This can't be the case because no one is visible on the bridge in either direction based on the two Snapchat photos. Where is BG in those photos? If they had seen him before or seen him approaching then why were they still hanging around on the bridge 23 minutes later? Why would they not have called 911 or a relative or got off the bridge and headed towards Abbey's house or to one of her neighbours houses. Why hang around for him to get closer if they were already suspicious of him? Were they waiting for him or for someone else?
Hi, Shiressleuth! In response to your post I'm going to put forth this as a possible scenario:
JMO...
He may have been walking the trails that day searching for a victim. They may have passed him on the trails on their way to the bridge, which IIRC, was their intended destination. While passing, he made a comment or given them a look, or just plain made them uncomfortable just by his presence. They thought nothing of it and continued to the bridge.
He stayed out of their line of vision for a while. Maybe he had already stashed a backpack on RL's land, either where he girls were found or in an outbuilding. Maybe he returned to his vehicle on the north side of the bridge (either in a parking area for the trails, near the cemetery or somewhere else nearby) for whatever was under his jacket, assuming he wasn't prowling with the bulk under his coat. He may have already had the bulk, and simply hung back, giving them a false sense of security. He may or may not have overheard them talking about the bridge when he first encountered them.
They kept walking toward the bridge, oblivious of the encounter they just had. Libby took the photo of the bridge. Then she took the one of Abby. Maybe there were more photos and videos before the bridge shot, after the Abby shot, and/or between those two. We know for sure there were at least two photos because they were uploaded to Snapchat.
Libby and Abby were at the south end of the bridge. Hanging out? Private girl talk about typical teenage topics? Rendezvous with a mysterious online "friend"? We don't know, other than they were at the south end of the bridge.
They saw someone coming from the north end of the bridge. As the figure approached, they realized it's the guy they saw on the trail who gave them the something-is-not-right feeling. They retreated to the end of the bridge so he could traverse the span, at which point they were prepared to start crossing the bridge as quickly as they could to get back to the trails and the parking area where they were to meet their ride home. Libby started filming on her selfie camera, making it appear that she was taking a photo of herself, but was really trying to get this guy's picture. Being nervous and afraid, she was trembling so the camera was shaking and the video wasn't clear and steady, and there were images of her and Abby in the frames too, which is why those photos are the only photos LE is releasing.
As he got nearer, Libby acted like she was done with her selfie and pocketed her phone while leaving it on "record". Before Abby and Libby could start across the bridge, BG corralled them by threatening them with a weapon, told them to go "down the hill", possibly grabbing one or the other by the arm or jacket (thereby leaving contact/touch DNA on at least one girl), made them walk to a shallower or narrower part of the creek, crossed with them, and forced them to the secluded area on RL's property where they are found.
He may have had weatherproof/waterproof clothes layered under his blue jacket and "dad jeans". He may have also had a second set of clothes in his stashed backpack.
LE has not released the times or locations where he was seen by witnesses. It may have all been on the trails before he encountered the girls on the bridge.
Was he there specifically to target Abby and/or Libby? I'm not sure about that.
He was there to commit a crime. He planned it. He scouted it. He prowled the trails. Unfortunately he succeeded in his quest.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if he is also responsible for the Iowa cousins in 2012. So many coincidences between these two cases. It also could be totally random or a copycat.
That's my :twocents: anyway.
JMO.