Richard Allen, convicted for the 2017 murders of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana, has been sentenced to 130 years in prison. Allen received a 65-year sentence for each girl’s death, totaling 130 years. His 760 days served since his arrest will be deducted from this sentence.
In November, an Indiana jury found Allen guilty of the murders of 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German and 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams, who disappeared while hiking in Delphi. After 19 hours of deliberation, the jury convicted Allen of all charges.
The families of the victims expressed their gratitude, with Libby’s grandfather, Mike Patty, thanking the community and law enforcement for their support over the years. “Justice has been served for the girls,” he said.
Sheriff Tony Liggett acknowledged that while justice had been achieved, it didn’t bring Abby and Libby back. “They did not deserve this,” he said. Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter also thanked the families and the Delphi community, urging them to begin the healing process.
The girls were last seen on February 13, 2017, when they were dropped off at a hiking trail in Delphi. When they failed to meet Libby’s father later that day, they were reported missing. Their bodies were found about a mile from the trail, with throat slashes, according to prosecutors.
Police pursued thousands of leads, releasing composite sketches of the suspect based on eyewitness reports. Audio from Libby’s phone captured the suspect telling the girls to “go down the hill,” and Libby recorded a video of the man they believed to be the killer. Despite circulating the photo and audio, the case went cold for over five years.
In 2022, Allen, who lived in Delphi and worked at a CVS pharmacy, became a suspect after a clerk noticed his connection to the case. Allen had previously placed himself near the scene but claimed he had not spoken to the girls. He was arrested after ballistics tests matched a cartridge found near the victims’ bodies to a pistol recovered from his home.
Allen was charged with two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit a kidnapping, later amended to include two additional counts of murder. Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented evidence of over 60 confessions made by Allen while in custody. The defense argued that these confessions were involuntary and that Allen was mentally ill.
Monica Wala, the former lead psychologist at Westville Correctional Facility, testified that Allen confessed to the crime, claiming he initially intended to assault the girls but fled when he saw a van nearby. He later admitted to slashing their throats and covering their bodies with sticks.
