Casefile True Crime - Case 119: Abigail Williams & Liberty German

Episode Date: July 27, 2019

Monday, February 13, 2017, was a bonus day off school for students in the small American town of Delphi, Indiana. Best friends Abigail Williams and Liberty German decided to spend the day hiking and taking photographs on the Monon High Bridge Trail, which forms part of Delphi’s Historic Trails. Later that evening, when they fail to meet Liberty’s father at their designated pick-up spot, it’s soon suspected that the two teenagers met with foul play.  --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched by Erin Munro and Anonymous Host Episode written by Elsha McGill, Erin Munro, and Milly Raso For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-119-abigail-williams-and-liberty-german

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. February 2017 presented an unseasonably warm winter for the residents of Delphi, a small mid-western city in the American state of Indiana. The season was typically marred with freezing cold weather, with the snowy period beginning in early January that could last for several months.

School schools were required to schedule a set amount of days off in anticipation of the snowfall, but the uncharacteristically high temperatures in Delphi that year meant the predetermined snow days had gone unused. As it was compulsory for administrators to close schools down for the accumulated time off regardless of the weather, Delphi's students gained an extra long weekend to that month, beginning on Thursday, February 9, which classes set to resume on Tuesday, the 14th. On the second last day of the short winter break, 13-year-old Abigail Williams packed her belongings in preparation for a sleepover at the home of her best friend, 14-year-old

Liberty German. The two girls had established a close friendship from a young age and now attended 8th grade together at Delphi Community Middle School. With a bond described as stronger than most, the pair were inseparable. They played alto sax together in the school band, competed on the same volleyball team, and Liberty had recently convinced Abigail to join her on their school's softball team. They both had a love for the outdoors and shared many other interests too, including camping, fishing, riding all-terrain vehicles, and hiking.

Despite their numerous similarities and mutual hobbies, the girls had their own unique qualities. Abigail, known by friends as Abby, was the quieter of the two but was still very sociable. An avid reader with a creative flair, her mother, Anna, remarked that Abigail had more craft than she knew what to do with, and there wasn't a form of art that she hadn't tried. She spent most of her time making an assortment of creations, including rubber band bracelets and beaded jewellery, which she often gifted to her friends. She had also recently begun knitting tiny colourful hats for newborn babies at the local hospital. Liberty, better known as Libby, was the more outgoing of the pair, with a reputation for

being a joker. The Honor Roll student dreamed of becoming a science teacher and had already laid the foundation to achieve her goal by attending several classes at a local university. An enthusiastic athlete, Liberty also participated in many sports, including volleyball, soccer, swimming, and softball. Liberty lived at the home of her grandparents, Mike and Becky Paddy, along with her older sister, 17-year-old Kelsey, and their father, Derek. She often baked batches of cookies for her family, ensuring there were always some left

over for her grandfather when he returned home from work. On Sunday, February 12th, Abigail and Liberty spent the afternoon in the Paddy's backyard practising their swing in preparation for the upcoming softball season. That night, the pair emptied Abigail's craft box onto Liberty's bedroom floor and stayed up late painting pictures. When they woke up the following morning of Monday, February 13, Liberty's father Derek made the girls a pancake breakfast. The warm weather had persisted, and Abigail and Liberty decided to make the most of it

by spending the afternoon hiking along one of their favourite walking tracks, the Monon Highbridge Trail. They both shared an interest in photography and aimed to capture some scenic nature shots along the secluded wooded track. Liberty's sister, Kelsey, offered to drive the teens to their hiking destination, and at 1.45pm, she dropped Abigail and Liberty off at the large wooden sign that marked the beginning of the Monon Highbridge Trail. In the early 1980s, the development of a half-mile track known as the Fander's Topath Trail paved

the way for what would eventually become the Delphi Historic Trails, 10 miles of groomed hiking trails that stretch throughout the town. The trails take visitors past various architectural landmarks, with two miles winding through the town itself, while the remainder curl through the wooded outskirts. Forming an important element of Delphi's identity, the trails provide a popular spot for campers, fishermen, trail bike riders, and hikers. Boaters and kayakers also take to the waterways that line some of the paths. The Monon Highbridge Trail is one of the longest trails in the network, spanning over 1.5 miles,

located on the eastern cusp of town near the Delphi Cemetery, its trailhead sits alongside a parking area at a dead-end driveway. A 0.85-mile southeasterly hike leads to an 853-foot-long historic railroad trestle bridge that towers 63 feet above the shallow waters of Deer Creek. It has been out of commission since 1987, with the train tracks and guardrails since removed so that just the wooden railroad planks remain. Despite its remote, rural setting, the Monon Highbridge Trail is frequently traversed by hikers, dogwalkers, and tourists.

