Allen’s Presence and Timeline at the Trails
The prosecution used witness testimonies and digital evidence to place Allen on the Monon High Bridge trail system during the murders. They cited Libby’s video/audio (“Guys, down the hill”) as capturing the encounter and Breann Wilbur’s testimony (claiming she saw no one resembling “Bridge Guy” around 12:30 PM on February 13, 2017) to challenge Allen’s alibi of being on the trails earlier. The state's position is that the girls were abducted and murdered between 2.15 PM and 3.30 PM on February 13, 2017.
The Defense Argument:
Allen Admits Presence
Allen acknowledged being on the trails that day, so his presence is not disputed. The contention lies in the timing and his actions, which the prosecution failed to pinpoint definitively, as the trail system is extensive and multiple people were present.
Alternate Witnesses
The defense presented witnesses like David McCain, Cheyenne Mill, and Shelley Hicks, who were on or near the trails at relevant times but reported nothing suspicious. This undermines the prosecution’s implication that the area was isolated, with Allen as the only plausible suspect.
Wilbur’s Limited Scope
Breann Wilbur’s testimony only covers a specific timeframe (~12:30 PM) and location (near the Freedom Bridge). It does not exclude Allen being elsewhere on the trails at slightly different times, limiting its value in disproving his alibi.
Hoosier Harvestore CCTV Shows Allen Leaving at 13:27
On October 22, 2024, the prosecution's investigator was recalled to the stand. It was put to him that the Hoosier Harvestore CCTV was fast by 54-minutes. Mullin confirmed that the FBI had confirmed this discrepancy, and that the camera was fast by 54-minutes. This provides photographic evidence of Mr Allen leaving the Monon High Bridge Trail area at 13:27, not 14:21.
The prosecution’s timeline evidence is circumstantial and inconclusive. Allen’s admitted presence on the trails does not inherently implicate him, and conflicting witness accounts highlight the chaotic nature of the scene. Without precise corroboration tying Allen to the exact time and place of the murders, this evidence lacks the strength to support a conviction beyond reasonable doubt.
New Information Since the Trial
In April 2025 video and audio of Richard Allen's initial interrogation with police on October 13, 2022, was released to the public. In this interview, Mr Allen is asked in detail about the timings of his movements the day of February 13, 2017. His answers undermine the state's argument that Allen placed himself on the Monon High Bridge Trail at the time of the murders.
Mr Allen stated in one of the police interviews: "I was there probably around noon; it could have been a little before or a little after noon, walked down, back, an hour or so." Even a generous additional half-hour on his time of arrival would place him at the Trail at 12.30, and "an hour or so" would have meant that he would no longer have been present by 2 PM. The state says the abduction and murders happened from 2.15 PM onwards.
This is cemented in evidence, which shows Mr Allen's car leaving the crime scene at around 1.30 PM.
Click here to watch Richard Allen's 2022 police interrogations »