Jurors in the Delphi Murder Trial have finally reached a verdict. They spent almost 20 hours of deliberation spread across four days before delivering the fate of Richard Allen in the double-murder trial. Richard Allen is a 52-year-old man from Indiana who was accused of murdering Abigail “Abby” Williams and Liberty “Libby” German on February 13, 2017, in Delphi, Indiana. His trial lasted exactly three weeks, from opening statements to reading the verdict. The jury found Allen guilty of four charges and will be sentenced later this year. This verdict does not come as a surprise to most after the prosecution brought in multiple experts with damning evidence against Allen.
Jury Deliberations Continue
Jurors returned to the Carroll County Courthouse on day 21 of the Delphi Murder Trial to continue deliberation. Richard Allen has been charged with four counts of murder, two including kidnapping as well. The prosecution delivered closing arguments after several weeks of witness testimony. Not only did Allen confess to the crime over a dozen times, but the prosecution also brought in a crime lab technician who was able to match the bullet found at the crime scene to Allen’s gun. The jurors found that piece of evidence enough to convict him of the murders.
Allen’s defense did not sway from their argument. They stood so strong that Allen was driven mad in solitary confinement, leading him to confess out of delirium. They argued the state failed to provide any DNA or digital evidence that would place Allen at the scene of the crime on the day of the murders. However, the jurors were not as impressed with the defense’s argument. They did not find the state’s investigation to be sloppy or Allen’s confessions to be involuntary.
The Delphi Murders
Abby Williams and Libby German were hiking along a trail in Delphi the day they went missing. Allen was allegedly photographed at the nearby bridge and confessed to being there. The girls’ bodies were discovered the next day, and both of their throats were slashed. Allen was investigated in 2017 but was no longer a person of interest when police did not have sufficient evidence to continue the investigation. The double-murder case went cold until 2022 when police arrested Allen and charged him with the girls’ murders. He pleaded not guilty and was held in jail. Seven years after the death of Williams and German and 2 years after Allen’s arrest, justice is finally served.
The prosecution and defense delivered their closing arguments on day 18, leading the jury to begin deliberation. The prosecutor, Nicholas McLeland, left the jurors with three main points, hoping they would convict Allen of the murders. They focused on video evidence from German’s phone, the witness who caught the photo of him on the bridge, and his many confessions. Allen’s defense attorney, Brad Rozzi, attempted to point the finger at other suspects. He claimed that the prosecution had nothing but false confessions and uncertain digital data to run off of. He is confident that the state mishandled the double-murder case and that his client does not deserve to be convicted of this crime.
Final Thoughts
13 Investigative Reporter Bob Segall stood in the courtroom to hear the jurors read the verdict. The verdict was publicized after the trial ended since no cameras or cell phones were allowed inside the courtroom. Richard Allen was found guilty of felony murder of both Abby Williams and Libby German in the Delphi Murder Trial. The jury found him to be knowing and intentional with the murders. Allen will appear in court on December 20, 2024, for sentencing. Kathy Allen, the wife of Richard Allen, was seen leaving the courtroom after the verdict was read. She told 13 News, “This isn’t over at all.”
