It's not really secluded down the hill. That gravel access road dominates the area. When I visited last November that road was covered with leaves and mostly blended into the terrain. I was very surprised when I looked at videos from February and March 2017 toward how white and prominent that access road is during full blown winter. Bridge Guy couldn't risk that type of thing. When you are looking down from the end of the bridge at that time of year the gravel road slices through and basically defines the area. There isn't a good spot on the near side of the creek to commit the murders and be confident you have plenty of time to get away before they are discovered. The area is not dense at all. Lots of thin trees spaced well apart.
Contrast to the opposite side of the creek. It wouldn't take many visits at all to understand how secluded it is. The murders site can't be seen from anywhere on the bridge. It can't be seen approaching the bridge on the north side. Basically the only spots with a view are the far left corner of the one home atop the ridge, and anyone descending on Ron Logan's property down from the cemetery area.
Those two risks basically aren't risks at all. We've seen the photo taken from the corner of that home. Yeah, that's like crossing the bridge in the first place. How often do you think it happens -- looking in that specific direction -- let alone in the exact time frame? Then across the creek all you'd have to do is visit one time to realize there are no footprints, no wrappers or typical debris, no evidence whatsoever of foot traffic even once per year.
He picked a perfect spot. He was greatly aided by the basic fact that there is nobody on those trails. Always ignore the hype of 10 people, of 20 people, of 70 people, and you'll never go wrong.
Notice in all the available videos of the bridge area from 2017 through 2020 that we never see the videographers run into anyone. You would think just one time they'd say wow look here comes a party of four on the trail. Doesn't happen. No matter now many times these guys go out there they run into nobody. That should be a minor hint toward the realities of early 2017 also. Give me the under.
Thanks again for the insight, we all appreciate it. You went there and can share details of the terrain most of us wouldn't know.
I agree with your assessment here 100%. When I drove C.R. 300 on a beautiful August weekend day in 2017, nobody was driving on the road. I'd describe it as kind of a shortcut for folks who don't live right in that area.
A woman was walking her dog along there closer to the Andersons facility, I think maybe to check a mailbox.
Minutes earlier, I drove by the parking area on the other side of IN 25. Again, I don't recall seeing a vehicle, maybe one was there, you'd have to strain your neck while driving by to look back and up at the parking area. The parking area there is from soil moved to that spot from excavation done when the highway was put through in 2014, for reference in case anyone wants to know.
Two fishermen were parked on C.R. 425, and were fishing by the Wilson Bridge.
I saw no vehicles on 425 and 200, heading to U.S. 421. Only when I got to 421 did I see vehicle traffic of any mention.
I'd describe C.R. 300 as "desolate". I was there right before harvest season gets rolling, and Andersons was closed. Desolate, serene, quiet, idyllic, etc. I heard a train hit the horn in the distance, and I heard bugs buzzing. That was it for noise.
I'm picturing someone who knows all this, but who had scouted out other sites to fulfill his fantasy. MHB probably fit the profile of the perfect place for him to carry out the fantasy. He'd been there before, maybe many times previous. But MHB was where he'd try to pull off his scheme and make a name for himself.
JMO