An Indiana judge has handed down a maximum sentence of 130 years to Richard Allen for the brutal killings of two teenage girls, Abby Williams and Libby German, in February 2017 on a hiking trail in Delphi. The case, known as the Delphi murders, has gripped the community for years.
Allen was found guilty by a Carroll County jury on two counts of murder and two counts of felony murder. The sentence includes 65 years for each of the felony murder charges, to be served consecutively.
Despite the conviction, Allen's attorneys plan to appeal, maintaining his innocence and hoping for a second trial to present a full defense. During the trial, prosecutors presented compelling evidence linking Allen to the crime scene, including a firearm recovered from his home that matched an unspent bullet found at the scene.
One key piece of evidence was a video recorded by Libby on her phone before the girls were killed, showing an unknown man known as 'Bridge Guy' instructing them to go 'down the hill.' Witnesses testified to seeing Allen on the trail around the time of the girls' disappearance, further implicating him in the crime.
Prosecutors detailed the horrific nature of the murders, with both girls found brutally killed in a wooded area near the trail. The community was shocked when Allen, a longtime CVS employee in the town, was arrested five years after the murders.
Throughout the trial, Allen's defense focused on his mental state following his arrest, while prosecutors painted a picture of a calculated and heinous crime. Allen's admission in a jailhouse confession that he ordered the girls 'down the hill' added to the weight of evidence against him.
The sentencing brings a measure of closure to the families of Abby and Libby, as well as the Delphi community, after years of uncertainty and fear. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of justice and accountability in the face of such senseless violence.
