New Details Revealed In Delphi Teen Killing Case As Affidavit Released

DELPHI, IN — An unspent bullet found between the bodies of 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German was from a gun that belonged to the man accused in their deaths, court documents revealed this week.

The discovery of the .40-caliber unspent round was one of several details outlined in the recently released probable cause affidavit for the case against Richard M. Allen, 50, of Delphi, who was arrested in October and is charged with two counts of murder. The affidavit, made public with redactions, was uploaded online by The Indianapolis Star.

The girls’ bodies were found Feb. 14, 2017, after they disappeared a day earlier at the Delphi Historic Trails. They were last seen near the Monon High Bridge, and their remains were discovered less than a quarter-mile northeast of the bridge, on the north side of Deer Creek, according to the affidavit, which said clothes belonging to the girls were found south of their bodies in the creek.

Video from one of the girls’ phones shows that shortly before 2:15 p.m. Feb. 13, 2017, they encountered a man in a dark jacket and jeans on the bridge, who ordered them down a hill, the affidavit said, noting one of the girls mentions a gun in the recording. An image and audio from the video were previously made public during the investigation, according to the affidavit, which said authorities believe the man to be Allen.

Allen told investigators he was on the trail between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Feb. 13, 2017, and that he was wearing jeans and a blue or black jacket, according to the affidavit, but he could not explain why a bullet from his gun was found between the bodies. He also denied having let anyone borrow the firearm, a Sig Sauer P226, the affidavit said.

Several witnesses interviewed by investigators described seeing a man similar to the one in the video in the area on the day the girls disappeared, according to court records.

One person told authorities she saw a man around 4 p.m. walking away from the bridge, and that he appeared to have gotten into a fight and was wearing clothes that were muddy and bloody, the affidavit said.

Three juveniles who witnessed a man walking toward the bridge characterized him as “kind of creepy” and told police one of them had said “hi” to the man, but he just glared at them and kept his head down, according to the affidavit.

Another witness said she saw the man on the bridge and passed Williams and German, who were walking toward it, before noting a vehicle parked in an “odd manner” at a nearby building, the affidavit said. Another person told police he also saw the vehicle, and it appeared to be parked in a way as to conceal the license plate, according to court records. Police believe the vehicle could be Allen’s 2016 Ford Focus, the affidavit said.

Allen told investigators the only people he saw while at the trails were three girls, but that he had been watching a stock ticker on his phone as he walked, according to the affidavit.

Bradley Rozzi, Allen’s attorney, did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment on the affidavit.

The redacted document was released Tuesday by a judge in Carroll County, despite the prosecution’s request that it not be made accessible to the public, according to court records. Authorities have indicated they believe Allen may not have acted alone and have left the tip line for the case open. Allen's next court date is set for Feb. 17, 2023.

Leads can be sent to abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or called in at 765-822-3535.