Delphi murders trial: Day 10 of testimony

It's been more than seven years since the bodies of Abby Williams and Libby German were found near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi. Richard Allen, the man accused of killing the two teenagers, is on trial at the Carroll County Courthouse.

13News will be there every day of the trial. Even though the judge has banned cameras, we will still be bringing you everything that happens during the trial.

Sixteen Allen County residents were selected to serve on the jury. Twelve of those people will begin the trial as jurors and four will serve as alternates.

The jury is made up of eight women and four men. The four alternate jurors are two men and two women.

You can click here to see the developments in the case leading up to the trial. As the trial moves forward, we will be posting summaries of every day's events on this page.

Day Ten Tuesday, Oct. 29

Richard Allen's own words — and his reported confessions to the murders of Abby Williams and Libby German — took center stage on Day 10 of his murder trial in Delphi.

The day started with hours of video showing Allen as he was being interrogated by police in October 2022, before his arrest.

Jurors could see how Allen responded to police questioning. For the most part, he remained very calm and respectful, offering information willingly.

When police told him they wanted to search his phone, car and house, Allen remained polite, but said he needed to discuss that with his wife.

"Your attitude with me has definitely changed. This feels like you're interrogating me," Allen told police. "You've known from the beginning I was out there. I told you that."

"We're not mad at you. We're not upset with you. We're just trying to get to the truth," said state police investigator Steve Mullin.

Investigators then asked Allen if he was the man referred to as "Bridge Guy," captured on Libby German's phone.

"It's not me," Allen responded. "You're not going to convince me it's me. I had nothing to do with those murders." He then said, "We're done here. Arrest me or take me home."

Police took Allen home, but two weeks later, Indiana State Police Lt. Jerry Holeman interviewed him again, with test results showing a cartridge at the crime scene cycled through Allen's gun.

Jurors saw that second video interrogation, where Holeman told Allen the science doesn't lie and that if he did not confess to the murders, the media would portray him as a monster.

Throughout the questioning, Allen remained poised, saying over and over, "I did not murder two litte girls. You're trying to convince me to confess to something I didn't do."

He said that dozens of times, maintaining his innocence throughout both interrogations. When Allen stuck to his story and refused to confess, Holeman started screaming at him and eventually arrested Allen.

Warden, corrections officers testify
Tuesday afternoon, the jury heard about confessions Allen made while in prison. And not just one confession, but many of them.

The day's first witness was John Galipeau, the former warden at the Westville Correctional Facility. He told the jury Allen spoke to him several times while Allen was in a sucide watch cell at the maximum security prison.

One of those times, he said Allen verbally confessed to the murders, telling Galipeau he later disposed of a boxcutter used in the murders in a dumpster.

Galipeau also said Allen wrote him a note, stating, "I am ready to officially confess to killing Abby and Libby" and that note was showed the jury.

The jury also heard from prison guards assigned to suicide watch outside Allen's cell. The guards said they heard Allen make several more confessions.

Corrections officer Michael Clemons told the jury what he overheard Allen saying. He logged in his notes:

"Offender says God, I'm so glad no one gave up on me after I killed Abby and Libby," and "I, Richard Matthew Allen, killed Abby and Libby by myself. No one helped me."

Another corrections officers, Michael Roberts, told the jury he heard Allen say, "I want to confess. I know a lot more," and "Why are you doing this? Do you know God? Do you know why I'm here? I killed Abby and Libby."

The defense pushed back on the testimony, asking Galipeau and the guards about Allen's mental health at the time of the statements. They painted a picture of conditions inside the maximum security prison as a place that drove Allen to serious mental health problems at the time of the confessions.

The jury will be hearing more confessions, including Richard Allen's own voice from some phone calls he made to his family.

[hermanmunster]

So for five years, the police kept mum and close to the vest, and were clueless ? Then, a newly hired receptionist read a box of police notes & suggested they revisit? Some of this sounds like lots of missed opps. Why would the defendant not ditch the gun, and stay in town all those years? Who was protected by all the extreme secrecy when five years was lost?

[CriminalNetwork]

How is this not the most embarrassing situation for law enforcement agencies and the prosecution? People make mistakes, and that’s understandable, but to persist in railroading an innocent man even after evidence of his innocence is widely known and publicized? Law enforcement and the prosecution are pushing forward despite the world watching as their weak case unravels, clinging to a narrative as though we haven’t already seen the reality of the situation.

Take the 70 days of critical person-of-interest interviews that have somehow vanished forever. There’s been DNA evidence since the start, and hundreds of individuals have been swabbed for comparison. Yet, now, in 2024, a DNA expert claims there is no usable DNA? Fingerprints were collected from the crime scene, yet they’ve disappeared as well. It’s incredibly convenient that the state selectively “loses” evidence as needed, while obstructing the defense by disallowing mention of alternate suspects, Odinism, or anything suggesting a ritualistic killing. The bodies were found on Ron Logan's property, and Logan was even considered a suspect by the FBI in 2017, yet his name is now barred from mention?

