Update Nov. 11: Two years after his arrest, Richard Allen has been found guilty of “two counts of murder and two counts of felony murder” in the tragic deaths of 14-year-old Abigail Williams and 15-year-old Liberty German.
According to CNN, Allen is expected to be sentenced Dec. 20. He faces up to 130 years in prison.
Original report begins below:
It has been more than five years since the Delphi murder case was opened, following the death of 14-year-old Abigail Williams and 15-year-old Liberty German. The two girls went missing on February 13th but were found the following day near a trail they were supposedly walking on.
For the past five years, police officers have been searching for the suspect. During that time, they’ve kept information and details as hidden as possible – though police have released a video, audio, and sketch of the suspect, all of which were pulled from German’s cell phone.
On October 28, police finally had their suspect in custody – 50-year-old Richard Allen. Indiana police arrested and charged him with two counts of murder, announcing the arrest on Monday in what was an emotional news conference with Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter.
The murders haunted the Delphi community – a small town in Indiana with a population under 3,000 people – for long enough, but the police are confident they have their man and are ready to let justice run its course. They never gave up on Williams, German, or the victim’s families.
Allen, a resident of Delphi, was working at CVS and living with his wife (and cat) at the time of his arrest. His neighbor said they never had much company over, but often saw the suspect smoking cigarettes and drinking beer in his driveway after work. He didn’t appear to be a killer.
The two teenage girls were last seen on February 13 when German’s older sister dropped them off at the Delphi Historic Trails. During their walk, they took several photos and videos – which were later used to help determine their location and identify the suspect, who is now in custody.
Police officials haven’t released a lot of details about the murders over the past five years, more specifically how the girls were murdered. Now that Allen will face a trial, we can expect more information to be released in the coming months – don’t expect a trial until March of next year.
The Delphi Murder Case Is ‘Far From Complete’
In the Monday news conference, Police Superintendent Doug Carter made it clear that the investigation is ‘ongoing’ and ‘far from complete.’ It’s important to note the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty, making this an extremely sensitive time in the Delphi murder case.
“We are going to continue a very methodical and committed approach to ensure that if any other person had any involvement in these murders in any way, that person or persons will be held accountable,” said Carter, who has been involved in the Delphi murder case for several years.
BREAKING: “An arrest has been made.”
— ABC News (@ABC) October 31, 2022
Suspect arrested in the 2017 murders of two girls in Delphi, Indiana, a case that has haunted the community for five years. https://t.co/iqxwYfopzD pic.twitter.com/WJclkpni96
Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLeland also spoke to the media on Monday, adding that tip lines are open and officials are still accepting any information citizens might have – not just about the suspect in custody, but about any other potential suspects or potential victims.
“If there’s anything out there that law enforcement doesn’t know about, we want them to know about it. And especially with this arrest, and this person being charged with this,” said one of Liberty’s grandparents, adding that the reality of everything is finally starting to settle in.
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As of right now, the courts are reviewing the decision to seal the charging documents. Allen has a pretrial hearing scheduled for January 13, 2023, and his official trial is expected to begin March 20, 2023 – though that date is subject to change. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.