Who is Richard Allen?
Richard “Rick” Matthew Allen, also known to friends and family as Ricky, spent over 16 years quietly woven into the life of Delphi, Indiana. Before his 2022 arrest and 2024 conviction in the widely publicized Delphi murders case, Rick was known as a friendly face behind the CVS pharmacy counter, a devoted husband and father, and a regular at the local pub. To neighbors and acquaintances, he was “a heck of a nice guy,” someone who “blended in” completely, living a life that, by all outward appearances, was stable, familiar, and unremarkable.
Now serving a 130-year sentence, Allen’s story has become a lightning rod, with many raising serious concerns about the integrity of the trial and the possibility of wrongful conviction. But before all of that, Rick Allen was just Rick: a quiet man in a quiet town.
"Normal everyday family man"
Born in September 1972 in Mexico, Indiana, Rick grew up in a small rural community that instilled values of humility, hard work, and routine. He attended North Miami Middle/High School in nearby Denver, where he played football and ran track and field, activities that reflected his enjoyment of teamwork and discipline. He graduated in 1991 and went on to study accounting at Ivy Tech Community College, a practical choice that signaled his intent to build a reliable, structured life.
A former neighbor from those years, David Yoder, described Rick as “an all-around good, normal everyday family man.” Nothing about his early life stood out, except, perhaps, how typical it all seemed.
Marriage, Military, and Management
Shortly after high school, Rick married Kathy on November 19, 1991. The couple welcomed their daughter, Brittany, in 1994, and together they navigated the familiar milestones of early adult life, raising a family, maintaining steady employment, and planting roots in Indiana towns both small and smaller.
At the same time, Rick was serving his country. According to military records, Sergeant Richard Matthew Allen served in the Indiana National Guard from December 5, 1989, to December 4, 1998, a nearly decade-long tenure marked by honorable discharge and no disciplinary actions on record.
He was assigned to Alpha Company of the 2nd Battalion 58th Infantry and Charlie Company of the 2nd Battalion 293rd Infantry, the latter of which is now inactive. His roles included Infantryman and Indirect Fire Infantryman.
This service period overlapped with his early years of marriage and fatherhood, suggesting a man balancing civic responsibility with family life. A small but symbolic item - a green and gold Indiana National Guard multi-tool - was later documented among Allen’s personal belongings during his legal proceedings, offering a subtle reminder of his dedication to community.
After completing his time in the Guard, Rick shifted his focus to civilian life. In 2003, he took on a store management role at Walmart in Logansport, Indiana, overseeing a large retail team and daily operations for the next ten years. The job demanded leadership, long hours, and attention to detail, traits he had already honed during his military service. From stocking shelves to handling customer complaints to managing personnel, Rick helped keep the store - and his life - running smoothly until 2013, when he pivoted toward a new chapter.
"A Good Family Couple"
In December 2006, the Allens relocated to Delphi, a small Carroll County town with a population just shy of 3,000. They purchased a modest home near the heart of town, just 2.5 miles from the Monon High Bridge, the future site of an unimaginable tragedy.
Rick’s life in Delphi was marked by routine and community ties. He and Kathy were known locally as a close couple, often seen together at the Brick & Mortar Pub (formerly JC’s Bar), where they were regulars, visiting several times a week. Conversations often turned to town happenings, including the Delphi murders in 2017. According to Bob Matlock, the bar’s former owner and Rick’s longtime friend, Allen “expressed sympathy for the families” and never raised suspicion. "They were just a good family couple," Matlock recalled.
A Familiar Face at CVS
After leaving Walmart, Rick transitioned into healthcare, taking a job at CVS Pharmacy, first in Peru and later at the Delphi location. In February 2018, he officially became a licensed pharmacy technician, a role requiring discretion, organization, and interpersonal care.
Rick’s work put him in direct contact with the community, filling prescriptions, helping at the photo counter, and assisting customers. He even processed photos for Libby German’s grandparents, Mike and Becky Patty, and did so without charging them. That act, though seemingly small, is often cited as an example of the kind of man people believed he was: helpful, empathetic, and dependable.
Local residents like Chuck Webb, a CVS regular, described him as friendly and professional. Betty Cummings, another acquaintance, remembered seeing him at McDonald’s, quietly going about his day. "He just blended in," she said.
Snapshots of a Quiet Life
Rick Allen's life in Delphi unfolded in the quiet spaces between work shifts, shared meals, and unremarkable errands, the kind of ordinary, familiar routines that make up most people's lives. He wasn't someone who sought attention. Instead, he moved through his world with a calm presence: polite, dependable, and modest in his habits.
The rhythms of his life were steady. He favored familiar places and familiar people. He had routines, preferences, habits. He played pool. He enjoyed quiet nights out. He laughed easily with friends but didn’t speak loudly. His relationships, especially with those closest to him, were marked by stability and longevity.
Even in the digital traces left behind - small glimpses of family life shared casually online before the trial - there’s a sense of a life anchored in comfort, privacy, and simplicity. A private moment captured during a road trip, a small joke exchanged with his wife, a family outing on a crisp Indiana day; these are not dramatic or performative, they're snapshots of a simple, family-centered life.
In a small town where news travels fast and gossip travels faster, no one had ever pegged Rick Allen as someone to watch. In fact, public records show only three minor traffic violations, and no significant criminal history.
"He didn't look anything like that sketch"
On October 28, 2022, Richard Allen was arrested in connection with the 2017 murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, two young girls whose deaths shook Delphi to its core. In November 2024, he was convicted and sentenced to 130 years in prison.
But many who knew Rick - and others following the case closely - aren’t convinced the full truth has been told.
His defense attorneys argued that the prosecution ignored critical leads and alternate theories, including possible cult involvement, and that the investigation was marked by procedural irregularities.
To those who frequented the Brick & Mortar Pub, or knew Rick from CVS, the trial’s outcome seemed surreal. "I just couldn’t believe it," said Matlock. "He didn’t look anything like that [law enforcement suspect] sketch. It just didn’t make sense."
A Life Reconsidered
Before his arrest, Rick Allen lived a life defined by normalcy, a man of quiet habits, family dinners, and the kind of small-town connections that span years. He had a wife, a daughter, a steady job, and a place in a community that, by all accounts, trusted him.
His conviction in one of Indiana’s most tragic cases has cast his past in a new and deeply scrutinized light. But beyond the court documents and headlines is still the story of a man who, for decades, lived a life that felt ordinary to everyone who knew him.
Whether he was a trusted pharmacy technician, a father watching his daughter pose on a bridge, or just a guy sipping beer at the local pub, Rick Allen’s life before the Delphi case offers a fuller, more complex portrait than a questionable conviction can define. For those who believe in due process, or simply in the idea that every story has more than one side, understanding that life matters.
Explore the questionable evidence the state used to convict Richard Allen »
Write to Rick - find contact details and instructions here »