As the bridge also provides a picturesque backdrop for wedding fatos and high school senior pitchers, it is also a great place to visit. From the drop-off point at the trailhead, Abigail Williams and Liberty Germans set out down the wide, crushed stone path that led to the bridge. Framed by dry fallen leaves and tall, thin trees stripped bare by the winter season, the flat, spacious path was easy to trek, making for a leisurely hike. Eventually, the pair reached the Monon Highbridge, where Liberty stopped for a moment to hold up her smartphone and take a photo of the old, splintered railroad overpass ahead.

Wanting to share their adventure with her friends and family via social media, Liberty uploaded the image to her account with picture messaging and a link to the video. The girls continued on, with Liberty leading the way, as Abigail followed close behind. After walking roughly 90 feet, Liberty turned around and took a second photo, this time capturing Abigail in mid-step on the bridge. The candid photo displayed the teenager of the old man, Burgundy Top, blue jeans and black sneakers, with her hands tucked into the pockets of

the grey sweatshirt she had borrowed from Liberty. With her head slightly lowered, she was positioned in the right foreground of the image, with the bridge stretching behind her against a dense background of barren trees. At 2.07pm, Liberty also took a photo of the old man, Burgundy Top. At 2.07pm, Liberty also posted this picture to her Snapchat account. Less than one hour later, Liberty's father, Derek German, was returning from an afternoon of running errands in the nearby city of Frankfurt and planned on picking the girls

up from the Monon Highbridge trail on his way home. Although they hadn't organized the specific meeting time, the trail didn't take long to navigate, and it was presumed the girls would be finished by the time he arrived. As he approached, Derek sent his daughter a text message to let her know he was on his way. At 3.14pm, Derek pulled up at the trailhead parking lot to find that neither of the girls were there. He sent Liberty several follow-up text messages, but received no response, and his calls went unanswered, going straight through to her voicemail.

Derek set off in search of the girls, presuming he would intercept them along the trail. Having failed to cross paths with the girls by 3.30pm, Derek considered the possibility that the girls had just wandered too far or lost track of them. He contacted his mother to explain the situation, and word quickly spread that the girls were missing. As further attempts to establish contact with the teens were met with silence, concerns began to shift to more serious scenarios, including that the girls had fallen from the bridge or otherwise sustained a severe injury. A search party was quickly established, with the group on the lookout for Abigail,

who was 5'4", with long blonde hair and hazel eyes, and Liberty, who was of similar height with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes. She had left home wearing a tie-dyed t-shirt with fringing at the hem, gray sweatpants, and black Nike sneakers. By 5pm, there was still no sign of either of the girls, and as daylight was starting to fade, the families decided it was time to report them as missing. Delphi police reacted immediately, and officers arrived at the trail within minutes, soon joined by members of the Delphi Fire Department, Carroll County Sheriff's Department,

the Natural Research Department, and the Police Department. Delphi Fire Department, Carroll County Sheriff's Department, the Natural Resources Department, and local volunteers. Hundreds of people armed with flashlights scoured the site, while others marched the local streets, looking for any sign of the missing girls. At 6.30pm, volunteers visited a 40-acre property on Carroll County Road that backed on to Deer Creek, which belonged to long-time Delphi resident, 77-year-old Ronald Logan, who had lived on the property for over 50 years.

Logan was informed of the incident and granted the search party access to comb his massive property. When night fell, the search was formally postponed as the rugged surroundings were deemed far too dangerous to navigate in the dark, but several members of the girls' families remained too distraught to sleep and continued looking throughout the night. In a statement released to the community, Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leshamby maintained there was nothing to indicate that the girls were in imminent danger, and stated the police had no reason to suspect foul play. The search resumed at dawn the following morning of Tuesday, February 14.

Members of the local community turned up in droves, joined by concerned citizens from surrounding towns who wanted to lend a hand after seeing the social media posts circulating about the missing teens. The hundreds of volunteers were divided into groups of 10-12, with each equipped with maps and instructed to cover designated areas ranging from 20-25 miles. Volunteers trekked through muddy fields and roadsides, checking barns and adjacent plots of land for any indication the girls may have been there. They looked for clothing, discarded drink bottles, or any other belongings the pair might have dropped. Back at police headquarters, investigators said about scrutinizing CCTV footage pulled

from local businesses and security cameras positioned near the trails, but failed to discover anything of note. At 2pm, a press conference was called at Delphi's City Hall, with law enforcement present from Delphi's local police department, the Carroll County Sheriff's Department, and the Indiana State Police. Officers revealed that at 12.15pm, search crews had found two bodies at the bottom of a hill in a wooded area of a privately owned property 50 feet north of the banks of Deer Creek. The discovery was made one mile upstream from the Monon High Bridge, an area characterized by rough sloped terrain only accessible on foot. They refused to disclose the exact location,

