Murder Trial Begins for Richard Allen in Delphi Teen Killings
In Delphi, Indiana, the trial for Richard Allen is set to commence in connection with the 2017 murders of two teenage girls, Abigail Williams and Liberty German. This small town, home to about 3,000 residents, has been the focal point of heightened media and public interest surrounding the case since the girls were found dead more than five years ago. The trial is expected to draw significant attention, particularly from true-crime followers, as it unfolds in the very community where the victims and their accused killer resided.
Richard Allen, 52, has been charged with two counts of murder and two counts of murder related to kidnapping, facing a potential sentence of up to 130 years if found guilty. Allen, a former pharmacy employee, had lived in Delphi throughout the investigation, which had remained unsolved until his arrest in October 2022. As the trial nears, jurors from almost 100 miles away have been sequestered, ensuring they remain unaffected by outside influences during the proceedings expected to last about a month.
Opening statements are scheduled to occur at the Carroll County Courthouse, located near the pharmacy where Allen worked. This week, jury selection revealed plans from prosecutors to call roughly 50 witnesses, while Allen’s defense anticipates a much larger number, approximately 120 witnesses. The jurors will receive preliminary directions before the trial begins, during which they will be prohibited from consuming news related to the trial.
The case has encountered various delays, partially due to leaks of evidence and complications with Allen’s public defenders—issues which even required intervention from the Indiana Supreme Court. Additionally, a gag order remains in effect to prevent further public commentary on the trial.
Abby and Libby were last seen alive on February 13, 2017, while hiking along the Monon High Bridge Trail. Their bodies were discovered in a remote area the following day. Not long after their disappearance, police released crucial evidence from Libby’s cellphone, which allegedly included images and audio of a male voice instructing the girls to “down the hill.” Investigators generated multiple sketches of potential suspects and shared video footage that showed an individual on the abandoned railroad bridge.
After years of investigating without a solid suspect, attention turned back to Allen, who had initially been interviewed shortly after the girls’ disappearance. He mentioned seeing three girls while walking along the trail. In a follow-up interview in October 2022, police learned that Allen had noticed three juvenile girls but admitted that he hadn’t interacted with them. A search of his residence resulted in the discovery of a .40-caliber firearm, which subsequently produced a bullet linked to the crime scene as per forensic analysis.
Judge Fran Gull, who is now presiding over the trial, has allowed prosecutors to present evidence of a range of statements allegedly made by Allen, including a recorded phone conversation between him and his wife in which he reportedly confesses to the murders. Contrarily, Allen’s defense team has proposed an unusual theory suggesting that the killings were part of a ritual sacrifice linked to a pagan Norse group, distinguished as Odinists.
While the specifics regarding the method of the teens’ deaths have not been officially released by prosecutors, court documents submitted by Allen’s defense claim that the victims had their throats cut, aligning with their sacrificial theory.
As the community braces for the trial’s unfolding, the upcoming weeks will bring significant scrutiny to the details surrounding this tragic case.