One of two Indiana teens found dead on a hiking trail last week had taken cell phone video of a man that police believe is a suspect in their double homicide, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.
Liberty “Libby” German, 14, and Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, were reported missing February 13 after they went on a hike in Delphi Historic Trails in Indiana and did not show up at a designated meet-up time. After an extensive search, their bodies were found the next day along a railroad bridge near Deer Creek.
Law enforcement agents last week released a grainy photo of a suspect: a white man wearing blue jeans, a blue coat and a hoodie. They are still trying to identify him and have said there may be other suspects.
Police on Wednesday said the source of that photo was a video German had taken on her cell phone.
Officials also released audio of a male voice saying the words “down the hill,” in the hopes the public might identify the suspect’s voice.
“There’s enough there that somebody could recognize somebody’s voice,” said Captain Dave Bursten, the chief public information officer for Indiana State Police.
Bursten praised German for having the “presence of mind to turn on her video camera,” later calling her a “hero.”
Officials want anyone with information to call their tip line, and said there was a reward of as much as $41,000.
Police said they have more video but they are not releasing it at this time.
There is no indication that the case is tied to other murders, said Greg Massa, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis division.