DELPHI, Ind. (WLFI) — Indiana State Police held a news conference Wednesday regarding the open double-murder investigation in Delphi. Wednesday marks two years since Abigail Williams and Liberty German were killed walking along the Delphi Historic Trails.
The news conference started at 1:30 p.m. at the Carroll County Courthouse on Main Street.
Related: Timeline of Delphi Homicides
Multiple agencies were present including the FBI, ISP and investigators from Carroll County.
The Delphi United Methodist Church will also hold a candlelight vigil for Abby and Libby from 5 to 7 p.m. You can also bring by non-perishable food in their honor. The church is located at 1796 U.S. 421, Delphi, IN 46923.
On the one-year anniversary, ISP Superintendent Doug Carter said the homicide was "far from a cold case."
News 18 spoke to Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leazenby ahead of the two-year anniversary. He was not able to go into detail about the news conference on Wednesday. He did want to applaud the girls' families for spreading information about this case locally and nationally.
Leazenby said they have shown perseverance along with the investigators.
"When I say investigators, I talk about the ones at the beginning and also our current core investigators involved," said Leazenby. "Just their willingness to stick to this until we gain justice for Abby and Libby."
Family members said it's difficult to believe two years have passed, but not a day goes by they don't replay February 13th and 14th in their heads. In this second year, they are focused on moving forward.
"Because it is hard to imagine doing this everyday, living in grief so to speak, because that's what it would be," said Abby's mother Anna. "It wouldn't just be mine, it would be somebody else's and it's kind of like 'wow that's a lot.'"
"Catching this guy is not going to fix all that," said Libby's Grandfather Mike Patty. "It's not going to bring the girls back, but it will provide a piece of justification knowing he's not out there walking around a free man."
"It has, to a certain degree, drawn the community closer and has made us that much stronger," Sheriff Leazenby said. "We obviously had that low spot two years ago and still obviously you feel the effects of that."
The girls were dropped off by a family member to walk near the Monon High Bridge on Feb. 13, 2017, but they never showed when they were supposed to be picked up. The next day, their bodies were found less than a mile upstream from where they were last seen.
Police have received thousands of tips, but none have yet to lead to an arrest in this investigation.
Investigators in Carroll County released an audio clip of who they believe is the main suspect. They say the clip and two blurry pictures were captured from Libby's phone.
A police sketch was released on July 17, just five months after their deaths. Indiana State Police said the alleged killer is 5'6 to 5'10, 180 to 220 pounds with "reddish-brown" hair. Police said the man has an unknown eye color, but "definitely not blue."
Anyone with information on the deaths of Abby and Libby can call the tip line at (844) 459-5786 or email abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com.
