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What are the Delphi Murders? Richard Allen in court over 2017 deaths

What are the Delphi Murders? Richard Allen in court over 2017 deaths

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Nearly eight years after the infamous murders of teenagers Liberty “Libby” German and Abigail “Abby” Williams rocked the small town of Delphi, Indiana, a suspect is finally preparing for trial.

Richard Allen, 52, also of Delphi, was first arrested in connection with the crime in 2022, but his day in court faced several setbacks and postponements. Jury selection for the trial, which is expected to last until November 15, finally began on Monday.

The deaths of German and Williams, known as the Delphi murders, have continued to rock their town of 3,000 in the years since the news made headlines. Public interest in the Delphi case continues, not only thanks to evidence captured on the phone of one of the victims shortly before her death, but also due to strange twists in the investigation, including allegations of cult involvement.

Here is a brief summary of what happened in the Delphi murders as the trial approaches.

What are the Delphi Murders?

Teenagers Libby German and Abby Williams were last seen alive around 1 p.m. on February 13, 2017, when they were dropped off for a hike by German’s older sister, Kelsi German, near the Monon High Bridge over Deer Creek in Delphi, Indiana.

The couple was supposed to meet family members later that afternoon to be picked up, but never showed up. After briefly searching for the girls, their families reported them missing around 5:30 p.m

The search lasted until around midnight, after which authorities suspended the mission until morning. The bodies of German and Williams were discovered the next day, February 14, on the north bank of Deer Creek, about half a mile from their last known location.

The case garnered attention online and in the media, largely thanks to photos and videos found on German’s phone after her disappearance. German posted two final images on the social media platform Snapchat around 2:07 p.m. on Feb. 13, showing Williams walking across the abandoned railroad tracks of the Monon High Bridge.

Police later said German used her cell phone to take pictures and videos of the man who later became their main suspect.

What happened after the murders?

In searching for the murder suspects, police relied heavily on what German had recorded on her cell phone.

On Feb. 15, investigators released a grainy photo of a man walking across the empty tracks of the Monon Bridge, taken from German’s phone before her death. The image appeared to show a white man with shaggy brownish hair wearing a dark blue coat and blue jeans. His hands were in his pockets and he was looking at the ground.

On February 22, law enforcement released audio recordings, also from German’s phone, in which a muffled male voice could be heard saying “Down the Hill.” They have also since released an additional image and a short clip of the man going out in public.

The man captured in these clips has been named as the main suspect in the murders, although police said it was possible more than one person was involved. Authorities set up a hotline for information and offered a reward to anyone with information about the case.

On July 17, police released a composite sketch of a white male wearing a hooded jacket and newsboy hat with stubble around his mouth and chin and shaggy hair. However, in April 2019, state police announced a “new direction” in the investigation, releasing a new sketch that appeared to show a younger, clean-shaven man with shorter, curly hair.

In the years following the murders, several suspects were questioned, with police keeping many details about the murders and the investigation tightly secret.

Police arrested Richard M. Allen, then 50, on October 26, 2022.

Who were the victims Libby German and Abby Williams?

Liberty “Libby” German, 14, and Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, were eighth-graders at Delphi Community Middle School in 2017.

According to the Indy Star, part of the USA TODAY Network, the community named a softball park after the friends because they were both such avid softball players.

Libby also played volleyball, soccer and swimming. She participated in band and Academic Bowl and loved arts and crafts and vacations. Abby participated in band and volleyball games, enjoyed reading, and enjoyed photography, art, and decorating her mother’s home. She loved nature and animals – especially her cat Bongo.

Who is on trial for the Delphi murders?

Richard Allen, now 52, ​​lives in Delphi and worked as a licensed pharmacy technician at CVS. Allen had lived in Delphi since at least 2006 and was married with an adult daughter at the time of his arrest. He lived a five-minute drive from the bridge where German and Williams were killed.

Allen was arrested after police matched an ejected .40-caliber shell casing found at the scene to a handgun in Allen’s possession, according to an affidavit at his arrest in 2022.

Allen was initially charged with kidnapping the girls and two counts of murder while committing a felony. Earlier this year, prosecutors asked for additional kidnapping charges to be added, but later dropped them. Allen is currently charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated murder.

In court documents unsealed in June 2023, Allen’s lawyers claimed the teens were not killed by him, but rather as part of a “ritual sacrifice” carried out by members of a white nationalist sect. A judge has now banned this alleged cult from being mentioned in court.

Allen’s trial was originally scheduled for January 2024 and was subsequently postponed several times. The date has been postponed to October 14th to November 15th. Jury selection began on October 14th. During this time, jurors were bussed from Allen County to Carroll County due to concerns about local impartiality.

Contributors: Jenny Porter Tilley, Ron Wilkins, Virginia Black, USA TODAY Network