Richard Allen has been found guilty of all charges in the 2017 murders of two teenage girls, Liberty “Libby” German, 14, and Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, in Delphi, Indiana. After 17 days of testimony and less than four days of deliberation, a jury convicted Allen, who now faces a maximum sentence of 130 years in prison. The case had drawn nationwide attention due to its high profile and the controversy surrounding the investigation.
The girls were last seen on February 13, 2017, while walking the Monon High Bridge Trail near Delphi, Indiana. Their bodies were discovered the following day in a wooded area near an old trestle bridge, and their deaths were ruled homicides. Despite an intensive investigation, including the release of a chilling video of a man walking behind the girls, the case remained unsolved for several years.
Richard Allen, 52, was arrested in October 2022, more than five years after the murders. Authorities accused him of killing the girls, though there was no physical evidence linking him directly to the crime scene. No DNA, fingerprints, or other forensic evidence tied Allen to the killings. This lack of physical evidence raised questions about the investigation’s approach, especially given the substantial media attention the case had received.
Despite the absence of concrete forensic evidence, prosecutors argued that Allen had confessed to the murders on multiple occasions, including a recorded phone conversation with his wife in which he allegedly said, “I did it. I killed Abby and Libby.” The prosecution’s theory was that Allen was the “Bridge Guy” captured on Libby German’s phone video, walking behind the victims shortly before their deaths. The video, along with a grainy audio recording of the man saying “Down the hill,” became key pieces of evidence in the case.
Allen’s defense team contended that prosecutors were attempting to retrofit evidence to fit a narrative of guilt, driven by public pressure to solve the case. They presented expert testimony arguing that Allen’s confessions were coerced and the result of months of solitary confinement and constant harassment. They also proposed an alternative theory: that the girls were killed as part of a ritualistic sacrifice by members of a white nationalist cult. However, the judge ruled that there was no admissible evidence to support this theory, and it was excluded from the trial.
One of the most significant hurdles in the case was the mishandling of crucial evidence by law enforcement. Prosecutors inadvertently lost 70 days of police interviews, including two recorded interviews with men who had been considered “key suspects” in the case. This mishap led to frustration and mistrust among Allen’s defense team, especially when it was revealed that the state had erased important video footage. Nonetheless, the jury ultimately found Allen guilty based on the strength of the remaining evidence, including his alleged confessions and the video showing him near the victims.
The case has been marked by missteps and public scrutiny from the very beginning. Questions were raised about the thoroughness of the investigation, and the controversy surrounding the case only intensified after Allen’s arrest. Despite the defense’s arguments, the jury concluded that Richard Allen was responsible for the tragic deaths of Abby and Libby.
Allen’s sentencing is set for December 20, 2024, where he will face a lengthy prison sentence. The conviction brings some closure to a case that has haunted the Delphi community for years. However, the trial has also left lingering questions about the investigation’s handling and the challenges faced in prosecuting such a complex case.
