Found Deceased IN - Abigail (Abby) Williams, 13, & Liberty (Libby) German, 14, The Delphi Murders 13 Feb 2017 #135

[MistyWaters]

This isn't a huge area like the Great Smoky Mountains or Yellowstone. One can make the argument that someone who is very much at home in the woods with a keen sense of direction could have sussed this all out in one or two trips. A hunter, soldier or marine or paintball competitor for example. I tend to believe, though, that this is someone who lived in the area or visited quite a bit several years ago. If this killer was a middle school student 10 years earlier or before or visited a close relative (no longer alive or in the area) in area 10-15 years ago is more likely in my thoughts.

I agree, I also think the connection was during previous years and something drew him back to the area, even just for that one day. The level of arrogance can never be predicted but still I’d be very surprised if the killer lived in or near Delphi on Feb/17 and is still residing there, so readily accessible for LE’s scrutiny.

 

[SMK777]

Just thinking, until JBC’s name was mentioned in the media I can’t recall the Delphi murderer categorized as a pedophile. It was JBC’s alleged crimes against a 9 year old that focused toward that direction IMO. Neither do we know much about JBC, if his victim preference is solely young children or if he’s simply an opportunist.

I don’t recall LE ever stereotyping the perpetrator either although DC did refer to Abby and Libby as “little girls” in the Apr/19 PC. But both were 5’4”, 100 and 200 lbs respectively and unlike young children, were out for a hike without requiring parental supervision so they may’ve not been immediately recognized as ‘children’ especially if the perp first sighted them from a distance.

I’ve also unsuccessfully searched for a video I recall. LE was pleading for tips and said something like “you don’t know, it could be your mother, sister, (various other family members), next. This comment wasn’t limited to children which leads me to believe LE chose not to publicly associate the killer with pedophilia, although we don’t know why.

So my point is the pool would also be much larger if it’s not limited to only crimes against children. JMO

I would agree. I was agreeing with the poster that the willingness to murder made the pool smaller.

The only way I guess you could connect the Delphi crime with JBC’s is that they both involve abduction and murder/attempted murder of minor females under the age of 14.

 

[SMK777]

Just thinking, until JBC’s name was mentioned in the media I can’t recall the Delphi murderer categorized as a pedophile. It was JBC’s alleged crimes against a 9 year old that focused toward that direction IMO. Neither do we know much about JBC, if his victim preference is solely young children or if he’s simply an opportunist.

I don’t recall LE ever stereotyping the perpetrator either although DC did refer to Abby and Libby as “little girls” in the Apr/19 PC. But both were 5’4”, 100 and 200 lbs respectively and unlike young children, were out for a hike without requiring parental supervision so they may’ve not been immediately recognized as ‘children’ especially if the perp first sighted them from a distance.

I’ve also unsuccessfully searched for a video I recall. LE was pleading for tips and said something like “you don’t know, it could be your mother, sister, (various other family members), next. This comment wasn’t limited to children which leads me to believe LE chose not to publicly associate the killer with pedophilia, although we don’t know why.

So my point is the pool would also be much larger if it’s not limited to only crimes against children. JMO

I would agree. I was agreeing with the poster that the willingness to murder made the pool smaller.

The only way I guess you could connect the Delphi crime with JBC’s is that they both involve abduction and murder/attempted murder of minor females under the age of 14.

 

[SMK777]

I’d be very surprised if the killer lived in or near Delphi on Feb/17 and is still residing there, so readily accessible for LE’s scrutiny.

Which is probably a good part of the reason why he’s never been apprehended. He may not live in the area, nor talk to anyone there, and maybe he’s not being observed by them. Hence, no one calls in a tip on him.

 

[MistyWaters]

Which is probably a good part of the reason why he’s never been apprehended. He may not live in the area, nor talk to anyone there, and maybe he’s not being observed by them. Hence, no one calls in a tip on him.

According to google maps, Lafayette is 18 miles from Delphi. IIRC his brother said he lived in Kokomo at the time of the murders which is 34 miles to Delphi so he actually moved a bit closer. Not that it proves anything as we don’t know of any confirmed association to Delphi at this time, if any.

 

[Boxer]

Bingo. I think he hasn't been on their lists because his crimes are so different. Yes, I know people are saying all felons get their DNA taken. Well, maybe the matching system isn't as efficient as people say. (My opinion, and I know people disagree on that). Or, they don't have enough DNA to match that way.

