'Arrest me or take me home': Jury watches video Richard Allen's first interview
Oct 29, 2024
DELPHI, Ind. – Richard Allen’s interview with police took center stage in the Delphi murders trial Tuesday, with jurors and observers watching the video in court for the first time.
Allen faces four counts of murder in connection with the February 2017 deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German near the Monon High Bridge. He was arrested in October 2022. Prosecutors said a cartridge found at the scene was cycled through a Sig Sauer P226 owned by Allen.
Abby Williams (left) and Libby German (right)/Courtesy: Family
Day 9 of the trial included testimony from a DNA expert who said no evidence at the scene tied Allen or any other individual to the murders. A blood spatter expert who analyzed crime scene photos and autopsy results testified that Libby German was mortally wounded and then dragged about 20 feet. He said Abby Williams was likely killed where she was found.
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On Day 10, portions of Allen’s Oct. 13, 2022, interview were played in court. The video lasted about an hour and 20 minutes. Some portions not pertaining to the investigation were redacted by agreement of the state and Allen’s defense. The video cut on on a few occasions.
According to media observers, Allen is engaging, cooperative and agreeable at the beginning of the interview. As the interview progresses, however, Allen becomes more cautious and it dawns on him about 30 minutes in that police are giving serious consideration to his involvement in the murders.
Video interview with Mullin, Liggett
The footage included Allen and Steve Mullin, the former Delphi police chief who works as an investigator for the Carroll County Prosecutor's Office. Tony Liggett, an investigator on the case and the current Carroll County sheriff, is also in the video.
In the footage, Mullin read Allen his rights and Allen signed a document. Mullin and Liggett mentioned the interview Allen gave to DNR officer Dan Dulin in February 2017.
They told him they’re going back to the beginning of the case and suggested they’re just trying to rule him out.
Allen told the pair he served in the Army National Guard and lived much of his life in Mexico, Indiana. He worked as a store manager at a Walmart and believes he started at CVS in 2013.
Booking photo of Richard Allen. (Indiana State Police)
When asked to recount the events of Feb. 13, 2017, Allen said he went to his mother’s house in the morning. He remembered it was a warm day. He went home to get a jacket and walked on the trails. He estimated he left his mother’s house around 11:15 a.m. and arrived on the trails around 12 p.m. to watch the fish.
He seemed confused about where he parked his car. When asked about his route, he said, “The way that loops around.” When asked if he would’ve taken another other route, he didn’t answer.
Allen said he told his wife he was on the trails. After the murders, she mentioned that police were looking to talk to people who may have information. Allen went to the sheriff’s office, setting up the tip that led to his interview with the DNR officer.
During his videotaped interview, Allen said he left the trail at “1, 1:30, 1:45.” He told Liggett and Mullin there were three girls he passed while walking on the trail. He told the investigators there were no other vehicles where he parked.
He went out to a platform on the Monon High Bridge to look at fish.
“I’ve been across the high bridge when it was in better shape,” he told them.
Liggett and Mullin asked him which car he drove to the trails. He said he normally drove a gray Ford 500 but took a black car when he went out of town. Investigators believe he drove his black 2016 Ford Focus.
“I don’t really remember seeing anyone else that day,” he said. “If I did, they didn’t jump out at me.”
Allen said he kept an eye on a stock ticker on his phone while walking on the trail. When he left, he said he went home to watch the stock market in order to “try to get rich.”
He told the investigators he was wearing blue jeans and a Carhartt jacket that day. He had a black one and a blue one at the time but believed he wore the black one. He also said he was wearing a “skull cap.”
Allen feels like 'main lead'
Mullin then asked to see Allen’s phone. He asked how long they would need it and said they used Ting for cellphone service. He didn’t think he still had his phone from 2017 and said he believed his wife recycled it.
“Sounds like I’m going to be somebody’s ‘fall guy,’” Allen said after Mullin read his warrant to him. “The conversation we’re having, it seems like you think I might’ve done it.”
Allen said he wouldn’t let investigators go through his car and house.
“I’m starting to feel like your main lead,” he said.
Liggett assured him they were just “crossing Ts and dotting Is” as they talked to people who were on the trail on Feb. 13, 2017. Allen said he wasn’t impugning the integrity of the investigators.
“I’m not going to have police going through my house and stuff,” he said.
He initially gave police the code to his phone and then had second thoughts, telling them, “You know what. Let me talk to my wife before we do anything.”
Allen said he was no “angel of a person,” adding that he was “like everyone else.”
“Maybe I don’t want you looking at every website I’ve visited,” he said.
Mullin told Allen he wasn’t trying to make life hard. Liggett echoed the point.
“I don’t want you thinking we’re coming after you,” Liggett told him.
“I know I wasn’t out there that late [on the trail],” Allen said.
Mullin told Allen they wanted to search his home so they could rule him out.
“I had nothing to do with it,” Allen responded. “I don’t want to be any more involved in it than I have to be.”
Mullin said they wanted to check his car for any biological fluids.
“Then we can say we looked at Rick, we looked at his car. We didn’t find anything in his car,” Liggett explained.
At that point, Mullin and Liggett left, leaving Allen alone to look at his phone.
'Bridge Guy' denial
When they returned, Mullin informed Allen they have video of his car going to the trails. Mullin also revealed he talked to Allen’s wife and daughter and learned he had some issues about “hurting himself.”
Allen was then asked if he is “Bridge Guy.”
“I’ve never met them [the girls],” Allen said.
He then revealed that he entertained suicidal thoughts before and was “going to shoot” himself at some point. “It’s not like I killed two girls and now I’ve got psychological problems,” he said of his mental health issues.
Liggett showed him a photo of a black car. "That's your car," he said.
After showing him a photo of "Bridge Guy," Mullin asked, "Is that you?"
"That is not me," Allen said of the photo. "If it's taken with the girls' phone, that is not me."
"He's wearing the same clothing you told us," Liggett said. "Just tell us what happened. This is your car, there is zero doubt."
“We’re all done here,” Allen responded. “Your attitude towards me has changed. I feel like I’m being interrogated,” he said.
“You were out there to do this to the girls or to introduce the girls to someone,” Mullin said, adding that "Bridge Guy" followed the girls to the end of the bridge and forced them down the hill.
“You’re not going to find anything to connect me to the murders, so I’m not worried about it,” Allen said. “So, arrest me or take me home.”
The video cut out and then returned.
“Are you arresting me? Are you arresting me?” Allen asked. He added, “You lost my trust. This is stupid. Now you're pissing me off. You’re an a**hole,” directing the comment at Mullin.
After the interview ended, Allen was taken home. A few hours later, police arrived with a warrant and conducted a search of his property.