DELPHI, Ind. — In a significant development for the small community of Delphi, a jury has reached a verdict in the high-profile case concerning the tragic deaths of two teenage girls. On Monday, Richard Allen was found guilty of murder for the 2017 slayings of 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German, who disappeared while hiking on a winter afternoon.

The jury’s deliberation lasted four days, culminating in a verdict that saw Allen convicted on two counts of murder and two additional counts related to murder committed during an attempted kidnapping. At 52 years old, he now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 130 years.

Throughout the trial, which commenced on October 18 in the girls’ hometown, the jurors were sequestered. Delphi, located in northwestern Indiana, is familiar territory for both the jury and Allen, who previously worked as a pharmacy technician in the area.

The jury, composed of seven women and five men, began their deliberations on Thursday after hearing the final arguments of the extended trial. A special judicial authority managed the proceedings, with Superior Court Judge Fran Gull presiding over the case, accompanied by jurors from Allen County in northeastern Indiana.