Joseph Paul

jpaul@jconline.com

DELPHI, Ind. — Investigators on Monday found themselves again quashing rumors swirling around Delphi's high-profile double homicide investigation.

Over the weekend, speculation began on social media that the discovery of a missing Columbus woman's body on Saturday was related to the deaths of 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams last month.

On Sunday, Columbus Police Department, however, said that foul play was not suspected in the death of 33-year-old Jackie Watts.

Indiana State Police Sgt. John Perrine, who is handling media inquiries this week on behalf of Dephi investigators, said there is no reason to believe the teenagers' deaths are connected to others across the state or nation.

"We started getting phone calls from people that were concerned, that maybe this was a serial killer and it had not been made public," Perrine said, "which isn’t the truth."

The truth is that investigators had already addressed the possibility of a serial killer during a Feb. 22 news conference.

"There has been no indication right now that this is part of a serial murderer if that’s what your question is," FBI Special Agent Greg Massa told a reporter. "So as of the facts that we have collected at this point in time, we have not tied it to any other known homicides."

Last week, police took to social media to strike down rumors that a Kokomo man questioned in the case had been arrested in connection to the homicides.

Some social media users who shared the man's photo and accused him of the slayings could open themselves up to a potential libel lawsuit, according to a report by the Journal & Courier.

Perrine said it's human nature to speculate and jump to conclusions, but he implored the public only to rely on official information released by police.

"I think everybody is searching for some sort of explanation," he said, "some sort of answer."

German and Williams were last seen missing Feb. 13 after they were dropped off near Monon High Bridge, which spans Deer Creek east of Delphi.

Their bodies were found the next day in a wooded area roughly a half-mile upstream from the bridge.

On Feb. 15, police released an image of a suspect walking along the bridge at the time of the killings.

A week later, another piece of evidence — a recording of a man's voice saying, "Down the hill" — was released.

Police said both the image and recording were captured by German's cellphone about the time of her death.

Call J&C reporter Joseph Paul at 765-420-5339, email him at jpaul@jconline.com or follow him on Twitter:@JosephPaulJC.