the identities of the deceased, or the cause of their death, with Delphi Police Chief Steve Mullen simply stating, based on the way the bodies were found, foul play is suspected. As to whether or not local residents should be concerned for their safety, Chief Mullen said he would leave it to the community to decide how they should react, but advised them to avoid the Monon High Bridge trail, and to maintain awareness of their surroundings. The following day, Wednesday, February 15, police held a second press conference to confirm that the two bodies found were indeed those of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. The pair had been located at the rear of the Carroll County Road property belonging to Ronald Logan,

roughly half a mile east of the Delphi cemetery. Police announced they were treating the case as a double homicide, the first in Delphi in more than 20 years, though they declined to comment on the cause of death, crime scene findings, or whether the murders had been a random or targeted attack. Indiana State Police Sergeant Kim Riley stated, there is somebody out there who did this, and we're going to track them down. Police released two small pixelated images they believed could aid their investigation. The pictures depicted a lone Caucasian male wearing a brown cap, a scarf, a hooded sweatshirt, and a zipped up navy blue windbreaker. He was walking along with his head tilted downwards,

and his left hand tucked into the front pocket of his baggy blue jeans. The image had been captured on the Monon High Bridge at the time that Abigail and Liberty were hiking in the area, but the police refused to comment on who took the photo. They didn't name the man in the photo as a suspect, but stated they wished to speak with him regarding the investigation. Efforts to identify the unknown man were hindered by the fact the blurred photo was taken from a considerable distance, and his face was obstructed by his posture and attire. The image was widely circulated on social media, resulting in hundreds of tips to police, but none led to his identification, nor did the man himself contact authorities.

That evening, 700 people gathered at the Delphi United Methodist Church to attend a prayer vigil held for Abigail, Liberty, and their grieving families. A low crime rate had once cemented the small town's communal sense of trust, but now suspicion, anxiety, and panic were pervading Delphi. Local high school student Katie told a newspaper, I just look at everyone I know now and wonder, what if it was them? There is only around 3000 people here, so there's an extremely good chance it is someone a lot of people know who did it. The Monon High Bridge trail had long been considered a safe place to track, but one of its developers, Dan McCain, believed this sense of safety would change as a result of

the murders, stating, I know people will be afraid now, I just know that, and for that, I'm devastated too. Classes had resumed at Delphi Community Middle School, but all after-school activities were cancelled for the remainder of the week. A therapy dog and counsellors were brought in to assist students struggling to cope with the loss of their classmates, as school administrators implemented tougher restrictions to limit who was permitted to enter the campus and have contact with students. The following night of Thursday, February 16, police executed a search warrant for a residential property on West Bicycle Bridge Road, a long rural road on the western outskirts of Delphi. The male homeowner was interviewed, his premises searched, and some items seized,

but police left without placing anyone under arrest. Nevertheless, the investigative spotlight caught the attention of the local community, compelling some just as seeking townsfolk to flock to the address, while others made threats against the man online. In order to quell the harassment, police publicly announced that the man had been cleared, before warning the public to leave the investigation to law enforcement professionals. On Saturday, February 18, a fundraiser benefit ride held in support of Abigail and Deliberty's families saw an anticipated crowd of several hundred people grow to more than 3,000. Cars and motorcycles packed downtown Delphi, with traffic pouring in from nearby towns and counties.

Raffle draws and bake sales also took place, while bracelets were sold bearing Abigail and Deliberty's names along with the message hashtag pray for Delphi. At 4pm, thousands of mourners gathered at the Delphi community high school gymnasium to pay their respects during a memorial service for the girls. Video footage of Abigail and Deliberty played on a screen inside, and tables were covered in memorabilia paying homage to their short yet impactful lives. At 8pm, the crowds grouped together outside to release dozens of golden lanterns into Delphi's night sky. The next day of Sunday, February 19, the Delphi United Methodist Church clergy

invited the town's residents to come in to write their anxieties down on colorful post-it notes, and stick them to two large crosses on display inside. Some notes featured a single word, such as sympathy, fear or disbelief, while others contained longer messages expressing the rider's anger and grief. That same morning, separate funerals were held for Abigail, Williams and Deliberty German, with traffic in downtown Delphi coming to a standstill as the processions rolled through, 45 minutes apart. On the day of the funerals, police held another press conference in which they officially named the male who was photographed on Monon High Bridge as a suspect in Abigail and Deliberty's murders. They refused to comment on the origin of the

