My notes from Scene of the Crime - Delphi: Unthinkable.
February 14, 2017
By 1:00 pm, the search and rescue operation for Libby and Abby had become an evidence recovery operation. Crime scene tape went up at the end of the Monon High Bridge. It roped down the left hand side of the hill (at the bridge’s southeast end), as well as a large surrounding area.
Superintendent Doug Carter said the investigation began immediately. When he arrived on scene two hours after the girls were found, the crime scene had already been completely sealed. LE and other emergency vehicles were parked along County Road 300 North and the Morning Heights Cemetery, which sits between that road and the wooded area to the north of Deer Creek. The FBI also arrived within hours of the bodies being found, and Kelsi was questioned by an FBI agent that first day. A special FBI recovery team worked 24-hours every day for the next few days to collect evidence. Indiana Crime Scene techs also worked the scene, and divers were brought in to explore Deer Creek.
Former Carroll County prosecutor, Robert Ives, visited the scene in anticipation of a future criminal prosecution.
Robert Ives:
“There is a lot of crime scene evidence, and some of it is somewhat odd. But when I say that, any murder scene tends to have odd facts about it. I mean… in real life, obviously, people don’t kill people really all that often, and this crime scene… there’s a lot of evidence. There’s a lot of unique facts there. And, honestly, I’m shocked. And, I promise you, the police are shocked. That it wasn’t solved in a day or two. This crime scene was physically strange, but that’s for the state police to determine… to decide… what to release and what not to release. I’ve said that before, it’s very odd.”
Tuesday, February 14, 2017 @ 1:50 pm
A joint press conference is held with Kim Riley (Indiana State Police Public Information Officer), Tobe Leazenby (Carroll County Sheriff), and Steve Mullins (Delphi Police Chief)
LE confirms that two bodies had been found but release limited information otherwise. They didn’t ID the two bodies at the time but confirmed that search efforts for the girls had been scaled back.
The bodies were located about a half-mile upstream, east from the MHB area. The area was not specified, exactly, but LE said it was about 50 feet away from the edge of Deer Creek.
Sgt. Kim Riley:
“We have found two bodies Uh, is that the Sugar Creek? Deer Creek. Deer Creek, sorry. In Deer Creek, about a mile east of town. Um, we are investigating this as a crime scene. Uh, we suspect foul play.”
When a reporter asked why foul play was suspected, Riley says,
“Just by the way the bodies were found. That’s about all I can say at this point and time.”
A vigil was held at a church that evening, and more than 700 community members attended.
Mike Patty and others continued to conduct organized grid searches over the next few days, by walking the miles around the area and looking for any clues that could tell them what happened.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 @ 12 pm
A press conference was held by Sgt. Kim Riley and Sheriff Tobe Leazenby confirming that the two bodies found were Libby and Abby.
Sgt. Riley:
“Yesterday I made a remark that they were near the water. It was about 50 feet off the shoreline. So, I was off on that. I hadn’t been to the scene yet. I was going with information I’d received. So, they were about… I, I was looking from a distance, but I’m going to say it was between 50-60 feet off the shoreline. This is considered a double homicide investigation. The toxicology reports are yet to come, and that takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks. Uh, the initial, I believe the initial autopsies for the girls are done or just about completed.”
Neither official would comment on the condition of the bodies or the cause of death due to the ongoing investigation. Superintendent Doug Carter responded by saying,
“Only the murderer would know.”
Sheriff Leazenby said he didn’t believe there was any threat to the public, but then he somewhat contradicted that by saying the public should remain alert and vigilant.
Sgt. Riley:
“We have nobody in custody at this time. Uh, so as far as I’m concerned, yes there is somebody out there that did this horrendous crime. And, we’re going to track them down.”
