When I was in high school I spent a lot of time at the local park. I always tried to find the most solitary spots so I could smoke weed. This meant most of my hiking was on overgrown trails, if not off trail. You have to pay a fee to get into the main part of the park, but it’s relatively large so there are spots on the westside of the park that are free. Those spots are not quite as kept up and definitely not as observed, so obviously its mostly kids who just come to smoke and graffiti. But of course there are still some runners, people fishing, dog walking, etc. who want to skip out on the $5 fee.

One Sunday I go to smoke at the park while my family attends church. At this spot I had a solid trail that led to a very solitary part of the park that I frequented if I just wanted to smoke and not explore. When I pull in there are already a few cars, but one of them sticks out to me.

It is a very clean black car parked right in front of the main trail. As soon as I get out of my car and approach the trail, a man who is probably in his late 30s/40s steps out of that car.

I kept my eye on him as I entered the trail and he seemed to be keeping an eye on me too, but once I took a few steps on the trail another man stops me.

Apparently someone had driven a car into the reservoir the day before and he asked if I was coming to look at it. I said no, saw a small crowd of people at the cliff of the trail and figured I could be less on guard since everyone would be over there, and I could smoke in peace.

After the man I was speaking with walked away, I looked back to see if the man at the car was still watching me. I did not see him anymore.

So I went on that trail I frequent and hike up to the solitary part of the park, then go a little off trail for even more privacy and sit on a fallen tree to smoke. As i reach into my bag for my blunt l look up and just a few feet in front of me was the man at the car.

He was standing facing me and did not seem phased when I realized he was there. My heart sinks and stomach turned. I listen to a lot of true crime so immediately in my head I was like “don’t act like a victim, be confrontational” and said, “Can I help you??” He kind of grinned and responded “No, just looking.”

So instead of my blunt I grab my pepper spray and phone to text my family and tell them where I was. I kept my eyes on him the whole time I did this and he did not move an inch, just watched me. So i send text, put my phone up, and just watch him back, finger on the trigger of my pepper spray. Then he starts moving, so I stand up. He does not get any closer, but starts to circle me still a few feet away.

Remember that we are off trail, so as he moves around me, he is hard to see behind all the shrubbery. But I stay on my feet and make sure I am facing him the whole time. He tucks his face away so we can’t make eye contact but he knows I see him. So after he makes a full circle around me, he turns back to the trail and starts walking back to the main trail. I am afraid of losing sight of him so I follow him from a distance. He does not turn to look back at me.

Finally, we get back to the busier part of the trail and I spot a woman walking her dogs. He goes off on another trail and I go to her and tell her a man has been following me, but when I look up to point him out he is gone. She tells me that’s scary and I just say be careful then go to my car and leave.

It was obviously a very creepy encounter and potential close call but sometimes I feel there is even a little bit more to it.

This encounter took place about 40 minutes from Delphi, Indiana in September of 2016. A few months later in February of 2017, 13 and 14 year old Abigail Williams and Liberty German were murdered while hiking at their local park. Their murderer has never been found.

Follow-up comment by u/username:

Katie’s comments:

• Location:

Delphi murders (happened about 6 months after OP’s encounter)

• the murderer, Richard Matthew Allen, DID in fact drive a black car 😳
  • See details here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Delphitrial/s/E5nCrcVEvQ
• See the full Delphi murders case details here and HERE (best source imo)
  • Date: February 13, 2017
  • Time: 2:07 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (EST)
  • Location: Near Monon High Bridge, Deer Creek Township, Carroll County, Indiana, U.S.
  • Perpetrator: Richard Matthew Allen
  • Deaths: Abigail Joyce Williams & Liberty Rose Lynn German
  • Convictions: Murder (2 counts), felony murder (2 counts) 2
  • Sentence: 130 years in prison
  • The case remained unresolved for five years until 2022 when Richard M. Allen was arrested and charged with the murders. 6 He was found guilty in 2024 and sentenced to 130 years in prison. 78