picture, but explained that its poor quality was due to it having been cropped from a larger image. This update prompted a flood of tips, but none that immediately identified the suspect, leading police to believe he may have been a loner or a drifter who left Delphi following the crime. Some witnesses reported seeing a hitchhiker passing through Delphi on the day of the murders, via the four-laneed Hoosier Heartland Highway, which connects the cities of Lafayette and Fort Wayne, and passes directly by the Monon High Bridge Trail. Following these reports, police appealed for information about any strangers seen walking out of town the day the girls went missing. Up until this point, law enforcement had taken

a cautious approach in their efforts to publicise the case and find the killer, endeavouring to share crucial information without compromising the integrity of their investigation. The public were kept in the dark about how Abigail and Deliberty had been killed, and what evidence, if any, had been obtained at the crime scene. Although the absence of information led to public speculation and rumours, withholding these details was a strategic move by police to ensure that only the killer knew the specifics of the crime. That way, if a confession was ever obtained, they could easily determine its legitimacy. Wednesday, February 22 marked nine days since Abigail and Deliberty's bodies were found.

Crowds packed into the Delphi United Methodist Church in anticipation of a police press conference which promised to unveil additional details of the investigation. Indiana State Police Sergeant Tony Slocum began the conference by thanking the community and media for their patience and support, despite having been kept in the dark, stating, this investigation is too important to make any mistakes and give out the wrong information. The large group of investigators flanking Sergeant Slocum provided an indication of the massive amount of local, county, state, and federal resources dedicated to solving the case. Police provided two key revelations. The first was that the blurred images released of the suspect

crossing Monon High Bridge had been obtained from Liberty German's smartphone. It was not established whether the police had recovered the device itself or if they had accessed its contents via the cloud. As she and Abigail crossed the bridge on February 13, Liberty had turned on her phone's video camera to film the man as he was following them, although police did not reveal the full extent of the footage or how long it went for. The second revelation was that Liberty had also managed to record audio of the suspect's voice. Police played a segment of the audio for those present, in which a man with a gruff, authoritative tone could be heard saying, down the hill. According to investigators, additional footage had been obtained from Liberty's

mobile phone, along with other undisclosed evidence, but would remain classified. Sergeant Tony Slocum praised Liberty for her quick thinking and courage. Quote, Liberty German is a hero, there's no doubt, to have enough presence of mind to activate that video system on her cell phone to record what we believe is criminal behavior that's about to occur. An extended version of the audio was played exclusively to Liberty and Abigail's families. According to state police, the longer recording included the girls talking about, quote, stuff girls talk about, but the pair also mentioned the man walking behind them. What transpired between this interaction and the publicly released audio segment of the suspect

making the demand down the hill remained undisclosed. The community were urged to report anyone they knew who had abruptly missed work or canceled plans on February 13, or had changed their appearance, behavior, travel plans, sleep patterns, or substance use in the days following the murders. In addition to studying the suspect's clothing, investigators encouraged the public to consider his posture and mannerisms, such as the way his hand was placed in his pants pocket, as these minor habits may appear familiar to those who knew him. Police reiterated that no detail was too small and implored citizens to name all possible persons

of interest, even if they believed that individual was incapable of committing such crimes. A $41,000 reward was launched for information leading to an arrest, with FBI Special Agent Greg Messer firmly stating he was confident that the case will be solved. Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas Carter said, We must keep our resolve for Libby and Abbey, for this community, and frankly, to ensure that good trumps evil. He ended the conference with a message to the perpetrator, warning, if you are watching, we'll find you.

By March, detectives from two dozen agencies were diligently making their way through nearly 8,000 tips provided via the case's phone hotline and e-mail account. In an effort to better support the large number of officers actively working on the case, the investigation headquarters were relocated from the Delphi Municipal Building to the REMC Building in downtown Carroll County. Messages of support were hung up inside to motivate detectives, with one reading, when you feel like quitting, think about why you started. A framed photograph of Abigail and Liberty featured the statement,

some people come into our lives and quickly go, some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. A nationwide campaign saw 6,000 electronic billboards crop up across 48 states, featuring photographs of Abigail and Liberty alongside the image of their suspected killer, with a call to action from the FBI. Meanwhile, the disturbing audio clip of the suspect's voice was broadcast extensively over national radio stations. The notoriety of the unsolved case, coupled with its many unanswered questions, provoked rampant rumours and speculation among citizen sleuths,

who used social media to wrongfully accuse men across the country of being the unknown suspect. This behaviour prompted police to issue a warning that individuals who made such accusations were participating in defamation and opening themselves up to a potential lawsuit. Others spread online fear by theorizing that the murders were the work of a serial killer, and attempted to establish connections to other unsolved crimes or recent deaths in Indiana. Police asserted the murders did not share any link to other known homicides, and requested members of the public to avoid buying into any news that wasn't official information provided by law enforcement agencies. The Delphi community remained vigilant,

with many believing the suspect lived amongst them. Local women and children signed up for self-defense classes to better protect themselves, while a task force was established to field recommendations from the public as to how safety could be improved on Delphi's historic trail system. Abigail and Deliberty's families were inundated with ongoing support, with businesses and organizations holding fundraisers to provide them with financial assistance, and to increase the amount of the reward pool. A sign placed on the door of one participating restaurant, Delphi Peter King, read,

