Indiana Man Convicted in 2017 Murders of Two Teenage Girls

An individual in Indiana, USA, has been convicted of the murders of two girls who vanished during a hike in 2017. The remains of 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams, both teenagers, were discovered close to Delphi, their hometown. This case remained unsolved for an extended period, drawing significant attention from true-crime followers. Richard Allen, a 52-year-old local pharmacist, received a guilty verdict from a jury on Monday. His arrest occurred in 2022, following an extensive search by law enforcement for a suspect, and he faced charges of murder and murder with kidnapping. According to prosecutors, he made multiple confessions regarding his involvement in the crimes, however, his defense team challenged these statements, asserting they were uttered when Allen was experiencing mental instability. Allen’s sentencing is scheduled for 20 December, where he could receive a prison term of 130 years. The Associated Press reported that the announcement of his conviction was met with cheers outside the courthouse. In February 2017, the bodies of the two girls were discovered with throat lacerations, situated near a disused railway bridge and in proximity to their drop-off point for the hike. During the trial, the jury was shown evidence linking Allen to the crime scene, which included video footage from German’s phone that prosecutors claimed depicted Allen. A recording of Allen seemingly confessing to the murders during a phone call to his wife was also presented to the jurors. Allen’s defense team contended that these admissions, among others, occurred during a phase of mental illness following prolonged periods of solitary confinement. A psychologist testified in court that such circumstances could potentially induce delirium and psychosis. Allen was first interviewed as a potential witness, then re-interviewed five years subsequent to that when law enforcement connected his firearm to an unfired bullet discovered at the location. The defense challenged the firearm connection by presenting an expert witness. Allen’s legal representatives maintained his innocence, stating that no witness had observed the suspect at the scene. An attorney not involved in the proceedings informed CBS News, the BBC’s US media partner, that an acquittal was a “real possibility” given “a fair amount of questionable evidence.” CBS reported that Allen possessed a Bible and displayed no immediate reaction when the verdict was read, although he subsequently turned to briefly address his family. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.