Thoughts if anyone would like to discuss-
First off, these girls look their age. 13 or 14, not young girls easily mistaken to be 3 or 4 years older. The photos of them online are of girls that also appear comfortable acting their age. I feel this provides a little insight into the idea that the perp, if he sought them out, was seeking out children, not women. Even if he didn't seek them out, they weren't the only girls in the park that day. He chose them, even though it may have been riskier to do so because there were two of them together. Based on this, I would be shocked if he hasn't, at least, committed a crime against a child before.
I also feel like committing a crime against 2 girls as opposed to 1 in an environment he couldn't totally control speaks to the idea that he may be criminally experienced and could have done something like this before. This may be why LE has made suggestions to public asking about people seen from 65/Lafayette up the Hoosier Heartland to Logansport. I think they may have strong reason to believe that there is just a very low likelihood that he could have been in the area for any considerable length of time without anything else serious like this happening.
In the news helicopter video, there were searchers wading the creek in-line near the scene and well below the bridge. I am wondering if it was readily apparent that things were missing from the scene where they were found that they felt could drift downstream. A cell phone or a knife/gun, wouldn't likely travel too far, but then again, they could have been checking near the scene and again below the bridge to rule out him returning to the bridge and throwing something off. Of course, they could have just been being very thorough in collecting everything possible.
As to whether or not it was an arranged/planned meeting or just a chance encounter with a perp in the park that day waiting for the right opportunity, I believe they have reason to believe he came prepared to commit a crime. I think he had items with him to control them and do whatever he did. I've felt strongly that he had to have some significant means of controlling TWO of them over such an area with many possible avenues for things to go wrong for him. He also didn't leave the overall area with them, which I'd bet is uncommon when a perp takes control of 2 or more victims. I figure that cases of multiple victims typically involve a quick act of subduing victims and relocating them as quickly as possible to an environment that can be controlled. The fact that he could never have total control of the environment out there either speaks to his confidence or either low criminal sophistication. I don't think it is the latter, and like I mentioned above, it is hard for me to see him having that without some sort of prior experience. Just a huge leap to go from nothing to taking two girls hostage in an open area visited by the public in broad daylight. It is this fact that makes me wonder if this is why they are having a hard time ruling out an additional perp.
Anyone have thoughts on these things?