This from fox59.com: DELPHI, IN- The full video taken by Libby German just before she and her friend Abby Williams were murdered has surfaced online. The video was a crucial piece of evidence in the Delphi murders trial, which ended in the conviction of suspect Richard Allen.
The video, which captures a suspect who has come to be known as “Bridge Guy,” was taken on German’s cell phone via Snapchat while she and Williams walked Delphi’s Monon High Bridge on Feb. 13, 2017. The two young girls were murdered soon after the video was taken.
The 43-second video was recovered by police during the early days of the murder investigation over eight years ago. German began recording at 2:13 p.m. after she spotted a man trailing behind her at the south end of the bridge.
In the video, Williams is seen walking along the bridge with the man walking closely behind her. At this point, Williams can be heard saying something to German referencing the man walking behind her. Soon after, she says something that can be interpreted as “Don’t leave me.” She is standing around 20 feet away from German.
Carroll County Sheriff Tony Liggett, lead investigator at the time of the murders, told trial jurors last fall that in the video he heard Williams say to German: “Is he right here? Don’t leave me up here.”
She then appears to hurry off of the bridge and walks in front of German, who is pointing her phone toward the ground. Williams says something as she passes by German, but it is not clear what. Both girls appear to be sniffling, but that could be due to the cold weather.
Sheriff Liggett alleged that, at this point in the video, German could be heard saying, “This is the path. That be a gun.”
Multiple FOX59/CBS4 staffers have reviewed the video and heard potential references to a gun made by the girls at around 17 seconds. However, the audio is not definitive and German may have said, “That’s the path down.”
The video then captures German’s voice as she discusses a potential route to walk off of the usual bridge path.
“There’s no path going there, so we have to go down here,” German says.
After German finishes talking at around 25 seconds, no one is heard speaking for the next 13 or so seconds.
Then, at around 38 seconds, a man’s voice can be heard saying the words “Guys, down the hill.” German can be heard replying “Hi” after the man says “guys,” but before he says “down the hill.”
Prosecutors and police alleged during trial that the sound of a gun racking could be heard during this portion of the video. While sounds can be heard, they could be interpreted in many ways and may just be noise from gravel and sticks being stepped on.
While the full, 43-second video taken by German was played in court, this is the first time that this has been released to the public.
The video being released online comes the day after Allen’s attorneys made a filing in the Indiana Court of Appeals challenging their client’s conviction, something his defense team immediately said they were planning to do.
The footage was released on a website called “Justice for Rick Allen,” which appears to be controlled by supporters who have aligned themselves with Allen’s defense team. In an attempt to prove he is innocent, the website’s operators say they are releasing evidence presented at trial.
Allen’s attorneys told FOX59/CBS4 in a statement Wednesday that, despite the timing, the video being released has nothing to do with his appeal.
“The fact that the video was posted on a website has nothing to do with the pending appeal or the fairness of the trial at the heart of that appeal,” attorney Stacey Uliana said.
