Shadow of the Bridge: The Delphi Murders and the Dark Side of the American Heartland by Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee
Many of those who long for cold cases to be solved knows of the brutal murders of Liberty "Libby" German and Abigail "Abby" Williams near Delphi, Indiana. The crimes were often referred to collectively as "the Delphi Murders" and, for a time, there was no suspect.
Libby and Abby showed remarkable bravery and commitment to each other in their final moments. Libby was able to catch a short video of the cruel man who would soon take her and her best friend's life. Abby was then able to conceal the phone with this recording with her own body. This video would ultimately prove key to uncovering the murderer's identity.
The two girls also stuck by each other until the end.
Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee hosted a podcast called Murder Sheet that covered this case through the ultimate trial, conviction, and sentencing of Richard Allen who is, as of this blog post, less than two years into his 130 year sentence.
Importantly Cain and Greenlee worked with Libby and Abby's family during their investigation which included time in courtrooms, archives, and in the living rooms of Delphi residents (some of whom remain anonymous to this day). This meticulous but also thoughtful and gentle approach comes through in this book, Shadow of the Bridge: The Delphi Murders and the Dark Side of the American Heartland.
While at times the prose or overall arc of the story may have been a tad bogged down in details, Cain and Greenlee's consideration of this case as a mystery with which social media sometimes ran amuck , an irreparable damage to the Delphi community, and, most importantly, as the monstrous and vicious ending of two inseparable teenage friends.
For those who want to see how this case played out, receive a reminder about the dangerous and harms of online speculation, and who want to be sure Libby and Abby are always at the front of mind, I'd recommend Shadow of the Bridge.
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