I think "hiding in plain sight" in reality will turn out to mean he was in plain sight of LE and courts, not a "regular guy" in plain sight.

jmo

Sex offenders and child molesters all over the state, here’s another
Bloomington man charged with child molesting, seduction - WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic

Yes. It is,terrible. The whole Midwest seens so scofflaw, catch and release. Its wierd.
JBC was arrested at least 3 times in 2016. MOO 3 strikes should have kicked in.

 

[Yemelyan]

Yes. It is,terrible. The whole Midwest seens so scofflaw, catch and release. Its wierd.
JBC was arrested at least 3 times in 2016. MOO 3 strikes should have kicked in.

IMO Indiana's version of the three strikes law (they call it the habitual offender enhancement) was more difficult for the state to prove prior to some changes to Indiana law in 2017 that made it stricter on felons by allowing lower level felonies to be considered and removing some limitations on how far back the state can look in your record. So some criminals skated by just under the radar on those prior to 2017. Just MOO but it could help explain it.

 

[Boxer]

IMO Indiana's version of the three strikes law (they call it the habitual offender enhancement) was more difficult for the state to prove prior to some changes to Indiana law in 2017 that made it stricter on felons by allowing lower level felonies to be considered and removing some limitations on how far back the state can look in your record. So some criminals skated by just under the radar on those prior to 2017. Just MOO but it could help explain it.

Hope so.
JBC assaulted a police officer, went to prison assaulted a corrections officer, got released earlier than 8/2106, he was because he was arrested jn Kokomo for receiving stolen goods March 2016 and seemingly arrested every 3 months there after.
He has a 25 page rap sheet. Poor little girl has to pay the oroce of all the catching and releasing of a committed, habitual violent criminal.

 

[livstabler]

Thanks. I honestly forget to check whether I'm on Delphi or Lexington thread. I'll try to be more attentive.

jmo

What does "Lexington thread" mean?

 

[Falling Down]

This isn't a huge area like the Great Smoky Mountains or Yellowstone. One can make the argument that someone who is very much at home in the woods with a keen sense of direction could have sussed this all out in one or two trips. A hunter, soldier or marine or paintball competitor for example. I tend to believe, though, that this is someone who lived in the area or visited quite a bit several years ago. If this killer was a middle school student 10 years earlier or before or visited a close relative (no longer alive or in the area) in area 10-15 years ago is more likely in my thoughts.

Great assessment of the location. Besides the main trail, the rest of BG's and the girls' movements that day on the bridge and through to the conclusion of the crimes fell within an area not even a 1/4 mile square.

My question is, and this has bothered me since early on, is how did he know about the bridge? How to get to it? If he had been there years previously, then he would have known the area before the highway opened in 2014. The highway made his escape easier, too.

JMO

 

[Ozoner]

I would agree. I was agreeing with the poster that the willingness to murder made the pool smaller.

But how much smaller? There are 20,000 murders in the US every year, and only 60% of those are ever solved. That means that 8,000 people get away with murder every year in the U.S. alone.

If you figure that killers live for an average of 50 years after committing murder, then there are 400,000 unapprehended murderers walking around in the U.S. right now.

You probably know a few of them. I probably know a few of them. They're everywhere.

 

[Inthedetails]

What does "Lexington thread" mean?

IN - James Chadwell II, 42, arrested after girl 9, found in his home, Lafayette, 19 Apr 2021 #3

I made a mistake and typed "Lexington" when I meant "Lafayette." Apologies.

 

[JnRyan]

My question is, and this has bothered me since early on, is how did he know about the bridge? How to get to it? If he had been there years previously, then he would have known the area before the highway opened in 2014. The highway made his escape easier, too.

JMO

Absolutely. To me the knowledge of the trail existence and how to find it is as much a factor as knowing how to get to the crime scene. I believe it was Liberty's sister, grandparents or Abigail's mother that stated there were locals who didn't know how to find the trail and many had never been on it.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Absolutely. To me the knowledge of the trail existence and how to find it is as much a factor as knowing how to get to the crime scene. I believe it was Liberty's sister, grandparents or Abigail's mother that stated there were locals who didn't know how to find the trail and many had never been on it.

I always take that with a grain of salt. There are plenty of people who are not outdoorsy. Then there are others who go explore, hike and know the area within a year while a local might never know. People who are geared towards outdoors are more inclined to be comfortable in an outdoor setting.

