Delphi Murders trial: Day 10 live blog
Oct 29, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Day 10 in the trial of Delphi Murders suspect Richard Allen begins Tuesday morning at the Carroll County Courthouse in Delphi.
Allen, 52, is charged with murder and murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping in the deaths of 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams and 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German. The girls’ bodies were found near the Monon High Bridge near Delphi on Feb. 14, 2017, a day after they went missing.
Allen was first investigated in 2017 and again in October 2022. After a second police interview, he was taken into custody.
The trial began Oct. 18 and was expected to continue through mid-November. Originally, 16 Allen County residents sat as the jury on the case, but one juror was dismissed on Oct. 25.
Day 10 of the Delphi Murders trial was set to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Tune into News 8 and follow our live blog throughout the day for the latest developments.
NOTE: The times listed in the blog headers are the times which the entries were added. Specific times for courtroom events will be listed in the entries if available. These notes are compiled from photographs of written notes provided by reporters in courtroom and emailed to the WISH-TV news desk.
For a brief summary of Day 8 in the Delphi Murders trial (Saturday), scroll to the bottom of the page.
To view all of our previous trial coverage, click here.
More Delphi Murders trial on WISHTV.com
1:07 p.m.
Court returns from recess at 11:05 a.m.
The jury is shown a video of an interview from Oct. 26, 2022.
In the video, Holeman is interviewing Allen. He tells Allen what they took from the house and what is being tested. he tells Allen they took swabs from a lot of the items, according to News 8’s Kyla Russell.
Holeman asks Allen if he has ever loaned any of his items — like the gun — out to anyone where DNA could have been transferred.
He also asks Allen if he had the gun on him when he went to the trails on Feb. 13, 2017. Allen said he did not.
In the video, Holeman tells Allen that the SIG Sauer matched the cartridge from the crime scene.
Allen laughs in apparent disbelief and says he doesn’t need to read the ballistics report.
“There’s no way,” he tells Holeman in the video.
“I’m on your side,” Holemand says to Allen.
Holeman asks Allen about saying “it’s over” during the search.
“The damage is done,” Allen replies.
Holeman then tells Allen the media will portray him “in a certain way” and asks, “Are you the mastermind?”
Allen responds, “Mastermind? OK…”
He asks Holeman if he realizes what he’s going through, telling him he has “anxiety” and “all kinds of stress.”
Allen adds, “There is no way a round from my gun was anywhere near those girls or the bridge.”
He continues: “Go ahead and do what you’re gonna do. Anybody who knows me…knows I could never, even if I wanted to, that’s not me.”
Holeman tells Allen the science doesn’t lie and that the death penalty is on the line. Allen says he doesn’t care
In the video, Holeman tells Allen he was the last one to contact the girls. Allen denies the claim, saying he “didn’t even know them,” according to Russell.
“Go ahead and kill me, you’ll make my wife rich,” Allen says.
At this point in the video, Holeman leaves the room. Allen remains seated and looks around.
News 8’s Kyla Russell says crime scene photos were on the table but Allen did not look at them after Holeman left the room.
Holeman comes back with a man who swabs Allen’s mouth and lips for DNA. Allen did not object to being swabbed, Russell says.
The man taking the DNA sample leaves the room.
“Ball is in your court,” Holeman tells Allen when they’re alone.
Holeman says they have more evidence from the bullet. He says Allen is “Bridge Guy” and there are five witnesses saying he was there. Ed. Note: As he noted in Saturday’s testimony, Holeman is lying here.
Allen: I’m not telling you I did something I didn’t f—–g do. There’s nothing you have to implicate me because I wasn’t out there.
Holeman: Your conscience is trying to tell you to get out in front of this.
Allen: If you’re going to arrest me, arrest me. I’m done talking. Nothing you have is going to show me anywhere near the murder of the little girls.
Holeman leaves the room. He returns and tells Allen that witnesses saw him with a gun on Feb. 13, 2017.
“I told you I was on the trail. I didn’t tell you I was at a murder scene,” Allen responds. “I’m not going to tell you something that didn’t happen so you can feel better about this.”
In the video, Allen says his wife will tell police he would “never do this.”
