Richard Allen Conviction (Delphi)

On February 13, 2017, two teenagers, 14-year-old Liberty "Libby" German and 13-year-old Abigail "Abby" Williams, were dropped off to hike near the Monon High Bridge Trail in Delphi, Indiana. When they failed to return, a search was launched, and their bodies were found the following day, February 14, 2017, in woods roughly half a mile from the bridge. Both girls had died of sharp-force injuries to the neck. In the days after, investigators released images and audio recovered from Libby German's cellphone, which had captured a man walking on the bridge and a voice saying "down the hill." The unidentified figure became known publicly as "Bridge Guy," and the cellphone recording was described by prosecutors as one of the most important pieces of evidence in the case.

The investigation stretched over more than five years and drew national attention, with police releasing composite sketches in July 2017 and again in April 2019, along with an appeal for tips. On October 26, 2022, Indiana State Police arrested Richard Matthew Allen, a local pharmacy technician who had lived in Delphi, and he was charged with two counts of murder on October 31, 2022. Investigators said an unspent .40-caliber round found between the victims' bodies was linked to a pistol owned by Allen. Prosecutors also said Allen made numerous incriminating statements while jailed; they told the jury he admitted to the killings more than 60 times to family members, prison staff, and others. Allen pleaded not guilty, and his defense disputed the reliability of those statements, arguing they were made while he was under severe psychological distress in isolation.

Allen's trial began on October 18, 2024, in Delphi. On November 11, 2024, a jury convicted him on all counts, including two counts of murder and two counts of felony murder in the deaths of German and Williams. On December 20, 2024, a judge sentenced Allen to 130 years in prison, consisting of 65 years for each victim to be served consecutively. Allen's attorneys said they would appeal, and he was later transferred to an out-of-state facility. His appeal, filed with the Court of Appeals of Indiana, argues that the search of his home was unconstitutional, that his confessions should have been excluded because of his mental state, and that the trial court wrongly barred a defense theory that the killings were tied to a ritual. As of mid-2026, no appellate ruling had been issued, with oral arguments scheduled for September 21, 2026. The recorded case status remains a conviction.