Bridge Guy: A Trail of Questions

On February 13, 2017, 14‑year‑old Liberty “Libby” German and 13‑year‑old Abigail “Abby” Williams were dropped off near the Monon High Bridge Trail in Delphi, Indiana, to enjoy a day off from school. They were last seen walking along the abandoned railroad bridge, and when they failed to show up at their pickup point later that afternoon, they were reported missing. The next day, their bodies were discovered off the trail near Deer Creek, turning a missing persons search into a double homicide investigation. From Libby’s phone, police recovered a short video of an unknown man walking toward the girls on the bridge and audio of him saying, “Guys, down the hill,” leading the public to nickname him “Bridge Guy.” These haunting clips became the centerpiece of a years‑long investigation and massive online speculation. In October 2022, investigators arrested Richard Allen, a local Delphi resident, after linking an unspent .40‑caliber round found between the victims’ bodies to a Sig Sauer pistol owned by Allen. During his time in custody, prosecutors said Allen confessed to the murders dozens of times to family members, prison staff, and his psychologist, though the defense argued his mental state made those statements unreliable. After a four‑week trial in 2024, a jury found Allen guilty of the murders of Libby and Abby. In December 2024, he was sentenced to 130 years in prison—65 years for each girl—a sentence the judge described as fitting one of the most heinous crimes in Indiana. Despite the conviction, many people still debate the evidence, the identity of “Bridge Guy,” and what exactly happened in the woods beyond the edge of that old bridge.