In our community, when bad happens, we band together. 24 days after his granddaughter's murder, Mike Paddy appeared at the Carroll County Courthouse in Delphi to speak publicly about the case for the first time. Supported by his wife, Mike delivered a statement on behalf of Liberty and Abigail's families, which read, This horrible crime has torn a hole in our families that will never heal. It's the small things that seem to hurt the most. It's just natural to holler for them to come to dinner or in the morning to get up and get ready for school. Then expect them to come through the door after school. The silence when we don't hear their voice.

Mike explained that there was a running joke within their household that whenever Liberty was asked to do something, her response would be, In a minute, he implored the public to follow his granddaughter's sentiment in catching her killer, stating, I believe if she were able to speak, she would ask people to please give her the one minute she always asked for, picture of the suspect and listen to the audio clip. Mike candidly defined the unshakable bond between Abigail and Liberty, quote, Both the girls are heroes. They stuck together. I don't know exactly what happened out there that day, but I imagine there was probably an opportunity for one or both to separate and try to make a break in different ways.

But those girls loved each other. They were good friends. Neither one of them left each other's side. Following Mike Paddy's emotional plea, tips to police increased 200%, with the total number provided now exceeding 11,000. Despite the number of tips and hundreds of subsequent interviews, the lack of major breakthroughs led to several police departments scaling back their involvement in the investigation, pledging to return when their resources were required. Indiana State Police Sergeant John Pirine explained, This is emotional for all of us. I can tell you that it's not easy, and a lot of people are putting a lot of work into this. We're hoping that the tips there, and we're going to find it.

On Saturday, March 18, 15 law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Carroll County Road property where Abigail and Liberty's bodies were found a little over a month earlier. At the time the search warrant was carried out, the landowner, 77-year-old Ronald Logan, had been in custody for a week after admitting to violating probation for an unrelated drink driving conviction from 2014. Court mandated conditions for Bade Logan from operating a vehicle, and to when required to provide an alibi for the key date of February 13, 2017. He admitted to driving two miles south to the Carroll County Waste Transfer Station to discard some garbage. He had fully cooperated with search efforts, allowing volunteers and police to inspect his

property for the missing teens, later describing the grim outcome as like being hit with a bolt of lightning. Two weeks later, he further violated the terms of his probation when he was spotted drinking a beer at a pizza restaurant, and was placed into custody. The inspection of Ronald Logan's home was just one of approximately a dozen search warrants that had been executed so far in the investigation. Detectives ultimately ruled Logan out as a suspect in the murders, but he nevertheless found himself under the harsh scrutiny of internet sleuths, whose efforts to link him to the murders made a profound impact on his reputation. As he awaited trial for his probation violations, Logan had to be transferred to a different county

jail he out of fears for his safety. His attorney issued a press release that read, I have known Ronald Logan for several years and have represented him in unrelated legal matters. Stated simply, he had no involvement in this heinous crime. I would like to caution the public to avoid jumping to conclusions before law enforcement has completed the ongoing investigation. Logan was subsequently sentenced to three and a half years in prison for being a habitual traffic offender, but his sentence was later reduced to home detention. Four and a half months after the murders, Abigail's mother Anna Williams posted a video tribute to her daughter online featuring photos of her from infancy through childhood with the caption,

Tomorrow, June 23rd, 2017, Abigail Joyce Williams would be turning 14. It is still unbelievable to me that I won't be making a cake and planning her party, not this year, not next year. Please remember her tomorrow and every day. To honor Abigail's birthday, family and friends gathered at the Delphi United Methodist Church to release dozens of colorful lanterns into the sky. After five months of dedicated investigation with no arrests, tips from the public had slowly dwindled to less than 10 per day. On Monday, July 17, in an effort to reignite the case, police released a composite sketch of the suspected killer. The sketch had been created using descriptions provided by witnesses

who traversed on or near the Monon Hybrid trail on the day of the murders. The sketch had taken months to construct due to the gradual pace at which these witnesses came forward, coupled with the time it took for investigators to verify and collate details between their statements. The male suspect was described as Caucasian, between 5'6 and 5'10 inches tall, weighing 180 to 220 pounds, with reddish brown hair and an unknown eye color. The sketch depicted him as middle-aged with a square face, short hair, small, wide-set eyes and a large nose, with a neatly trimmed goatee. In the drawing, he wore a flat cap, but investigators established this detail might not be accurate, as multiple witnesses were unable to agree on it. They advised the

