In any case such as this you have to go with the evidence whenever possible and try to develop a theory from what the evidence shows or what it might eliminate. I see a lot of speculation on these threads lately trying to find some way to try to link Lloyd and Richard West in some way to the Lyon sisters - and to what most consider to be their abduction and murder.
Admittedly, there is very little or no physical evidence (that we know of). And only some testimony evidence which is open to question and to interpretation. For instance, the time line was made up from various eyewitnesses (mostly juveniles) stating that they saw the girls and their estimates as to when they saw them.
From the various statements made to police and to on-the-scene reporters we get a pretty good picture of what the girls did and where they went - right up to the aproximate time of their disappearance. But today, police investigators are casting doubt on everything known previously and bringing out information that they have been hiding for 39 years.
In the most recent show-and-tell by investigators at Wheaton Plaza, a path through some woods (located way to the south west of the parking lot) is pointed out as a "possible" path taken by the Lyon Sisters. This path is not the one discussed in much detail in these threads, but one which would have been a good distance away from their intended route home. But then it is stated that they believe the girls to have disappeared from the mall or parking lot BEFORE reaching this new path? Note that this would tend to nullify the Drumm and Devin sightings, yet no mention of them was made by investigators.
POI Lloyd Welch appeared on the scene in a February 2014 MCP press conference, where his 1977 photo was displayed side-by-side with a drawing made on 27 March 1975 of a Long Haired Man (LHM) and kept secret for 39 years. At the time of the press conference, it was stated that MCP believed Welch may have been at Wheaton Plaza that day, and they pointed out how much he RESEMBLED the sketch of the LHM - an UNKNOWN person said to have been following and bothering the Lyon sisters. That story has since morphed into statements that Welch WAS the Long Haired Man and the he, Welch, WAS SEEN talking to and bothering the girls.
The second POI, Richard Welch has no criminal background what so ever, as far as anyone has been able to determine. He is a home owner and family man who is known to have worked in a grocery store and as a security guard some where. He adopted his own grandchildren and raised them (a process which requires criminal background checks and home studies by social workers). Unless MCP now has some solid incriminating evidence against him, he would seem a less likley candidate than the Easter Bunny or the Ice Cream Man. At least we KNOW that they were at Wheaton Plaza that day.
It is possible that these two persons of interest were involved in some way or that they know something related to the case. But it is quite a leap to make these guys out as masterminds of abduction and murder based solely on speculation.
I would expect and hope that MCP has some kind of information on these two men that would justify their open accusations and actions. If you have to speculate, think about what sort of information MCP might have, rather than trying to connect the dots at this point. Could someone have provided solid testimony against Lloyd and Richard Welch? Probably. Did the recent searches turn up any forensic physical evidence? If so, it would have been presented to the Grand Jury for consideration.
That Lloyd Welch is a dirtbag, a liar, a moron, etc. is beyond debate. Of course he is. Crazy and Evil probably would sum it up pretty well. But so are a lot of other potential suspects. Prosecutors will have a long uphill job to prove that he abducted and murdered the Lyon Sisters on his own or even "with help" considering all of the limitations previously discussed.
Was Lloyd at Wheaton Plaza on 25 March 1975? Did Richard Welch play some role? Maybe, but a lot of things would have to be proven beyond a doubt to 12 people on a jury before either could be convicted.
It will be interesting to see how things play out here. And to see how much of what is "known" about the case is related. Such things as all of the eyewitness sightings. The Tape Recorder Man, the Tan Ford Station Wagon, the Ransom Calls, etc. And how will MCP explain the strange lack of information about the LHM seen talking to the girls that day?
Like simplify, I'm also curious to know how she died so young.
