Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14, Snapchat murder could be solved after 8,800 tip offs and reward money hits £80,000
Cops hopeful of breakthrough in case after shocking killings in Delphi, Indiana, USA
COPS probing a case that has become known as the Snapchat Murders could be on the verge of a breakthrough after a surge in tip-offs – and reward money.
Cops have received more than 8,800 calls and emails offering information to help with the investigation into the killing of Abby Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, in Indiana, USA.
And the number of tips could be set to rise further as the bounty on offer for information leading to the killer’s capture hit £80,000.
The sum has nearly doubled since February 23, fuelled by donations from the public.
One local eatery – Mitchell’s Mexican Restaurant in downtown Delphi – chipped in $6,300 (£5,000) to the fund.
Owner Corey Mitchell Dunbar told : “A lot of people are scared, watching their backs, locking their houses when they maybe didn’t use to.
“We’re trying to help out anyway we could.”
Abby and Liberty’s bodies were found in a creek half a mile from the abandoned wooden bridge where they uploaded pictures of themselves walking to Snapchat.
Liberty also captured footage of a creepy “stalker” in jeans after growing uneasy about him.
Police released that picture at first without saying where it came from.
Now they have explained it — and released a brief audio clip of a gruff voice telling the girls: “Down the hill.”
Cops are not saying if they think the man in the picture is definitely the one recorded talking and add that more than one killer may be involved.
But Capt David Bursten told The Sun: “Liberty is a hero. Apparently something didn’t seem right to her and she turned on her camera.”
Friends speculated on social media the suspect is the dark shape lurking deep in the background of the railway shot.
The pals had been driven close to a hiking trail which takes in Monon High Bridge among woodland in remote Delphi, Indiana, at 1pm on February 13.
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The town of around 3,000 people lies in what used to be called the Factory Belt because of its industry.
The recession silenced the buzz of car production and the area is now part of what is dubbed the Rust Belt.
Liberty, known as Libby, had been happily posting on the Snapchat. The last was timed at 2.07pm.
Their worried families raised the alarm at 5.30pm when the girls failed to arrive at a meeting point. They were found the following day. Police have not revealed how they died.
They revealed they had more clips from Liberty’s phone, but said they were holding them back because they don’t want to “poison” the quality of any tips they receive.
They also said they had found DNA evidence at the scene but refused to elaborate.
Meanwhile the pals’ parents were too shocked to talk.
But Liberty’s grandfather Mike Patty, 60, said: “She had a love for music and played saxophone and would often pick at a guitar in her room. What we would give to hear some of those off-key notes today.
“Our minds at this stage are stirred in the deepest sorrow you can imagine.”