Sgt. Riley (in another brief solo public appearance later that day):
“Again, I’m not going to say one way or the other. People just have to realize that this has occurred. Uh, and be mindful and just watch what’s going on in the world around you. I think people need to be cautious and careful. Uh, parents need to make sure they know where their children are at, what their children are doing. And, if nothing else, know what’s going on in their lives. That’s the most important thing I can say at this point and time.”
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 @ 6:50 pm
Indiana State Police released two nearly identical photos of a man they believed was on the High Bridge trail around the same time as Abby and Libby. They wanted to speak to this person, and asked the public to please contact them if the man was recognized by anyone. They also asked to speak to anyone who was parked at the High Bridge trailhead between 1:00 and 5:00 pm on the 13th. LE didn't yet call the man a suspect and made no disclosure as to the origin of the photos.
LE confirmed they’d received various tips. One of the tips led to a search warrant executed by the state police on the night of February 16th, at a family farm on Bicycle Bridge Road – about 5 miles from the Monon High Bridge. Despite spending two hours at the property and removing various items, no arrests resulted from the search. LE also conducted two searches of the land, home, and vehicle belonging to the man owning the property where Libby and Abby were found.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
LE announced a tip line that had been set up. The Department of Homeland Security provided satellite dishes and other equipment to support the thousands of calls that would come into the line over the next coming days and weeks.
Anna (Abby's mom) tells a story that occurred about a year or so before the girls were killed. She said it wasn’t a big deal at the time but later recalled it, in hindsight, now that a killer seemed to be in their midst.
Anna:
“I had one incident at a store. What I remember is making eye contact with somebody when we walked in. And they were sitting in their vehicle, uh, when we left. And, it happened to be that his side was closest to Abby’s. Then she got in the car and he and I spoke for a few seconds. And it was awkward because he said, ‘You look like you know who I am’. And, I was like ‘well, I’ve worked in restaurants and nursing homes here. I know a lot of people by sight but not by name. I apologize.’ And, that was all the conversation was. But, I do recall… I have to say that man kind of made me feel creepy. So, I said, ‘Honey, anytime you come across that, you be sure to pay attention. If you were driving or you were leaving a store, you go back inside the store and you ask somebody to walk you out to your car. You pay attention to that. And, that was probably a year or so before we lost them.”
The man Derrick saw in the flannel shirt out on the trails the day the girls went missing was the President of the Delphi Historic Trails, Dan McCain. He was instrumental in developing the trail system.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
LE announced that the man in the photos was the prime suspect in the murders, but the photographer was still not made known to the public at this time.
As stated on the FBI’s website, the photo appears to depict :
- a white male wearing blue jeans, a blue coat or jacket, and a hoodie
- a man walking on the Monon High Bridge; the tree distantly visible behind him in the photos places him on the bridge – walking from the metal barricaded northwestern end toward the southeastern dead end, somewhere around 60 feet away from the end of the bridge
- the man is looking down and his hands are not visible; they appear to be in his pockets
- his left hand appears to be in the left pocket of his jeans and his right hand appears to be higher up, possibly in the right pocket of his jacket
- his jeans are baggy and faded
- the navy zip-up jacket over his hoodie, appears to be of a light weight canvas material
- a brown expanse also appears to be around his waist (it could just be the bottom of his hoodie, which seems brown in color, but some believe he is wearing a fanny pack, tool belt, or deer kit)
- there is also strenuous debate about whether the man is wearing a hat, has his hood up, both or neither
- non-descript bulky, black shoes or boots complete his wardrobe
LE has not addressed what leads them to believe this man is their suspect.
February 22, 2017
A major joint press conference was held by the Indiana State Police, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Delphi PD, and the FBI. LE emphasized that the tools being used in this investigation were unprecedented. Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum reiterated that the man in the photo is the suspect in the killings of Abby and Libby. A visibly upset Doug Carter of the Indiana State Police then spoke.
Doug Carter:
“Why Libby?
Why Abby?
Why Delphi?
Why Carroll County?
Why the region?
Why the state?
Why, even, the nation?"
