The Trial: A Shaky Conviction
The Delphi murders case, involving the tragic deaths of Liberty “Libby” German and Abigail “Abby” Williams in February 2017, has captivated public attention for over eight years. The arrest and subsequent conviction of Richard Allen in November 2024 for these crimes marked a significant development in a case that had long gone unsolved. However, a closer examination of the trial, the evidence presented by the state, and the irregularities that plagued the judicial process raises serious doubts about Allen’s guilt and the fairness of his trial. For those familiar with the Delphi murders but not deeply versed in the trial’s specifics, this page aims to provide an overview of the state's case against Allen, highlighting why his conviction may represent a miscarriage of justice and why due process demands further scrutiny.
The Crime and the Long Road to an Arrest
On February 13, 2017, Libby German, 14, and Abby Williams, 13, set out for a hike along the Monon High Bridge Trail in Delphi, Indiana. When they failed to return, their families reported them missing, and their bodies were discovered the next day in a wooded area less than a mile from the bridge. A key piece of evidence emerged from Libby’s phone: a short video showing a man—later termed “Bridge Guy”—walking on the bridge, accompanied by an audio clip of a voice saying what appears to be, “Guys, down the hill.” Despite extensive investigation, including sketches and thousands of tips, the case remained cold for over five years.
In October 2022, Richard Allen, a 50-year-old Delphi resident and pharmacy technician, was arrested after a volunteer claimed to discover a 2017 tip in which he admitted to being on the trail that day, observing three girls but not interacting with them. A search of his home uncovered a .40-caliber Sig Sauer pistol; an unspent bullet found near the crime scene was supposedly to this weapon. Charged with two counts of murder and two counts of felony murder (murder during an attempted kidnapping), Allen pleaded not guilty. His trial, overseen by Special Judge Frances Gull, began in October 2024 and concluded with a guilty verdict on November 11, 2024. Yet, the evidence and proceedings reveal significant flaws that undermine confidence in this outcome.
The State’s Evidence: A Shaky Foundation
The prosecution built its case on three primary elements: the “Bridge Guy” video, the unspent bullet, and Allen’s prison confessions. Each element, however, is fraught with issues that call its reliability into question.
The “Bridge Guy” Video and Audio
The video from Libby’s phone, showing a man in a jacket and cap with a voice saying, “Down the hill,” was central to the prosecution’s narrative. They asserted this was Allen, citing his 2017 statement placing him on the trail. Witnesses, including two teenage girls who saw a man that day, provided vague and inconsistent descriptions—one noted he was “overdressed,” another mentioned a hat—but none positively identified Allen. The video’s poor quality, lacking clear facial features or forensic enhancement definitively linking it to Allen, renders it inconclusive. Without stronger corroboration, it fails to meet the threshold of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Unspent Bullet
An unspent .40-caliber round found between the girls’ bodies was tied to Allen’s Sig Sauer via tool mark analysis by Indiana State Police examiner Melissa Oberg. She testified that markings on the bullet matched those from Allen’s gun, suggesting it had been cycled through it. However, the defense’s expert, Dr. Erin Warren, contested this, arguing that comparing an unspent, cycled round to fired test rounds—an “apples to oranges” comparison—invalidates the conclusion due to differing pressures and markings. Further, the bullet lacked DNA or fingerprints tying it to Allen or the scene, and questions arose about its chain of custody and whether it could have originated from a law enforcement weapon. This single piece of physical evidence, heavily relied upon, appears far less definitive than presented.
Allen’s Coerced "Confessions"
The prosecution highlighted Allen’s multiple confessions—over 60, by their count—made while incarcerated awaiting trial. These included statements to his wife, Kathy, on recorded calls (“I did it. I killed Abby and Libby”), and to prison psychologist Dr. Monica Wala, where he detailed an intent to sexually assault the girls but killed them after being startled. Yet, these confessions occurred under troubling circumstances. Allen was held in solitary confinement for 13 months—far exceeding guidelines for inmates with serious mental illness, a diagnosis he received in April 2023. Experts testified that prolonged isolation can induce psychosis, delirium, and false confessions, corroborated by Allen’s documented erratic behavior and forced medication with antipsychotics like Haldol. The defense argued these statements were unreliable, a product of mental deterioration rather than guilt, a claim bolstered by inconsistent details in his accounts (e.g., claiming to use a box cutter, though no such weapon was recovered).
Irregularities in the Trial
Beyond the questionable evidence, the trial was marred by procedural and judicial irregularities that compromised Allen’s right to a fair defense:
Suppression of Alternative Theories
The defense sought to present evidence suggesting the murders were a ritualistic killing by Odinists, a pagan group with extremist ties, pointing to the crime scene’s staging (bodies covered with sticks) and local Odinist activity. Judge Gull barred this theory, ruling it lacked a sufficient nexus to the crime, despite earlier law enforcement consideration of multiple perpetrators with Odinist links. This restriction prevented the jury from considering a plausible alternative, limiting the defense’s ability to create reasonable doubt.
Judicial Conduct and Defense Challenges
Allen’s original public defenders, Andrew Baldwin and Brad Rozzi, were removed by Judge Gull in 2023 amid an evidence leak scandal, only to be reinstated by the Indiana Supreme Court. This disruption delayed the trial and strained the defense’s preparation. Gull’s rulings, including denying Odinist evidence and giving the state ample leeway in its use of objections, raised concerns about impartiality.
Investigation Mishandling
The initial investigation overlooked Allen’s 2017 tip for five years, only rediscovered by chance in 2022. Testimony revealed inconsistencies, such as Carroll County Sheriff Tony Liggett claiming to hear a gun slide in the “Bridge Guy” audio—a detail not universally audible—potentially inflating the evidence’s weight. The absence of DNA linking Allen to the scene, despite extensive testing, further highlights investigative gaps.
Broader Implications and the Call for Justice
The Delphi murders demanded resolution, but the rush to convict Allen appears to have prioritized closure over certainty. No DNA or fingerprints tied him to the crime scene, and the physical evidence rests on a single, contested bullet. The “Bridge Guy” video, while haunting, lacks specificity, and the confessions—extracted under conditions known to produce false statements—cannot be taken at face value without scrutiny. The trial’s irregularities, from suppressed defenses to a potentially biased judicial approach, compound these doubts.
Richard Allen’s conviction does not prove his guilt. Instead, it underscores the risks of a justice system bending under public pressure, where due process is sidelined for expediency, against a backdrop of questionable judicial ethics. For those unfamiliar with the trial’s nuances, consider this: a man’s life hinges on evidence that fails rigorous scrutiny and a process that denied him a full defense. The flaws in this case demand appellate review and a new trial to ensure justice—not just for Libby and Abby, but for the integrity of the legal system itself. The true perpetrator may still be at large, and without addressing these issues, that possibility remains uncomfortably plausible.
We hope that in the near future, evidence and transcripts from the trial will become available for the public's scrutiny. In the meantime, you can watch the 43-second "Bridge Guy" video extracted from Liberty German's phone here.