Location - Monon High Bridge Trail, Delphi, Indiana
Date of Crime - February 13 - 14, 2017
Today, the focus is on the time of the audio/video recording made by Libby and a gap in the timeline that has not yet been accounted for.
Libby took a snapchat photo of Abby on the bridge at 2:07 pm on Monday, February 13, 2017. Shortly thereafter, Libby took a photo of a man crossing the bridge, apparently following them. Libby had also started the audio/video on her phone. The audio is 6 minutes long and it isn't clear as to how much of the actual crime was recorded. Authorities are withholding that information, only releasing a voice portion, "down the hill" hoping the public will recognize the voice or the sketch.
What time did Libby start the audio/video on her cell phone? Was it a full 6 minute audio without interruptions or did Libby record in increments of fearful moments? I doubt the latter of the two.
Authorities stated, they believed Libby recorded a crime "about to occur" at 30:07 in the following conference:
Source: Frank Young - YouTube
Some argue that because the statement "this is the stuff of nightmares" was made by an official, it means the entire crime was recorded.
I disagree because for anyone who is being taken under control by another person, against their will, it would be, "stuff of nightmares". I can not conclude that a crime of this dimension was committed in a 6 minute period of time.
Rumor:
Someone who claims to have heard the audio said the girls screamed immediately after being ordered to, "go down the hill".
It has been implied that this audio was started around the time they reached the end of the bridge, after Libby took the photo of Abby.
If this is accurate, the audio would have started most likely by 2:15.
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The search had begun with family members at around 3:30 that afternoon. Authorities joined the family at 5:30 pm. The police stated they did not think the girls were in any danger, they believed Abby and Libby were just lost.
At 2:30 am the search was stopped due to darkness and cold weather conditions with the temperature being reported at a high of 43 degrees and a low of 27 degrees on the night of February 13, 2017.
Some speculate the authorities dropped the ball hard on this case by going under the assumption the girls were simply lost in the woods. Some say authorities abandoned these families during a time of desperate need for assistance.
At the time authorities left the scene, shutting down the formal search for the night, family members remained, continuing their own search, without professional assistance, until after 4:00 am that morning. Family members stated on public media they had walked, ridden four wheelers, etc. in their efforts to find the missing girls.
The Dark Hours
When the family left the scene, did anyone remain at the entry of the trail and/or at the cemetery until the searchers were to meet up again at 9:00 am on the morning of February 14, 2017?
We don't have a definite answer to this question forcing us to go on the assumption that there was no security around the area between the hours of 4:00 am and 9:00 am. Allowing, "room for error", in the family's estimated time of departure, we could safely estimate a gap of 4 to 5 hours, during which time the trail was unsupervised and unoccupied.
It is important to note for future reference, that sunrise was at 7:41 am on February 14, 2017.
Concluding the total hours of a dark, empty trail would be 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.
Most likely 2 1/2 to 3 Dark Hours when accounting for the lack of an accurate time the family departed from the area to sunrise (approximately 4:30 am to 7:30 am).
I am hoping (as are many) at some point we will receive clarity in the timeline, the facts vs rumors and just an overall more informative press release. One that would possibly give the average citizen a little more to go on, in answering the authorities cries for public assistance in identifying the suspect.
~S