"I say that because this is a classic example, and a clear example, that evil lives amongst us.”
“The poster in front of you – someone knows who this individual is. Someone knows who this individual is.”
“Is it a family member?
Is it a neighbor?
Is it an acquaintance?
Is it an associate?
Or maybe that one guy that lives over at that one place that’s just kinda not right.”
“Maybe it’s his jeans.
Maybe it’s his jacket or his sweatshirt.
Maybe it’s his shirttail.
Maybe it’s his posture.
Maybe it’s the right hand in his pocket.”
“You see, even with technology, we need human intelligence. In other words, we need you. I’m not suggesting that science – that everything we can do with science has been done – because we are just getting started.”
“Please do not rationalize tips away. Rationalize what you think might not be important away… by thinking he would never do that to another human being. Or think what I know doesn’t matter. Let folks like the people standing behind me, with such incredible passion, and commitment, and dedication to this profession make that determination.”
“Tips are anonymous.
Some might not want to talk about it because they don’t want to get involved.
Because they know the individual.
Again, he may be a family member… probably has family.
No one will ever know.
No one will ever know."
"There’s not an agency on the planet better at helping us to facilitate this than the FBI, and they’re just as entrenched in this as anybody.
No one will know.”
“As poor as this picture is, somebody knows.
And if you’re watching, we’ll find you.”
Greg Massa (Assistant Special Agent w/ the FBI) emphasized the FBI’s commitment to the case. He said an FBI agent in Indianapolis had been present during the initial searches for the girls, and that since they were found, the FBI had been standing shoulder-to-shoulder with local LE. While
the chief investigators in this case would remain the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Indiana State Police, agent Massa said 20 FBI agents were in Delphi assisting on the case on any given day. Even FBI Director, James Comey, had been briefed twice on the developments in the case. He then provided a very general profile of the behavior likely exhibited by the suspect after the killings, which will be discussed in greater detail in another episode.
Cpt. Dave Burston (Chief Public Information Officer for the ISP) then dropped a bombshell:
Libby’s cellphone had provided authorities with usable data – audio from the video found on the cellphone that Libby had on her that day. That audio file captured the voice of the man who killed her and Abby. He then confirmed that the image previously released was not a photo – but a video still – extracted from the video footage found on Libby’s phone.
Cpt. Burston:
“We do have some new information for you today. Uh, it’s in the form of an audio file. Uh, from the cell phone that Liberty German had with her at the time. We’re not going to play everything that we have. Uh, but Liberty had the presence of mind, uh, to turn on her video camera. We are going to share this audio clip with you momentarily with the hope that someone will recognize this voice. And, I want to be very clear that what you’re about to hear is just four short words. Excuse me, three words – down the hill.”
Sgt. Tony Slocum later clarified that investigators decided to release the audio clip because they believe his voice is distinctive enough that someone will recognize it. Sgt. Slocum said that what he hears is exasperation. “It sounds like he’s a little exasperated, like he told them before to do it.”
After Cpt. Burston finished his remarks, Sgt. Slocum announced that a reward fund had been established for information leading to the arrest of the killer, or killers, of Libby and Abby. At the time of the press conference, the reward already amounted to $41,000. The money had been donated by local businesses and the FBI. When the press conference concluded, officials responded to a few questions from reporters and revealed additional information about the case.
Cpt. Burston said that as far as the suspect goes, nothing was considered off the table with regard to whether he was local or not. Or, whether this was a crime of opportunity perpetrated by a stranger. Or, if this was someone who knew the girls were going to be there that day.
He couldn’t confirm that the audio from the video belonged to the man in the photos. And, he said LE had not ruled out the possibility that more than one killer was involved.
Anna (Abby’s mom) was too angry and upset to attend the press conference. She said that she was so afraid she might recognize the voice on the audio, so she waited until her boyfriend got home from work to listen to it. When she didn’t recognize the voice, she was equally afraid to know that she didn’t know who this person was at all.
