In a solemn court proceeding on Friday, an Indiana man received a sentence of up to 130 years in prison for the 2017 murders of two teenage girls whose disappearance during a winter hike remains a haunting memory for the community of Delphi. Richard Allen, 52, was sentenced by a special judge following his conviction in November for the murders of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, also referred to as Abby and Libby. He was found guilty of two counts each of murder and murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping.
During the hearing that commenced at 9 a.m., Judge Fran Gull of the Allen County Superior Court ordered that Allen serve 65 years for each of the two murder convictions, with the sentences to run consecutively. The hearing included emotional statements from six family members of the victims and lasted less than two hours. Following the session, one of Allen’s defense attorneys indicated intentions to appeal the verdict and pursue a retrial.
In expressing condolences to the victims’ families, defense attorney Jennifer Auger commented on the unimaginable suffering they endured. She noted that a more comprehensive statement from the defense team would follow at an appropriate time.
Allen’s potential sentencing ranged from a minimum of 45 years to the maximum of 130 years for these heinous crimes. Living in Delphi, where he worked as a pharmacy technician near the courthouse, Allen was arrested in October 2022, over five years after the tragic events. His trial was marked by various delays, evidence leaks, and changes in representation.
The girls were reported missing on February 13, 2017, after failing to return from a hike, and their bodies were discovered the following day with severe injuries in a wooded area. Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland detailed in his closing statements that Allen, wielding a firearm, coerced the girls off the trail, intending to assault them before circumstances forced him to change his intentions, resulting in their murder.
Critical evidence presented in court included a bullet linked to Allen’s gun, which was found between the victims’ bodies. McLeland stated that Allen matched the description of a man seen in a video recorded by German, suggesting his involvement in their abduction, evidenced by his distinct command on the footage to go “down the hill.”
Furthermore, the prosecution highlighted multiple confessions made by Allen to various individuals, including a poignant recording of him admitting guilt to his wife. In contrast, the defense contested the validity of these confessions, claiming Allen’s mental health had significantly deteriorated during his imprisonment, raising questions about his mental state while making these statements.
Defense attorney Bradley Rozzi argued for Allen’s innocence, emphasizing a lack of direct eyewitness testimony linking him to the scene and the absence of physical evidence such as fingerprints or DNA. The defense also attempted to introduce a narrative involving a supposed white nationalist group linked to the crime; however, the judge dismissed these claims due to insufficient evidence to support such a theory.
The conclusion of the trial marks a deeply significant moment for the families affected and the Delphi community, grappling with the loss and seeking closure following such tragic events.
