For the second time in recent months, Indiana state police on Friday asked ‘armchair investigators’ on social media to stop posting pictures of men who they think fit the description of a suspect in a high-profile murder case.
‘As we continue the investigation into the deaths of Abby and Libby, please refrain from posting pictures on social media sites of innocent people set side by side with the sketch and picture of the alleged suspect,’ Indiana State Police wrote Friday on its Facebook page.
In July, ISP released a composite sketch of the main suspect in the killings of two teenage girls who disappeared from a hiking trail in February.
For the second time in recent months, Indiana state police on Friday asked ‘armchair investigators’ on social media to stop posting pictures of men who they think fit the description of a suspect in a high-profile murder case
In July, ISP released a composite sketch of the main suspect in the killings of two teenage girls who disappeared from a hiking trail in February. The grainy image of the suspect on the right was released in February
Liberty ‘Libby German, 14, vanished with 13-year-old Abigail ‘Abby’ Williams on February 13 while hiking near Delphi, about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis.
The sketch is ‘an artist’s composite of the information’ collected by all the agencies involved in the double-murder investigation, including the FBI, said Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley.
Riley said investigators consider the sketch a ‘very important’ development in the ongoing investigation.
Since authorities released the sketch, they have been inundated with hundreds of tips from the public, according to the Indianapolis Star.
The bodies of Abigail Williams (left), 13, and Liberty German (right), 14, were found about three-quarters of a mile from an abandoned railroad bridge on the Monon High Bridge Trail in Delphi, Indiana in February
Since authorities released the sketch, they have been inundated with hundreds of tips from the public
Shortly after publicizing the sketch, ISP detectives reprimanded the public for posting images on social media of potential suspects matching the description.
‘Those are of no value and take up investigative time,’ ISP spokesman Dave Bursten said in July.
Bursten said that members of the public have combed web sites and picked out mug shots of individuals who bear a resemblance to the image depicted in the sketch.
‘A person that does that may open themselves up to some civil liability,’ Bursten said.
‘They will have to suffer the consequences of their own stupidity.’
On Friday, the ISP once again repeated its request for Facebook users to resist the urge to post pictures of random individuals who may bear a slight resemblance to the suspect depicted in the sketch.
‘[Y]ou take away the from the investigation by slandering and possibly hurting those people and their families,’ the ISP wrote on its Facebook page.
‘Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of LAW. If you feel someone might be the suspect, please notify the tip line at (844) 549-5786 or the email address abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com.
‘Do the right thing and help us solve the case and not cause unwanted pain and grief to those who may be innocent!’
The person depicted in the composite drawing is described as a white male between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-10, weighing 180 to 220lbs, with reddish brown hair.
The image shows the suspect with a prominent nose and a goatee who’s wearing a cap and what appears to be a hooded sweater.
‘We ask that you focus on the person’s facial features,’ the statement accompanying the drawing reads.
This is the bridge where Abigail and Liberty were last seen alive
Libby posted these Snapchat photos of Abigail at Monon High Bridge Trail close to when they started hiking. They are the last photos of the girl
On February 14, the bodies of Abigail and Liberty were found in the woods.
No arrests have been made in the slayings and authorities have not disclosed the cause and manner of the girls’ deaths.
Abby’s mother, Anna Williams, told ABC News in reference to the sketch: ‘We really truly hope that this is the piece of the puzzle that we need to bring justice to our girls.’
Investigators released two grainy images in late February of a man they consider the main suspect in the killings walking along an old railroad bridge the girls had visited while hiking. They also released audio of a male saying ‘down the hill.’
That evidence came from German’s cellphone, who police have hailed as a hero for recording potentially crucial evidence.
Riley said investigators believe the man captured in the photos and in the new artist’s sketch killed both girls.
Williams and German went missing after going for a hike at 1pm on February 13 near the Monon High Bridge along the Delphi Historic Trails.
German had last posted a Snapchat image on the bridge shortly afterwards, the last time they were known to be alive, at 2.07pm.
In the grainy image, the man, can be seen walking with his head down and hands in his pockets, along the same bridge. He is dressed in jeans, blue jacket and a hat.
The friends were reported missing when they failed to meet up with a family member at a prearranged location.
Their bodies were found on February 14 at 12.15pm around 60 feet from a creek, about three-quarters of a mile upstream from where they were last seen.
A reward in excess of $230,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the double homicide.
Anyone with information about the suspect is being asked to call the tip line at 844-459-5786.