Jury Selection Begins for High-Profile Delphi Murders Case
Richard Allen, 52, will soon stand trial for the 2017 murders of two teenage girls, Abigail Williams and Liberty German, in a case that has gripped the town of Delphi, Indiana, and spurred widespread speculation. Allen is facing two counts of murder, with prosecutors not seeking the death penalty. If convicted, he could face up to 130 years in prison.
The trial begins Monday with jury selection in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Once selected, the 12 jurors and four alternates will be sequestered in Delphi, a small town of 3,000 people located about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. The trial is expected to last for a month.
The 2017 Delphi Murders: A Town in Mourning
Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, went missing on February 13, 2017, after being dropped off at a hiking trail near Delphi. Their bodies were discovered the next day in a rugged area close to the trail.
Soon after, investigators released images and an audio clip found on Liberty’s phone, including a man’s voice saying “down the hill.” Despite these leads, it took nearly six years for an arrest to be made. In October 2022, Allen, a local pharmacy technician, was charged with the murders.
Evidence and Arrest
According to police, Allen had been interviewed in 2017 and admitted to walking the same trail on the day the girls disappeared. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that a bullet found at the crime scene was linked to a .40-caliber gun owned by Allen. Allen has denied any involvement, claiming he had never visited the specific location where the bodies were found.
Incriminating Statements and Legal Battles
This case has faced multiple delays due to evidence leaks, legal withdrawals, and reinstatements. A gag order was placed on the case by Allen County Superior Court Judge Fran Gull in 2022 to prevent further leaks, and cameras have been banned from the courtroom during the trial.
In August 2023, the judge allowed prosecutors to present evidence of incriminating statements Allen allegedly made to correctional officers, inmates, and relatives while in custody. This includes a recorded phone call in which Allen reportedly confessed to the murders. Legal experts believe these statements could be highly persuasive for the jury.
Defense’s Odinism Theory Rejected
Allen’s defense team attempted to argue that the girls were killed as part of a ritual sacrifice by members of a pagan group called Odinists, but Judge Gull ruled that they failed to provide admissible evidence to support this claim. The defense was also barred from suggesting that others, including the late owner of the property where the girls were found, might be responsible.
