A Look Back at the Trial and the Case
Richard Allen, an Indiana man, was found guilty on all charges in the 2017 killings of two teenage girls who disappeared during an afternoon hike near their small hometown of Delphi. The jury announced the verdict on Monday afternoon.
The Charges
Allen, 52, was facing two felony counts of murder and two additional counts of felony murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping in the killings of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14. He was found guilty on all four counts.
The Trial
The seven women and five men on the jury began deliberations on Thursday afternoon after hearing closing arguments in the weeks-long murder trial. Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland told jurors that Allen is the man seen in a grainy cellphone video recorded by one of the girls, known as Abby and Libby, as they crossed an abandoned railroad bridge just before they vanished on February 13, 2017.
The Evidence
McLeland presented evidence that an unspent bullet found between the teens’ bodies “had been cycled through” Allen’s.40-caliber Sig Sauer handgun. A firearms expert called by the defense questioned the state police analysis, and Rozzi dismissed it as a “magic bullet,” saying investigators had made an “apples to oranges” comparison of the unspent round to one fired from Allen’s gun.
The Confessions
Allen had confessed repeatedly to the killings – in person, on the phone, and in writing. In one of the recordings he replayed for the jury, Allen could be heard telling his wife, “I did it. I killed Abby and Libby.”
The Defense
Allen’s defense cast doubt on the confessions, putting up witnesses, including a psychiatrist who testified that Allen was delirious and psychotic after months in solitary confinement. Attorney Bradley Rozzi closed by saying that Allen is innocent.
The Sentence
Allen is expected to be sentenced on December 20. He could be sentenced to up to 130 years in prison if convicted of all the charges.
Conclusion
The case has drawn outsized attention from true-crime enthusiasts, with repeated delays, some surrounding a leak of evidence, the withdrawal of Allen’s public defenders, and their reinstatement by the Indiana Supreme Court. It has also been the subject of a gag order.
FAQs
Q: What were the charges against Richard Allen?
A: Allen was charged with two felony counts of murder and two additional counts of felony murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping in the killings of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.
Q: What was the evidence presented against Allen?
A: The evidence presented against Allen included a grainy cellphone video recorded by one of the girls, a bullet found between the teens’ bodies, and Allen’s own confessions.
Q: Did the defense present any evidence?
A: Yes, the defense presented evidence that Allen was delirious and psychotic after months in solitary confinement, and that the confessions were unreliable.
Q: What is the sentence for the crimes?
A: Allen is expected to be sentenced to up to 130 years in prison if convicted of all the charges.