In the courtroom, Allen’s wife Kathy nods her head, according to News 8’s Kyla Russell.
“The very day they (police) asked for people to come forward (about being there), I did,” Allen tells Holeman in the interview video.
Allen continues to say that Holeman is trying to trick him.
Holeman again leaves the room. Allen appears emotional and shakes his head.
When he returns to the room, Holeman says Allen’s depression has “gotten worse” since the murders.
“If I murdered two girls, I’d have depression too,” Holeman tells him.
“I did not murder two little girls,” Allen replies.
Holeman asks Allen about his gun. Allen replies and says he carries his gun only when he goes night fishing or mushroom hunting.
At this point, Holeman — who has returned to the witness stand — tells the court he isn’t lying to Allen, but that he told him several lies “as a tactic.”
In the video, Holeman says, “I can’t present this evidence to a jury of your peers” before leaving again.
Holeman returns a short time later, tells Allen his wife, Kathy, wants to talk to him, and goes to get her.
“What kind of good person kills two people?” Allen asks.
Russell says that, at this point in the interview, Allen had not been read his rights. On Saturday, Holeman testified that the reading of Miranda rights part was “not recorded.”
10:57 a.m.
Court began at 9:02 a.m. News 8’s Kyla Russell reports Allen is wearing a light purple button-down shirt with khaki pants. She reports he seems to have lost even more weight.
The state enters into evidence two video interviews with Allen, from October 13 and 26, 2022. Judge Gull tells the jury that parts are redacted, as they do not pertain to the investigation.
The judge allows both videos, one with Mullin and Liggett and the other with Holeman.
At 9:14, the jury enters the courtroom and the video is on the screen. Judge Gull says the jury was able to have supervised use of their phones last night and were able to look at work emails.
The state plays the October 13 video first. Mullin and Liggett explain in the video why they are talking to Allen, they read him his rights and tell him he can leave at any time. Allen says he understands.
In the video, Mullin reads to Allen what they had learned from Dulin’s interview with Allen in February 2017.
The three men joke about their ages, Allen says “I’m in the 50 club this year.” Allen give his phone number to Mullins and tells him he has an Android phone, Allen gives his email address. Mullin asks Allen if he uses Facebook and Allen says “my wife does, I don’t.”
Allen says in the video that he is married, has a daughter who was born in 1994. He says his daughter is also married, her husband used to live in the Philippines and Canada. They got married in 2017.
Allen says he graduated high school in 1991 and studied accounting at Ivy Tech before joining the military. He says he played football in high school for a year and was not an honors student.
Allen says he was in the National Guard and that he lived in Mexico, Indiana most of his life. He says he does not consistently go to church and has no criminal record.
Allen says he had a heart attack in 2010, at the age of 37. He says on the video that he suffers from depression and anxiety.
Allen tells investigators in the video that he worked at CVS since 2013 and previously worked at the location in Peru. He says he worked for Walmart for 10 years before that and left because he was tired of bureaucracy.
Mullin brings up February 2017. Allen says he was at his mom’s in Peru while his wife was working and left there at 11:15 a.m. He said he went home and got a jacket, even though it was warm out.
Allen said he walked down to the high bridge, went out a little bit on a platform and watched the fish. Allen says then he left. He says he parked either on the bridge side or near a smaller bridge. Liggett shows him a map of the area, Mullin explains where things are on the map.
Allen says he didn’t go out “all that often,” but that it varied and that he had “gone out a time or two” in the winter months.
Mullin asked Allen if there were any other way he would have driven to get there, Allen says maybe but really they always took the same route through downtown.
Allen says he was driving downtown a few days after the girls died when the DNR officer called and they agreed to meet at Save A Lot. Allen said he “thought about it a lot,” because he was probably there “around them.”
Allen says he told Dulin he saw three girls, he thought one was babysitting two of the girls and he thought they all looked alike.
News 8’s Kyla Russell reports at this point in the courtroom, Richard Allen is shaking his head.
In the video, Allen said there were two cars at the end of the trail near the entrance, a “sedan and an SUV.” Allen says he left around 1-1:30-1:45.
