Reward increases to $325,000 for information in the murders of two Delphi girls

DELPHI – Indiana State Police report an anonymous donor has given a $100,000 gift to the Delphi investigation reward fund to help discover who killed Libby German and Abby Williams in 2017.

Liberty German and Abigail Williams

At 1:35 p.m. on Monday, February 13, 2017, 13-year-old Abigail J. “Abby” Williams and 14-year-old Liberty Rose Lynn “Libby” German were dropped off by German’s older sister, Kelsi German, on County Road 300 North, west of the Hoosier Heartland Highway. The girls were hiking on the Monon High Bridge over Deer Creek, among woodland in remote Deer Creek Township.

At 2:07 p.m., Libby posted a photo of Abby walking the bridge; after this, they weren’t heard from again. After they failed to meet Liberty’s father at 3:15 p.m., they were reported missing at 5:30 p.m.

The families initially searched for the girls themselves before calling the police. Authorities who quickly searched the area did not initially suspect foul play in the disappearance. However, this changed when the bodies of the girls were found around noon the next day, about 0.5 miles east of the abandoned Monon High Bridge. The bodies were found on the north bank of Deer Creek.

Police have not released details of how the girls were murdered.

Sketch released of suspect

On July 17, 2017, officers distributed a composite sketch of someone who, at that time in the investigation, was sought as a person of prime interest in the murders. It had apparently been drawn by police from eyewitnesses to a certain hiker of the Delphi Historic Trails on the day that the girls vanished.

The person depicted in the composite sketch is described as a white male between 5’6″ and 5’10”, weighing 180 to 220 pounds, with reddish-brown hair. His eye color is unknown. The suspect is believed to be between 18 and 40 years old but may appear younger.

Investigators have released an updated voice recording and video of the suspect that was extracted from Liberty German’s cell phone.

There is still a dedicated team working on the case, which includes two Carroll County detectives, two Indiana State Police detectives, and other law enforcement officers.  

Anyone with information is requested to contact the Delphi Homicide Tipline at 844-459-5786. All information will be taken and followed up on by investigators. All callers may remain anonymous. Tips can also be submitted online via abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com. You may also contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

In response to a request from German’s mother, countless homeowners across central Indiana have had orange lights installed on their front porches, both to commemorate the girls as well as to indicate that the murderer remains at large.

In August 2017, the families announced their plans to build a sports complex for Delphi in memory of the girls. A non-profit organization, L & A Park Foundation, was formed to “celebrate and commemorate the lives of Libby German and Abby Williams by creating a place for the appreciation of nature, art, play, and athleticism for generations to come.” A site was procured a mile north of Delphi, and in the years following the girls’ deaths continued progress has been made in the development of Abby and Libby Memorial Park. In 2020, the L & A Park Foundation was named a recipient of the NBA All-Star 2021 Legacy Grant.