Location: Monon High Bridge Trail, Delphi, Indiana
Date of Crime: February 13 - 14, 2017
Today's post is going to be filled to the rim with two things that most of us who follow crime dislike. . . rumors and speculation.
How many of us have looked so closely at the sketch that we could say we've seen every pixel, practically counted them? How many times has the voice echoed through our minds, repeating, "down the hill, down the hill, down the hill"?
I went for a walk on the river last Sunday with Mike. As we moved and meandered along, I was in the lead but I asked him, "Where to now?". Following along behind me he replied, "Down the hill". My whole body shook as I immediately thought about Libby and Abby. I studied my surroundings. I looked back and found my own history of walking in the forests and along river banks, tracking game, exploring, etc. I'm almost 50 years old with my best memories made in the woods. But, that's another story, for another blog.
There are some things that just stand out when you've spent most of your life in the woods. Things like bent trees, deer trails, buck rubbings, old cabins, tobacco barns, (or the remnants of their foundations, almost vanishing beneath the leaves) fishing weirs which were of great provision to the Native Americans, unique and uniquely large rock formations, fallen trees spanning the width of the river, beaver dams, swimming holes and more - are all markers, road signs in the forest that lead you inside, carry you on a journey and lead you back out safely. Libby and Abby were both becoming the outdoors girls, learning the trails and learning the markers too, I'm sure. It was part of the family life for Libby with a grandfather who loved the woods and hunting.
Note - highlighted text is rumor
"The crime scene was pristine." If the crime scene was pristine and all of the other rumors in the post were true we'd have even more reason to believe the first rumor, "They were killed in a barn".
"Their throats were slit." "Libby's throat was slit much worse than Abby, leaving her almost decapitated." "Parts of Libby's fingers were cut off."
This is the rumor that lead many to come to the conclusion that Libby and Abby were murdered with a garrote, with most sharing images such as this:
One of the first weapons we think of when it comes to a rapist is a garrote. While I disagree that a garrote was the weapon, which I'll clarify later, I do believe the bodies were in the condition mentioned above because of the numerous times law enforcement and family members have stated that Libby had put up a good fight.
"Both of them were beaten in the face brutally." This rumor has been challenged because those who went to the memorial stated the caskets were open. Some said there were scarfs around their necks and others said there weren't. If they were beaten in the face, brutally and if this appeared to be an attack that lasted a significant amount of time (which believe it did) this tells me, it's personal.
The word "personal" seems to hit a nerve with some. Just look at a bigger picture, please. Personal doesn't always mean a direct family member. Personal can be someone across the hall at school, someone who lives across the road, that other person, who knows you, even though you don't really know them. The acquaintance, the janitor you pass in the hallway, the taxi driver that picks up the same lady once a week on your street. . .
I also took some time and joined a group of morticians so I could ask questions about cases where facial reconstruction may be required. I asked what their methods were, I looked at some photos of previous work by the morticians and I watched videos of facial reconstruction. They have lots of resources from cosmetics to wax among other things that assist them in reconstructing facial features to allow families to have open caskets. There are even products for bone reconstruction.
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| http://azmemorials.com/wax-modeling-flesh-12-oz?language=en¤cy=USD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImpbkn6Tz1wIVho2zCh2ImgpiEAYYASABEgIntPD_BwE |
"Libby was much more brutalized than Abby, more brutally beaten, more brutally raped." Whenever more than one person is murdered and one is more brutalized than the other, this tells a story. This says there was a target with something else in the way. That something else was Abby.
"Abby had a spear in her abdomen." "Abby was still warm when searchers found them the next day and she died of exposure on the way to the hospital." "Abby had tried to crawl away." "Their bodies were in a strange position when found." I believe some of these rumors. I believe Abby had been speared and I believe she was still warm and died on the way to the hospital.
However, we can't have it both ways here, she either tried to crawl away OR their bodies were found in a strange position. If I were forced to choose which I believed, I'd go with Abby had tried to crawl away.
Here's why:
Born December 27, 2002
Died February 13, 2017
Born June 23, 2003
Died February 14, 2017
So, today, I have shared with you the rumors that I'm aware of. If there is any additional information you'd like to share with me, please send and email.
* There will be a follow up post to this one which will be
a crime flow of the murders of Libby and Abby.
~S