This secrecy breeds suspicion, and that seems to be the theme of this case. All documents and court records are sealed, a gag order muzzles lawyers, victims' families, and law enforcement. Officers who swore an oath to serve and protect can no longer speak about the case, even after publicly seeking help to solve it for seven years. To top it off, cameras aren’t allowed in the courtroom. Judge Gull, who previously advocated for transparency and cameras in the courtroom, now refuses it.

For Carroll County residents and taxpayers, this case has already cost $4.2 million and continues to climb. If there’s a guilty verdict or mistrial, expect costs to increase, making this feel like a rehearsal rather than a trial. The primary officials involved in this disturbing frame-up include ISP Lt. Holeman, CCSO Sheriff Liggett, Steve Mullin (former Delphi PD chief now at the prosecutor's office), current Carroll County prosecutor Nick McLeland, and Judge Frances Gull. Numerous other officials and agencies appear complicit in this large-scale cover-up.

The Crime Scene - Discussions around Odinism or ritualistic sacrifice are polarizing, but here’s the bottom line: whether or not it was an actual sacrifice, the killers went to great lengths to make it appear that way. Every detail of the crime was planned to mislead and deceive. Whoever committed this crime was proud of their work and intended to leave a message. However, law enforcement chose to ignore this aspect, perhaps to prevent giving the killers the “recognition” they wanted—and it seems that strategy has backfired.

Three significant elements tied to the crime scene were Asatru, Tarot, and Odinism. Abigail Williams corresponded to the Hanged Man tarot card, while Liberty German was linked to the Magician card. Abby was allegedly hanged by one foot, her arms bound to her body, and slit with a knife to drain her blood. Libby was also drained of blood, possibly collected in a ceremonial horn. Runes created with sticks were placed on Abby's body as symbolic signatures. A painted “F” using Libby’s blood marked a tree, symbolizing another rune. Sticks arranged on Abby and Libby formed a Viking bind rune symbolizing “Protection”—a symbol mirrored in a tattoo worn by Brad Holder, who also had a “Protection” tattoo on his left shoulder. Photos on Holder’s page reveal him writing in runes, including a paper that read “Protection.”

The 22 hours during which the girls were missing remains a critical gap that isn’t addressed enough. There’s compelling reason to believe that the girls’ bodies weren’t at the crime scene on February 13. Investigating where they were held during that time should be a priority.

Based on local accounts, including those from law enforcement insiders, I can explain what likely happened without any need for further proof. On the evening of February 14, 2017, Ron Logan’s home and property were searched—something that has gone unrecorded in public files. Evidence found in Logan’s basement included blood, DNA, weapons, and possibly some of the victims’ clothing. This evidence could have implicated multiple suspects. However, this evidence was tainted, becoming inadmissible due to either procedural misconduct or the involvement of confidential informants (CIs). Derrick German and Brad Holder, both known informants, have been protected throughout this case. As a result, all evidence, even that found at the crime scene, became “fruit of the poisonous tree” by association.

[LovingTheBrauns]

No DNA evidence links him to this crime. Case OVER!

[beachgirl]

So, if he says to Det. Holman that he "refuses" to confess to something he didn't do during his interview/ interrogation, then he's obviously not stupid and knows he'll be arrested for murder if he does confess, so of course he's going to deny....deny....deny during that interrogation. So, why would he then later confess 60 PLUS times on record to his wife, his mother, the Warden, CO's, his psychiatrist, etc. knowing that he'll spend the rest of his life in prison for his crime that he admits to doing? It's not like, if you confess then you'll be let off the hook and charges will be dropped, you'll be rewarded and admired for telling the truth and get to go home- no! You will remain in custody and either plead guilty, except a plea deal or most likely be found guilty/ convicted if the case goes to trial and get LWOP. RA wasn't and isn't crazy- this is ALL an act by him and his defense attys to try and get him out of these confessions because he stupidly confessed multiple times - confessions made by the defendant are deemed DIRECT EVIDENCE of guilt by law. His attys know this and they KNOW this is a BIG PROBLEM for Richard Allen and his case! So the attys had to start scrambling and throw "shyt" against the wall and hope it sticks to try and make him look insane. Not gonna

[pricklypear]

From an article by The Innocence Project: "Of the first 328 cases exonerated by DNA evidence, 27% involved false confessions."

I am deeply concerned by Richard Allen's steadfast denials about the murders until law enforcement had their hands on him for a significant amount of time. It's easy for all of us to say that we would NEVER confess to a crime we didn't commit as we sit safe and sound in front of our computer screens. But false confessions happen. A lot more frequently than we're comfortable admitting, and by upstanding citizens just like us.

Allen's early interviews might just have given law enforcement the wedge they needed to exploit his weakness: His concern for his wife and daughter. If someone told me that my daughter would NOT be assaulted on her way home from classes, that my spouse would NOT die in a mysterious late night house fire, I'd confess in a heartbeat.

[audreydaleski]

How long is this trial expected to take?