One thing that’s always struck me as odd was when the first sketch was released July, 2017 going by media reports it appeared a key witness had only came forward months later. I always wondered how accurate a distant memory of a stranger could be but LE seemed to have confidence the sketch resembled the person they were looking for.
So now we learn they had another witness who came forward right away but for reasons unknown at that time LE chose not to release a sketch of a person who looked very different and is much younger.
Interesting to contemplate a scenario involving two or more people who think they may have sighted the perp the day of the murders but who’s recollect is not at all in sync and how LE would go about choosing which witness might be more credible than the other.
I’d hazard to guess if any of us were walking on a trail, met up with a stranger without reason to suspect he was responsible for a horrible crime that had just taken place, then aside from the shock, being asked to remember an accurate description of the suspect right down to nose, ears, cheeks and eyes.....especially if the suspect did not arouse attention, I think our sketches definitely would vary greatly too. Memory can also be influenced by other people whom they saw later that same day also.
If I recall correctly, the photo of BG (extracted from Libby's phone video) was released to public around 2/15.
I did wonder how much the image of BG influenced the later witness account, and sketch #1 released in July. Other than the hat may not be accurate, I don't recall any other disclaimer about sketch #1.
Artist of sketch #2 describes his drawing very differently:
Master Trooper Taylor Bryant, a sketch artist with Indiana State Police who drew the new sketch, told IndyStar a sketch is based on how a particular witness describes the suspect. If there are several witnesses, Bryant would draw a sketch for each description.
"The witness is the main focus. So there’s no input from law enforcement at all in the generating of a sketch, other than my presence as the artist."
Bryant uses a "facial identification reference sheet" that has a list of different categories, from head shapes to different eyebrows and noses. The person will describe the suspect based on those categories. "(It's) easier to do that than to describe (the suspect) using just words," Bryant said.
The sketches are not exact, Bryant said. The renderings are a "ballpark estimation of what the person looks like."
The sketch released on Monday was drawn by Bryant on Feb. 17, 2017, a few days after the victims' bodies were found. The picture was based on the description of a person who saw something that the person felt needed to be reported, according to Bryant.
Delphi murders: New sketch of killer, video from Libby's phone released
With Police Supt Carter's announcement that sketch #2 is now primary in the investigation, makes me wonder why this earlier drawing was not promoted over that of the later witness. Did LE not believe first witness, or was their account withheld because it had seemingly no resemblance to BG?
More questions than answers.....
