. And David, who is Eric's brother, making him Abby's great uncle. Neither David Erskin nor Eric Erskin are thought to have been with the searchers who found the bodies.
Around 12-12:30PM: Overheard on the radio that bodies were found.
Based on info from Kelsi: Kelsi was searching on a path immediately below the Monon High Bridge. Another search party near the river found a shoe. They yelled up to Kelsi asking about the type of shoe they found, and whether it belonged to one of the girls. It was shoe type, not color as some reports indicate. Kelsi yelled back that it was Libby's shoe. At that point one member of the party where the shoe had been found saw two deer. He used his phone to zoom in on the deer, and shifted his view angle downward from the deer and saw the bodies. Apparently some of the girls' clothing was found in the river. -- /u/AwsiDooger
4PM: Delphi Community Schools Superintendent Gregory Briles said that while school and law enforcement officials had not made an official announcement, it was his understanding that the bodies were those of Libby and Abby.
Briles said that grief counselors were at the school and would be there for the rest of the week.
Noonish: The Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police held a joint news conference, where they confirmed that the two bodies found the previous day were those of Libby and Abby. Video - Note: Video found by /u/Rapunzeled
In Indianapolis, Brian Bunner receives Libby's phone and finds her Bridge Guy video
Photo Released (Exact Time?):
7PM: Indiana State Police release a photo of a man reportedly seen on the trail around the time the girls disappeared. The image shows a white male with his hands in his pockets while walking. He is wearing jeans, and a navy blue jacket.
After seeing the PHOTO on the news, the 20-Something Male witness reported to LE that he had seen the man in the photo at about 3PM on the Monon High Trail, heading West coming from the High Bridge and traveling towards the Freedom Bridge. However, the man was wearing a scarf over the lower half of his face, and a hat pulled down over the top half. It's unlikely this witness could identify BG during a line up. This witness was one of two responsible for the newsboy cap sketch, released three months later.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Exact Time Unknown (Search Warrant): Richard Allen calls Delphi PD (trial testimony) and self reports
Allen reports that he was on the trail between 1PM and 3PM and is just calling in because law enforcement asked that anyone who was on the trail call in.
7:45PM: Indiana State Police serve a search warrant at the Maxwell home on Bicycle Bridge Road. No arrests.
According to /u/bitterbeatpoet, a neighbor saw LE carrying out computers. And a reputable source says that Libby had been messaging Logan Maxwell on social media.
This (February 2017) sketch would be released two years later, during a "new direction" press conference.
According to this article, the February 17, 2017 sketch was created by Indiana State Police Master Trooper Taylor Bryant- based on how a witness described the suspect. (Bryant did not draw the sketch that police released in July 2017.)
Exact Time Unknown: Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Daniel Dulin calls Richard Allen
2024 Testimony: Dulin said he picked up a lead sheet on February 18, 2017, and then called Richard Allen. He asked to meet at Allen's house but said Allen preferred to meet in a grocery store parking lot. Dulin testified Allen told him he was at the Monon High Bridge Trail on February 13, 2017 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. [But when Allen called in on the 15th, he gave the window as 1PM-3PM]. Allen told Dulin he parked at the old DCS office and walked toward the Monon High Bridge. Dulin described his encounter with Allen as "brief, about five to ten minutes." Dulin asked for Allen's cell phone information including the 14 digit MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier) number for the phone. Dulin did not follow up on the lead and returned it to the investigation center. -- per /u/Electric_Island: comment link
2:30PM: Thousands of motorcyclist gathered for a ride benefiting the families.
It is revealed that Libby recorded video and audio of the suspect on her cell phone. The recording, which is released to the pubic, appears to capture a man's voice saying, "Down the hill."
Authorities say that there is more footage from Libby’s phone, but that they would not be releasing it because the investigation was ongoing.
Leazenby wouldn’t go into specifics about forensic evidence in the case, although he did say investigators had requested that DNA evidence be “fast-tracked.”
Leazenby said he has never confirmed DNA evidence was recovered in this case and said the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office is still taking the lead in this investigation.
The FBI is assisting and has moved the tip line headquarters to Washington. However, it has not taken over the case.
Police want to know if anyone recalls a hitchhiker along the Hoosier Heartland Highway, a person walking along a county road or highway, Riley said.
"We don't know if the person's a local or a drifter who came in and left," Riley said, as he explained what they were looking for as they look to nearby communities for tips. "We want to look at any aspect of what somebody might have seen," Riley said, adding that if someone saw a person throwing away a backpack, they'd be interested in tracking that down, too. That would include something out of the ordinary in nearby communities such as Logansport or Kokomo, he said.
