Man Gets Maximum Sentence in Delphi Killings of 2 Teen Girls
Judge Frances Gull Sentences Richard Allen to 130 Years in Prison
An Indiana man convicted in the 2017 killings of two teenage girls who vanished during a winter hike will face the maximum sentence of 130 years in prison, a judge ruled Friday in the case that’s long cast a shadow over the teens’ small hometown of Delphi.
Conviction and Sentence
According to NBC affiliate station WTHR, Judge Frances Gull sentenced Richard Allen to 65 years for each girl’s murder – the maximum length for both of the charges. “These families will deal with your carnage forever,” Gull reportedly said while looking at Allen.
Background of the Case
After a weekslong trial, Allen was convicted on Nov. 11 in the killings of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14. A jury found him guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping. Allen faced between 45 years and 130 years in prison for the killings of the Delphi teens, known as Abby and Libby. He was sentenced on two of the four murder counts.
Allen’s Life and Trial
Allen, 52, also lived in Delphi. When he was arrested in October 2022, more than five years after the February 2017 killings, he was employed as a pharmacy technician at a pharmacy only blocks from the county courthouse where he later stood trial. Allen’s trial came after repeated delays, a leak of evidence, the withdrawal of his public defenders and their reinstatement by the Indiana Supreme Court.
Conclusion
Allen will be sentenced Friday by the special judge who oversaw the case, Allen County Superior Court Judge Fran Gull. Relatives of German and Williams may address the court during the hearing, which Gull has scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The case, which included tantalizing evidence, has long drawn outsized attention from true-crime enthusiasts.
FAQs
Q: What was the maximum sentence given to Richard Allen?
A: 130 years in prison
Q: How many years did Allen receive for each girl’s murder?
A: 65 years for each girl’s murder
Q: What was the outcome of Allen’s trial?
A: Allen was convicted of two counts of murder and two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping
Q: What was the motive behind the killings?
A: The motive behind the killings is still unclear, but prosecutors argued that Allen planned to rape the girls before a passing van made him change his plans and he cut their throats.
