Accused Child Killer Richard Allen Back in Court, Hearings Could Shape Fate of Delphi Murder Trial

Delphi murders suspect Richard Allen is returning to court this week for several motions, which reportedly have the potential to shape the trial’s outcome, depending on the judge’s rulings.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Allen is facing four counts of murder for the deaths of Abigail “Abby” Williams and Liberty “Libby” German, who vanished while hiking along the Monon High Bridge trail on Feb. 13, 2017, in Delphi, Indiana.

Their bodies were discovered the next day and Allen, a local resident and pharmacist, was arrested and charged with their murders more than five years later.

Over the next three days, Special Judge Frances Gull will hear arguments on several pending motions in the case.

One motion addresses whether statements Allen made to inmates and prison guards, in which he claimed to have killed Abby and Libby, should be suppressed, the Indy Star reports. He’s also accused of making statements about sexually molesting the girls, although there was no evidence of this in the victims’ autopsy reports.

Allen’s defense lawyers contended that his statements were involuntary and made during a mental health crisis that happened after prolonged solitary confinement.

His lawyers have also accused the police and prosecutors of withholding information in the case, claiming the prosecution tried to hide evidence that points to a different suspect. Some of this information reportedly includes details on Odinism, cults, or ritualistic killings.

Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland is pushing to prevent testimony regarding cult killings from being presented to the jury. He argued that the such claims are irrelevant and misleading.

The hearings are set for the next three days, and Allen’s trial, which has been delayed multiple times, is slated to begin in October.

Check back for updates.