sketch should only be viewed as a guide and not as a 100% accurate representation of the suspect. Indiana State Police Sergeant Kim Riley stated, We're going to get to the bottom of this sooner or later. If the composite sketch helps us get there sooner, that's what we're hoping for. Following the release of the sketch, investigators were inundated with information from the public, with 1,000 tips coming through in the first 24 hours alone. The new inquiries led to over 20 arrests for unrelated crimes, including a decade long unsolved murder case, but none that pertained to Abigail and Liberty. The sketch also fuelled internet sleuths, as users began sharing the image alongside photos or mug shots of men they believed

matched its description. Police issued yet another plea in an effort to curtail the speculation, explaining that unfounded rumors and gossip offered no value in their investigation and only served to waste everyone's time. As the six-month anniversary of Abigail and Liberty's deaths drew near, the case was starting to languish. The 6,000 electronic billboards that had once broadcast the suspect's image across the country were no longer active, and although the total number of tips from the public had reached 24,000, the team of investigators actively working on the case dwindled. Regardless, Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leshamby remained optimistic that the killer would be caught, telling a local news reporter, I still operate on the theory that good outweighs

evil. When Liberty's grandparents, Mike and Becky Patty, met some Indiana residents who had never heard of the case or seen the suspect's image before, they decided to front their own awareness campaign. They set to work distributing wanted posters depicting the suspect, and soon thousands were on display all over the country. Becky Patty told Indiana newspaper Journal and Courier, We are asking everyone all over the United States to help us. We want to cover the entire U.S. with this picture so he can not go into a town where there is not a flyer staring him in the face. Her husband, Mike, added, Police are not giving up and neither are we. I will spend every day of my life trying to catch this guy. I still believe someone out there knows something.

On Monday, September 25, 2017, roughly 1000 miles west of Delphi in the state of Colorado, 31-year-old Daniel Nations and his wife, Caitlin, were pulled over by police. The red Chevrolet Prism they were driving matched descriptions of a vehicle that had been involved in a recent incident. According to witnesses, a couple in a red car had been threatening passes by with a hatchet along a trail near the Colorado town of Monument. Nations denied being involved, but a subsequent search of his car yielded a hatchet in the trunk, along with a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle. Officers ran Daniel Nations' name through the police database and discovered he had a criminal history spanning a decade, which included convictions for public

indecency, driving violations and domestic battery in the presence of a child. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from owning a firearm and police took him into custody. Daniel Nations' arrest caught the attention of Internet sleuths, who speculated whether he could also be responsible for the murder of local cyclist Tim Watkins, who had been shot and killed on Monument Trail 10 days earlier on September 15. They also noticed that Nations bore a resemblance to the composite sketch of the unidentified suspect wanted in the double homicide of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. Like the sketch, Nations had a goatee, short hair and similar facial features, including a thin mouth, broad nose and wide-set eyes.

This likeness, combined with his violent criminal record and the fact he had been living in Indiana at the time of Abigail and Liberty's murders, led many to cast a suspicious eye towards Daniel Nations. On Thursday September 28, investigators from Indiana flew to Colorado to interview Nations, announcing he was the first named person of interest in the case. But the breakthrough many were hoping for never came, as he was soon ruled out as a suspect. In November the same year, 53-year-old former pastor Thomas Bruce was arrested after sexually assaulting two women and murdering a third in a Catholic supply store in Bourouin, Missouri. Like the suspect being sought for Abigail and Liberty's murders, Bruce was between five foot

seven and five foot nine inches tall and wore a flat cap and a navy blue jacket during the Bourouin attack. Investigators looked into the possible connection, but it led to another dead end. Similarly, 46-year-old sex offender Charles Eldridge was also compared to the sketch of Abigail and Liberty's suspected killer after being arrested in Union City, Indiana, on charges of child molestation and solicitation. But he too was promptly ruled out of the investigation. As Indiana state police continued to review and exclude persons of interest, they were forced to release a statement via social media, discouraging the public from sharing unsubstantiated theories or naming hypothetical suspects, explaining, quote,

