Mostly a lurker, haven't posted since the Teleka Patrick case, but here are my random thoughts:
1. The FBI response to this case screams it is even more than it first appears. This isn't them sending a few agents to assist, they have nearly two dozen agents directly helping and who knows how many more assisting behind the scenes. This isn't a normal response. Neither is using electronic billboards across the entire country. I have to believe they have reason to know he has struck before, as in perhaps he left a calling card (a peculiar cause of death, staged bodies in a particular way, left a token from a previous crime, etc.) OR there are words contained in the video that indicate imminent plans for future attacks.
2. Listening to the audio clip with headphones and equipment that allows the audio to be slowed down, I absolutely hear "G'down the hill" which is a clear instruction, not someone giving directions to a person that is looking for something. At this point, he is in control, no question in my mind.
3. Although the audio clip is brief, I notice something else too. The emphasis in the sentence is on the last word, "hill." In my career, I have worked in three states - Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan. That particular accent and word emphasis is more Southern Indiana or further South. After about a year in Kentucky, I noticed myself starting the put emphasis on words in the same way. For what it's worth, I have traveled extensively throughout the country also. It's certainly not a science, but my ears identify him as at least semi-local to the area.
4. My hypothesis is that Libby was using Snapchat to video Abby when BG started to approach. Libby pans the camera to the right to capture BG in her shot, inadvertently leaving just a sliver of Abby's jacket in the shot. I believe the incident escalated instantly for this reason: if Libby even had 5-10 seconds to do anything else, it seems she would have immediately sent the video snap to her story. Every single person that follows her on Snap would have been able to see the video right away. I've seen how fast my own teenagers navigate through Snapchat and other social media. It would have taken mere seconds if she hadn't become preoccupied. Having teenagers, when they move quickly to do something, they tend to hastily slide their phone in their back pocket. Perhaps Libby did just that, allowing the audio to be captured.
5. Does anyone know if there was any significant search the night of their disappearance? From what I've read, it sounded like a search of some sort around the bridge, but it doesn't seem like it escalated to something significant (large amount of people, scent dogs, etc.) until the next morning. While I recognize a full blown search party doesn't happen immediately for every person that is missing for a few hours, children this age that don't have a history and/or reason to run off have been handled differently in my area. At a minimum, I can assure you that me and every family member/close friend would be searching through the night if a child of mine had unexpectedly disappeared. To be clear, I am not placing blame or second guessing. That may have actually happened, and I just haven't read about it.
6. Some have hypothesized victims may have been removed from the area and subsequently brought back to be dumped. While not impossible, I can't fathom why BG would leave with them and come back. Even if there was not a full out search that night, surely LE or others were at least driving around the area more than normal. If BG abducted the victims only to bring them back later, it is a powerful statement that he wanted the victims to be found quickly, almost thumbing his nose at LE.
7. I hate speculating in the COD, as it is gut wrenching. That being said, I have to believe it was especially traumatic given the reaction of seasoned LE that have witnessed such horrible events before. Also because the search continued even after the victims were found, implying a visual identification was not 100% possible even though less than 24 hours had passed since these poor girls were last sighted.
8. Thank you to this site and the admins for running a tight ship. FB pages have people swearing to "facts" around cause of death when they can't all be correct, as five different causes have been stated as absolute fact. That causes a murky abyss not conducive to sleuthing.
9. I have tried to adhere to the TOS. If I have done anything wrong, please let me know and edit accordingly.
