Richard Allen, a 52-year-old man who previously worked at a CVS pharmacy in Delphi, Indiana, has been convicted of the 2017 murders of 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams.
This verdict brings closure to a case that has been heavily talked about for more than six years. The Associated Press reported that after several days of careful consideration, the jury found Allen guilty on two counts of murder, as well as two additional counts related to murder during an attempted kidnapping.
Court documents revealed that the incident occurred on February 13, 2017, when the two middle school friends were taking an afternoon hike at the Monon High Bridge trail in Delphi. Liberty and Abigail never returned home and were reported missing. Prosecutors stated that the girls’ bodies were later found covered with sticks in a nearby wooded area. Their throats were also cut open.
One of the most important pieces of evidence in the case came from Liberty German’s cell phone. It recorded a blurry video showing a man trailing behind them on the bridge. Along with that, the video also captured a man’s voice telling the girls to go “down the hill.” This footage quickly gained attention online and became a focal point in the investigation.
A detective from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office mentioned in an affidavit that Richard Allen was interviewed in 2017, where he admitted to being on the trail that day. However, it wasn’t until October 2022 that authorities took him into custody. The breakthrough came when police discovered a .40-caliber firearm at Allen’s residence, which matched an unspent round found at the scene of the crime.
During the trial, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland presented multiple pieces of evidence, including recorded confessions Allen made while in custody. In one notable call to his wife in April 2023, Allen stated, “I did it. I killed Abby and Libby.” However, the defense challenged these confessions, arguing that Richard Allen was experiencing psychosis during this period. Multiple psychiatrists testified about Allen’s mental state, with some suggesting he was genuinely psychotic while others believed he might have been manipulating the situation.
One of the lawyers from the defense team, Bradley Rozzi, spoke about the lack of direct physical evidence linking Allen to the murders. They also pointed out discrepancies between witness descriptions of the “Bridge Guy” and Allen’s physical appearance, noting that Allen stands at 5 feet 5 inches tall, while witnesses described seeing a taller man.
However, McLelan pointed out that some of the details Richard Allen had spoken of were things “only the killer would know.” The latter’s prison psychologist, Dr. Monica Wala, shared that Allen had given her a very specific narrative about the crime, including how he couldn’t go through with raping the girls because of a van that passed by. This account was even corroborated by a local resident who testified that he had driven by in his van around the time of the crime.
NPR reported that when the verdict was announced, community members gathered outside the courthouse in the small town of Delphi—home to around 3,000 residents, including both the victims and Allen—cheered loudly. Inside the courtroom, Allen remained stoic, showing no visible emotion as the decision was read, although he was seen glancing back at his family during the proceedings.
Richard Allen could be sentenced to as much as 130 years in prison. His sentencing date is set for December 20.