By doing so, you take away from the investigation by slandering and possibly hurting those people and their families. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you feel someone may be the suspect, please notify the tip line. Liberty's grandfather, Mike Paddy, echoed these sentiments in a news follow-up, urging the public to leave it to the professionals to do their job. A press conference was held on the one-year anniversary of Abigail and Liberty's murders at the entrance point of the Monon Highbridge Trail. Flowers were placed at the site as Indiana state police superintendent Douglas Carter fronted attending media, praising citizens

across the city, state and country for the support they had provided over the past year, saying it showed the very best in humanity in the worst of times. Since the investigation had commenced, 30,000 tips had been passed on to detectives who worked to exhaust all leads in their queue. If they failed to find the answer, their plan was to start all over again. Superintendent Carter said, Our world is completely out of balance and we cannot allow evil to prevail. I refuse to accept evil as a standard bearer in American society, not here. These two young girls were everybody's daughters. He went on to explain that this was the first case where his department had both an

image and voice recording of the unknown killer before claiming, I believe, where one piece of the puzzle away from figuring out who this individual is. That evening, a candlelit vigil was held in Memorial of the Slain Teens with Abigail's mother, Ranna, stating, I know people are frustrated. Nobody ever believed it would take this long and it has and we don't understand why. We're not happy about it. It would be nice for this part to be over, but it's not yet. And we will wait as long as it takes. Two months later, in May 2018, Anna travelled to Nashville, Tennessee with Liberty's grandparents Mike and Becky to attend the true crime convention, Crimecon. The trio spent the weekend speaking

with the thousands of attendees and made an onstage appearance to discuss the case alongside Indiana State Police Sergeant Jerry Holman. Various matters that had surfaced over the course of the investigation were raised, including the prevalence of internet sleuthing. Although acknowledging these people mostly meant well, the group spoke of having been accosted by strangers intent on divulging their wild theories and of experiencing the torment of social media accusations first hand. When police initially released the sketch of the suspect, online trials claimed it looked like Mike Paddy and accused him of being his granddaughter's killer. Mike had approved an alibi for the time of the murders, but it didn't stop the hateful messages

or allegations leveled against him, an experience he described as heartbreaking. The panel also discussed the internet's habit of latching onto suspects who had already been cleared by investigators, stating such behavior gave the false impression that the case was solved and harmed law enforcement's ability to find the real perpetrator. Becky encouraged the audience to join a Facebook page created by the girl's families titled Brainstorming for Abbey and Libby, which instead of discussing the murders provided a space to come up with ideas to assist the progression of the investigation and bring attention to the case. Sergeant Jerry Holman would neither confirm nor deny the existence of DNA evidence,

but remarked, in a crime like this, very rarely do we not come up with DNA. He made it clear that despite police keeping details of the murders close to their chest, it was still a very active and high priority investigation. Like Abigail and Liberty's families, they were unwilling to give up and mark the crime as a cold case. As to what motivated the families to carry on, Mike Paddy explained, quote, the anger of the fact that Liberty's gone, that somebody's taken our girls from us. That's what drives me. I have to find this guy. I'll do whatever it takes, go to whatever place I have to go to. I'm not going to stop until we catch this guy, or I've exhausted every effort I humanly possibly can.

We owe it to our girls, our community, our state, our nation. Somebody out there knows this guy. By 2019, the second anniversary of the case came and went with no major breakthroughs. Two months later, on Monday, April 22, Superintendent Douglas Carter fronted a packed press conference delivering an emotional address to the crowd. Quote, I've got to say to the Delphi community how grateful I am. You inspire people and you don't even understand why. You did everything you could to support us, but most importantly, you surrounded the family of these two little girls. I will never forget it. He announced that police were now seeking the public's help to identify any vehicles

witnessed in the parking lot of the former Department of Child Protective Services headquarters on 6931 West 300 North in Delphi. Between noon and 5 p.m. on Monday, February 13, 2017, the time Abigail and Liberty were hiking the Monon Highbridge Trail. Superintendent Carter expressed the opinion of police that the unidentified suspect either currently or previously lived or worked in Delphi or visited the area on a regular basis. In addition, he was likely aged between 18 and 40 years old, but may appear younger than his true age. He then addressed the killer directly, stating, We believe you are hiding in plain sight. For more than two years, you never thought we would

shift gears to a different investigative strategy, but we have. We likely have interviewed you or someone close to you. We know that this is about power to you and you want to know what we know. And one day, you will. A question to you. What will those closest to you think when they find out that you brutally murdered two little girls, two children? Only a coward would do such a thing. We are confident that you have told someone what you have done, or at the very least, they know because how different you are since the murders. I believe you have just a little bit of conscience left. Following this statement, police unveiled a new composite sketch of the prime suspect, which looked significantly different to the original. It depicted a much younger,

clean-shaven Caucasian man with narrow facial features and short, neat, wavy hair. Unlike the original sketch, which was reportedly generated by an assortment of eyewitness descriptions, the new sketch was based on the person filmed by Liberty German. It was accompanied by the release of a silent two-second video excerpt of the footage, showing the suspect in motion as he walked along the bridge with his head down and hands in his pockets. An updated audio clip of him speaking was also released. In the extended audio file, he can be heard saying the word guise at the outset of the previously released snippet, Down the Hill. Some members of Delphi's community were rattled by the possibility the murderer may be among them.

