LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Investigators are "looking into" a man charged in a Lafayette kidnapping to determine if he has any connection to the unsolved murders of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana.
James Chadwell II, 42, was arrested last week after police found a missing 10-year-old girl in the basement of his home. Police say the young girl had suffered multiple injuries and had bite marks on her body.
The arrest in Lafayette has sparked a lot of conversation about the unsolved deaths of Liberty German and Abigail Williams, just 15 minutes away in Delphi.
The Carroll County sheriff told WRTV that investigators are “looking into” Chadwell to determine if he has any connection to the 2017 case. At this time, no formal connection has been made.
"The information has obviously been shared with us and our investigators are looking into him," Leazenby said.
MORE | Delphi Murders: Four years later and still no arrests
On Monday, prosecutors charged Chadwell with attempted murder, two counts of child molesting, kidnapping, criminal confinement, battery and strangulation in connection with the 10-year-old girl in Lafayette. In medical records cited in the probable cause documents filed against Chadwell, doctors described strangulation marks on the girl’s neck, broken blood vessels in her eyes and bite marks on her body.
The girl told investigators that she was invited into Chadwell’s home to pet his dogs and after she got inside, he forced her into the basement, according to the probable cause documents. Once in the basement the girl told detectives that Chadwell tried to strangle her, beat her in the head, and forced her to perform sexual acts.
MORE | Missing girl told police man 'tried to kill her', court docs say
At this time no formal connection has been made between Chadwell and the murders in Delphi. Investigators have never shared any specific information about Libby and Abby’s murder and their cause of death has never been released.
Investigators do have several key pieces of evidence in the murders from Delphi, including a video clip taken on Libby’s cell phone that detectives say she recorded “during possible criminal activity”. Investigators believe that the video shows the man responsible for Libby and Abby’s death.
Indiana State Police ask anyone who has any information about Libby and Abby's murders or who recognizes the man in the image, video, audio or sketch to reach out.
Remember the following things when submitting a tip:
- Be specific as possible to a description
- Name and age if possible
- A connection to Delphi and that person’s location or address at this time
- Leaving information on how we can contact you for possible clarification of your tip is helpful but not required
Tips can remain anonymous.
Tip Information Contactse-Mail: abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.comTip Line: (844) 459-5786Indiana State Police: (800) 382-7537Carroll County Sheriff: (765) 564-2413
This story was originally published by Katie Cox and Rafael Sánchez at WRTV.