 

[Justice101]

following

 

[Falling Down]

Absolutely. To me the knowledge of the trail existence and how to find it is as much a factor as knowing how to get to the crime scene. I believe it was Liberty's sister, grandparents or Abigail's mother that stated there were locals who didn't know how to find the trail and many had never been on it.

More than anything I think it indicates effort on the part of the killer to do quite a bit of research and intel prior to the murders, including first-hand observations, perhaps even during different times of the year. Abducting one or in this case two people from the SE end of the bridge left little to no avenues or opportunities for escape. I believe he put himself between the girls and the wooded area off the bridge, to block escape.

At the NW end of the bridge, the girls would have been about a minute or so run from where they were dropped off, plus there would have been a couple of or a few other means of escaping a perp. The trail that's right by the NW end of the bridge leads directly to the area of the CS, and would have been been much less work and effort on the part of the killer. But that would have been much more risky for a variety of reasons, and quite frankly I think he let the gorge itself do a lot of "work" for him, if that makes any sense. He forced them down into the gorge, maybe even retrained them, and thus there was virtually zero means of escape for the girls.

Someone visiting MHB for the first time, with the intention of mapping out a killing fantasy, wouldn't know all this stuff. Plus BG had to have been familiar with the foot traffic there, which is sporadic at best.

JMO

 

[Mom24]

Just thinking, until JBC’s name was mentioned in the media I can’t recall the Delphi murderer categorized as a pedophile. It was JBC’s alleged crimes against a 9 year old that focused toward that direction IMO. Neither do we know much about JBC, if his victim preference is solely young children or if he’s simply an opportunist.

I don’t recall LE ever stereotyping the perpetrator either although DC did refer to Abby and Libby as “little girls” in the Apr/19 PC. But both were 5’4”, 100 and 200 lbs respectively and unlike young children, were out for a hike without requiring parental supervision so they may’ve not been immediately recognized as ‘children’ especially if the perp first sighted them from a distance.

I’ve also unsuccessfully searched for a video I recall. LE was pleading for tips and said something like “you don’t know, it could be your mother, sister, (various other family members), next. This comment wasn’t limited to children which leads me to believe LE chose not to publicly associate the killer with pedophilia, although we don’t know why.

So my point is the pool would also be much larger if it’s not limited to only crimes against children. JMO

I was thinking the same thing. I think someone was in that area for a different purpose and saw Abby and Libby, and it became a crime of opportunity. LE have indicated that it was "all over" very quickly, which makes it seem that BG was looking to kill someone, not sexually assault them. I've often wondered if it was somehow connected with someone visiting the nearby cemetery. I've looked through the gravestones, looking for someone who died in either later January or early February, thinking maybe someone was making a visit to a relative.

 

[SMK777]

LE have indicated that it was "all over" very quickly, which makes it seem that BG was looking to kill someone, not sexually assault them.

Another possibility is that BG was planning a sexual assault (perhaps with no intention of murder, but leaving them with the threat of killing their families if they told?) and then the girls made a break for it, Libby’s phone rang, she announces her Dad has arrived to pick them up—in a panic, BG kills them and hastily departs.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

Yes, the original case against Timothy Hennis was nailed basically by an eyewitness that placed him at the scene; nothing else definitively connected him to the crime scene.

Interesting you mention that case. The father of my sister's husband was a big time detective in North Carolina. The Hennis case was the signature case of his career. He appears on all the major programs devoted to that case, expressing great emotion when the DNA match proved his team of detectives correct.

Good guy. He invited me to play golf with him at Pinehurst. I should have taken him up on it but I was fixated on the sports betting scene in Las Vegas at the time.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

My question is, and this has bothered me since early on, is how did he know about the bridge? How to get to it? If he had been there years previously, then he would have known the area before the highway opened in 2014. The highway made his escape easier, too.

JMO

That is the interesting question. Once he's isolated the bridge it's seemingly very simple to identify the ideal location across the creek. The tree cover is so thin immediately down the hill you'd have to be a fool not to take them a bit further.

The difficult aspect would be finding the bridge itself. But I don't think we should underestimate how many lowlifes there are who prowl for opportunities and locations. The guy who tried to abduct the 11 year old girl at the bus stop recently was already on camera, even if he had succeeded. There have to be offenders a bit brighter than that who make sure that lack of surveillance cameras is a top priority.

Let's say it had been a trail that lacked a bridge. Everything else remains the same. Would there be as much insistence that only a local could know about that trail?