
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. On July 17, 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. By this time, the reward offered in the case was set at $41,000. Police indicated that additional evidence from the phone had been secured, but that they did not release it so as not to "compromise any future trial". On February 22, law enforcement released an audio recording where the voice of the suspect, though in some degree muffled, is heard to say, "Down the hill." It was at this news conference that officials credited the source of the audio and imagery to German's smartphone, and, further, regarded her as a hero for having had the uncanny foresight and fortitude to record the exchange in secret. A few days later, the person in the photograph was named the prime suspect in the double-homicide. As early as February 15, 2017, Indiana State Police began circulating a still image of an individual reportedly seen on the Monon High Bridge Trail near where the two friends were slain the grainy photograph appears to capture a Caucasian male, hands in pockets, walking on the rail bridge, head down, toward the girls.

Police have not released details of how the girls were murdered. The bodies were found on the north bank of Deer Creek. However, this changed when the bodies of the girls were found around noon the next day, about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of the abandoned Monon High Bridge. Authorities who quickly searched the area did not initially suspect foul play in the disappearance. The families initially searched for the girls themselves before calling the police. after they failed to meet Liberty’s father at 3:15 p.m.

At 2:07 p.m., Libby posted a photo of Abby walking the bridge after this they were not heard from again. The girls were hiking on the Monon High Bridge over Deer Creek, among woodland in remote Deer Creek Township. on Monday, February 13, 2017, 13-year-old Abigail Joyce "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, east of the Hoosier Heartland Highway.
