Whats the visibility like in those trees? Like I can see the bodies were left 300ft/100m from the end of the bridge. I know from my own experiences in the bush that your perception of the density of the trees in person vs captured in video or stills is quite different. Like it looks quite monotone and sparse enough that it'd be easy to spot people at that distance, especially from up high, but did he have "privacy" in amongst those trees? Like if someone got, say 60ft/20m would they be able to catch glimpses but not see them unobscured? Or would it be clear to see what was happening?
After spending a lot of time in the woods, IMO, we're not very perceptive, especially when it comes to things we're not looking for. In addition, it really is difficult to see things through trees. There's always movement going on in the woods, even after the leaves have fallen; branches moving, fallen leaves blowing, water rushing, etc. To someone not looking for people, I think someone walking, especially at a distance would blend in with the movement and just register as static/noise. There would be breaks as people moved behind obstacles (trees, rocks, bends, etc), so at quick glance, they may not be visible.
Looking at the map, it looks as though the bridge would have been the best possible place to see BG and the girls if the timing was right. But it's likely the worst place to take your eyes off of your path. I also don't know how common it is for trail walkers to meander off the trail and down the creek. If it's fairly common, it might not have registered even if someone was spotted. The people under the bridge were likely spotted because of proximity.
From where on the Delphi Historic trail would the killer have most likely first spotted the girls. He had to be on the trail, not below at the point he crosses. Is it more likely that this was pure hapchance, or could he have been lurking for some time?
What entrance to the trail might he have been coming from? He could have back-tracked, but that bridge is not an easy cross, so what was he doing, where might he have been on the trail, just before he zeroed in on the girls?
Snipped for space- I think BG could have been a decent ways away and heard a car door shut. For some reason, that sound seems to travel well through the woods (it also makes the roosting turkeys gobble). And being teenage girls, it's quite possible they could have been talking or laughing and been heard by someone in the distance. I don't think he needed to be on the trail at all to hear or see them.
I'm interested in the Hoosier Harvestore/U-store. I believe the home marked as the Harvestore might be the office, but I believe the long metal building next to the shorter building about midway between the Nature Preserve marker and 25 is likely where things are stored. I'd be interested to know from locals if this is correct, and if so, how much traffic it gets on a daily basis. It would be easy to see from the buildings to the pull off/ parking area by the trail.
It's bothering me that nobody heard anything.
I can't wrap my head around one aspect of this crime. We don't know COD. We don't know if any weapons at all were involved. We don't know if there was a vehicle used. We don't know if CS is in fact the actual CS or just a disposal site.
Regardless of all of that, whether we knew it or not, one thing I just can't come to terms with is no one hearing anything. Seeing anything we can come up with reasons as to why or why not anything would have been seen. But hearing? Is that spot so isolated that someone screaming for their life would no be heard? How do you keep 2 teenage girls from making a single peep? I don't mean to be graphic here I really don't, but someone had to die first didn't they? It's horrible to think about and makes me sick and i feel terrible for even thinking it.
How do you kill someone in front of another person and they don't then start to scream. Or you yourself start to scream realizing what is coming. What sort of control must you have. This whole crime just, smells funny. Smells seasoned. Practiced. Ugh.
I have my theories, but they are just that. Pure speculation. I just have a hard time with understanding a lot about this case, and it could very well be because we just don't know. But seeing these pictures and with what we do know about time frames...perhaps I need a break from this case. My mind is thoroughly sore from trying to understand.
Moo.
While I can't answer with any certainty, my guess is someone screaming might not even be noticed, as sad as I am to say that. Depending on how far away the closest people were to where the girls were killed, it may have been hard to hear anyways. There appears to be a bend in the creek near the CS that might absorb some sound or cause it not to travel well towards the bridge. I'm sure there was also the sound of the creek.
Or someone did hear something and just hasn't made it known to the public.
Or there was no screaming at all. Shock and terror can make people do unpredictable things, like freezing instead of running, staring wide eyed instead of reacting, quietly sobbing instead of screaming.