Others were not as surprised, having long concluded the killer must have some level of familiarity with the area, as the Monon High Bridge was not a location an outsider could easily stumble across. As with the release of the first sketch, the second also led to an influx of amateur sleuthing. On Tuesday, April 30, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office posted a message on their Facebook page, which read, Please stop posting side-by-side pictures of people you think did this. You are ruining innocent people's lives. Before posting a side-by-side, imagine that is your son, brother, or father. By the end of May 2019, police had received 4,000 new tips, with Superintendent Douglas Carter telling ABC News reporters that they needed just one final piece of information to

solve the case, and were, quote, one tip away from success. He believed there was someone acquainted with the killer, or who knew a crucial detail, but was too afraid to come forward. In the two-and-a-half years since Abigail Williams and Liberty German were murdered, the reward for information that leads to an arrest has increased to $240,000. The loss continues to impact the Delphi community, with small things serving as a constant reminder of the tragedy. Posters of the two best friends are still displayed in the windows of local businesses, who vow to keep them there until the suspect is apprehended. In response to a request from the teen's families, porch lights throughout town now glisten orange, and the

lampposts that border the Carroll County Courthouse Square are still tied with ribbons in the girl's favorite colors, teal and purple, to remind the townspeople that justice is yet to be served. When Abigail and Liberty's families first started receiving donations from supporters around the country, they considered using the money to purchase new equipment for the softball field where the girls had played together. But as the funds steadily increased, the family set their sights higher, and by mid-2019, construction had begun on the Abbey and Libby Memorial Park, an outdoor recreation area for Delphi residents to appreciate nature, art, and sport for generations to come. Built on a conspicuous 21-acre lot at the southeast

corner of the Hoosier Heartland Highway and Indiana State Road 218, upon its completion, the Abbey and Libby Memorial Park will incorporate three softball fields, an amphitheater, two playgrounds, and a walking trail. In preparation for construction, Liberty's grandfather Mike Paddy used a backhoe to begin clearing the land himself, telling a local newspaper, it will be a tribute to those girls long, long after I'm gone. I'm not resting until that happens. In addition to assisting with the Memorial Park's development, Anna Williams has taken up a cause that was close to her daughter's heart. Abigail had been passionate about helping those less fortunate, and one of her favorite projects was putting together care packages

for children in need. She would fill shoeboxes with school supplies and personal hygiene products, then send them to charities that worked with disadvantaged overseas communities. Anna has since created Abbey's Angels to carry on her daughter's tradition. Each year in the lead-up to Christmas, she bands together with students from Delphi Community Middle School and other members of the community to organize parcels to send to charities in Abigail's name. Anna told a reporter that she feels her daughter's presence with her as she does so. Quote, this was something that was really important to Abbey. She loved this project. It was something we looked forward to doing together, and I'm glad that we're still

doing it in her honor. Liberty's older sister Kelsey German does anything to keep her sister's story in the public consciousness, speaking candidly to reporters and podcasters often, while making appearances at true crime conventions and campaigning via her Twitter account, at LibertyG underscore sister. A tattoo of Liberty's name etched onto her back pays tribute to her younger sister and is accompanied by the words, I can't see you, but I can feel you. Liberty's brave decision to record the suspect on her smartphone has since helped others facing their own threats. During the family's 2018 Crimecon appearance, an audience member informed the panel that his niece was attacked in a park, and because she was aware of Liberty

German's actions, had the foresight to record evidence on her phone, which ultimately led to the capture and prosecution of her perpetrator. Liberty's grandparents run an official news information website titled abbeyandlibi.org, where you can find up to date credible information on the case. Anyone with information regarding the unsolved murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German in Delphi, Indiana on Monday, February 13, 2017, is encouraged to send an email to the Carroll County Sheriff's Department using abbeyandlibi-tip at cacoshrf.com, or to call the FBI phone tip line on 844-459-5786. An inscription on Liberty's gravestone reads, The Lord took you on a February day to a wonderful place so far away. Not a day goes by we don't

cry for you, although we know you would not want us to. Our hearts will heal, our thoughts will clear, but in our hearts will keep you near. For God has welcomed you with open arms, with his love, and without any more harm. We'll keep your memories in our minds, but happiness without you is awful hard to find. You will always be a blessing no one can replace our love for you, but living without you is the hardest thing we do. We'll wipe our tears for you in a better place, and keep our memories of you that no one can erase. you