CrimeRichard Allen found guilty of killing Delphi teens

Richard Allen found guilty of killing Delphi teens

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(NewsNation) — Delphi man Richard Allen was found guilty on four counts of murder of killing Indiana teens Libby German and Abby Williams in 2017. 

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The jury concluded Allen, 52, killed German, 14, and Williams, 13, in February 2017 after luring them to their deaths while they were on a hike not far from their home.

Allen faces up to 130 years in prison and the judge will hand down his sentencing on Dec. 20, 2024.

The girls’ deaths had gone unsolved for more than five years when Allen, then a pharmacy worker, was arrested in the case that has drawn attention from true crime enthusiasts. State police announced his arrest in October 2022. 

Allen’s conviction serves as closure for the two families of the girls after seven and a half years of uncertainty and no answers. 

Delphi murders trial against Allen

The jury, consisting of seven women and five men, began deliberations Thursday afternoon after hearing closing arguments in the weekslong murder trial.

Over three days, jurors met for 14.5 hours before standing down Sunday. Saturday’s session lasted 4.5 hours and included viewing of videos previously entered into evidence.

The state made its case: A crime lab technician matched a bullet found at the crime scene to Allen’s gun; a camera captured Allen’s car near the murder scene; he admitted he was on the bridge on the day of the murders and confessed to the crime dozens of times, including in jail phone calls to his wife and mother.

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The defense countered: The state had no DNA, social media or digital forensic evidence linking Allen to the crime; his time in solitary confinement warped his mind and led to false confessions; the state’s investigation was bungled from the beginning; and the bullet evidence was inconclusive at best.

The trial started with jury selection on Oct. 14 in Allen County. Due to the high profile of the case and its prominence in central Indiana, Special Judge Fran Gull decided to pull jurors from Allen County. Since the murders happened in Carroll County and a number of key witnesses and investigators lived near or around Delphi, the trial itself was held at the Carroll County Courthouse.

The prosecution and defense delivered closing arguments on Nov. 7, 2024 — seven years, eight months and 25 days after the girls’ bodies were found.

NewsNation affiliate WXIN contributed to this report.

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