One aspect of the case of the Monon High Bridge Trail murders that is worthy of exploration is whether or not this crime was committed in the location where the bodies of Liberty German and Abigail Williams were found (i.e. the crime scene) or were they taken elsewhere and dumped at the crime scene later?
So, let's take a look at that.
When saying, "Down the hill", was BG directing the two girls to walk approximately 600 feet, down the wooded hill and across the creek to what would later become the crime scene?
Going with this theory, we normally go with the 40 minute rule, which is the length of time between the images of BG, taken by Libby and the time Libby's father arrived to pick the girls up. This theory allows the killer enough time to do all the damage implied by rumors and get out smoothly.
Maybe I should just ask this question instead.
How did the killer know he had time to do this crime without family or friends coming upon him?
Simply walking alone together does not mean two teenagers are alone. How often did any of us, as teenagers, hang right with our families when on outings together?
When we were teens, if we had a teen friend with us on family outings, we usually ventured ahead together, just to get away from the younger kids in the family and to avoid the adults. We wanted to talk alone without their judgement and without them knowing all of our business.
But the point is, how did he know they didn't have anyone else with them on the trail?
How did he know the girls weren't meeting someone there?
Somehow BG knew he would complete this crime without getting caught.
So, he either knew for a fact not one other person would see or hear the homicides
or
He had some type of authority over them that would explain away any initial confrontation that may occur before leading them to the crime scene
or
He lead/took them somewhere else where that risk would not be a factor.
Let's add to this picture a couple of other facts which were pointed out in "How One Killer Could Pull It Off". In this part of our study, we have found that while walking on the bridge, while following the girls, while Libby was secretly filming him, BG was not wearing gloves
and
he made little to no effort to conceal his face.
So this made it obvious BG had no concern about his DNA nor his fingerprints being found at the scene, which implies he knew them personally with his DNA and/or fingerprints being expected to be found.
Could this really have been a "chance encounter"?
Did he see them dropped off by Libby's sister, making him aware of their vulnerability?
If so, he must have been near the drop off point at 1:45, seeing the girls exit the car and enter the trail. This would imply he was visiting the trail or lives near the entrance where he could see how active the trail was that day, weighing the risks and determining he could get by with it before another visitor reached the bridge.
If BG were an observer of the trail or a visitor to the trail, he could be a well versed serial killer, patiently waiting for the next crime of opportunity.
If he did not see them arrive alone, did he already know they would be there. . . alone?
Was he "expecting" them?
Another thing I remember as a teen is how much we'd make fun of the adults in our lives. I know for sure, if that had been a staff member from school or school sports or an Uncle or "older" family member, I would have been poking fun at him, in his effort to walk that trestle "at his age".
I would also have secretly taken pictures or recorded him, just so I could poke fun at him again later.
So what if this were someone really familiar to one of the girls?
Was he there to discuss something with the girls, but also expecting "trouble" of some sort?
Was he expecting someone else to meet the girls at the bridge that day, causing him to carry his gun, "just in case of a confrontation"?
Did he direct them down the hill to talk to them with things going sour at that point, possibly causing a huge personal fight that got way out of control?
If this is the case, this personal confrontation would be a crime of passion and would have been completed in way less than that 40 minute span of time, possibly the "6 Minutes" which is assumed by many to be the length of the audio from Libby's phone as well as the duration of the crime itself.
What other forms of passionate causes could have occurred that day?
Let's not forget the possibility of a jealous friend, girlfriend, boyfriend, classmate, teammate, or peer is always there.
We know a Homecoming Dance was scheduled for the upcoming Friday. Did one of the girls get an invitation and someone else didn't like it or someone else didn't approve?
Or - was he someone they knew - who, himself was waiting for that perfect crime of opportunity with one or both girls?
If so, there is a stalker involved and if this was his first kill, it most likely won't be his last.
In "The 6 Minute Murders", we learned more about the lay of the land around Deer Creek and Monon High Bridge. We learned the terrain would be too much for a person to carry a body to this spot (much less, two) if they returned by way of the driveway beneath the bridge to cross the creek. So, the only feasible way in dumping bodies without being noticed would be during "The Dark Hours" and by way of the cemetery.
From the bottom of the cemetery to the dumping point is approximately 500 feet, down hill, following an already well worn deer trail, would make "dragging" or the use of a deer sled easier. Clothing, things of evidence, a pair of underwear (girls) and a cigarette butt, would be discarded in the creek, then a quick trek back up the hill to the cemetery.
In "Pictures For Thought", we looked at Deer Creek, the crime scene and one other theory, the possibility of the girls being lead to a specific barn within walking distance from the bridge (an approximate 10 to 15 minute walk).
(This theory implies premeditation in planning the capture, transfer, detainment, and eventual transfer back to crime scene.)
In the theory of the girls being taken elsewhere and returned to the scene to be murdered or dumped at the scene after being killed, we can surmise this as a timeline:
Abducted at approximately 2:15 - 2:30 pm Monday 02/13/2017.
Bodies returned after family ended their search and departed the area at 4:30 am Tuesday 02/14/2017.
That's at least 14 hours the girls would have been in the custody of their abductor.
Other Considerations:
Search parties met again at the trail on Tuesday at around 9:00 am. Rumor is, "Abby was still breathing when searchers found her propped against a tree. She passed away on the way to the hospital".
The crime scene was described as being, "pristine".
Heat seeking drones were used during the initial search on the night of the 13th to no avail.
4 wheeler and ATV vehicles were reported as being part of the search throughout the area on the night of the 13th.
Serial Killer?
Stalker?
Personal Confrontation?
Crime of Passion?
Crime of Opportunity?
Premeditation?