Allen says in the video that he worked a Walmart community event near the trails years ago and also worked near the Carrollton bridge on that community service day.
Allen says there were no vehicles where he parked on February 13, 2017. Mullin how far out on the bridge he went that day. He said he wasn’t sure how many feet it was, but really never went past that first pattern.
Liggett asked how and where he walked to get on the bridge. Allen doesn’t give a clear answer. Allen explains he had a red ford car before he got the “black car.”
Mullin again asks about him seeing three girls, Allen says he did not see anyone else while on the trails and he was walking towards the girls. “I don’t really remember seeing anyone that day. If I did, they didn’t stand out to me.”
Allen says in the video that he had an individual stock trading account, and was “trying to get rich.” In the video Allen laughs.
Allen says in the video “that was a hobby, I guess, for me,” referring to the question about stocks.
Mullin asks what he was wearing that day. Allen said he was wearing blue jeans and a back off-brand Carhartt jacket.
Liggett asked in the video if he was wearing a hat, Allen said that if he was it would have been the skull cap he kept in his jacket pockets. Allen says he was wearing either tennis shoes or combat boots or work boots. Mullin is seen texting during the interview.
Mullin asks Allen about what phone he had in 2017. Allen says he doesn’t know but he’s had his current phone for several years.
Liggett asked if Allen has a photo of his car and if they can confirm some of this information by searching his home and extracting data from his current phone. They ask if they can do that immediately.
Allen asks “how long are you going to have my phone?” Liggett asks what service provider he has and Allen says he uses “Ting,” based off Verizon.
Liggett asks what service provider he had in 2017. Allen says they can extract that information from his current phone.
Mullin reads another round of Miranda rights as it pertains to cell phone extraction.
Allen says in the video “I don’t want to be someone else’s fall-guy, I thought we were talking.” “I haven’t thought about this in a long time, I don’t want you guys to get someone from the public so we can close this thing.”
Allen says “starting to feel like you think I am the main lead here.” Liggett says “we decided to pick through this from the very beginning, there’s no fall-guy.”
“If you think I might have actually done this, and you want to get a warrant or something, that’s fine,” Allen said.
Allen agrees to let them look through his current phone and says he will look for the phone he had in 2017. Allen decides not to sign anything until he speaks to his wife.
Allen says in the video “Am I am angel of a person? No, but I guess I just don’t want you looking through every website I ever checked.” He says he’s worried they will “find pieces close to fitting and make it fit.”
“I don’t think you’re coming after me,” Allen says. “I want closure for the family as much as anyone else.
New 8’s Kyla Russell reports that Kathy Allen is “pretty upset watching this.”
Allen says in the video that he would not want people going through their home. “We’re here because we haven’t found the guy who did this, I don’t want to become that guy.”
Allen says “there’s nothing to tie me, I’m not worried. I had nothing to do with it. If I had anything useful to you, I would give you anything I had.”
Mullin explains in the video why they want to look at his car.
Allen talks about watching “Dateline” every week with his wife and “doesn’t want to be that story.”
Allen says to the investigators “This is out of left field guys, I am going to talk to my wife before I do anything. This impacts her more than it impacts me.”
Mullin and Liggett step out of the room, Allen checks his phone. They return and show him photos of his car going to the trail. Mullin says “we’ve been able to talk to your wife and daughter.” Mullins says his wife and daughter describe Allens mental health issues. Mullin shows Allen a picture of bridge guy. Mullin asks “is this you?” Allen says “I was going to shoot myself one night, I don’t have psychological issues because I went out and killed two girls.”
News 8’s Kyla Russell reports Allen’s wife Kathy is crying and sobbing in the courtroom as this portion of the video plays.
Mullin asks in the video “why is this information showing us one thing, but you’re saying another.” Allen says if feels like he’s being interrogated. “What info do you have,” he asks. “You have that I was out there, I told you that.”
After a cut in the video, Ligget says “we have people that saw you.” Liggett then leaves the room. Allen says “you’re trying to change my words around.” Mullin asks “the question is, is this you?” Allen replies “NO!”
Mullin says in the video “you were out there to do this to the girls, or you were trying to introduce them to someone. Allen continues to deny.
Allen says “arrest me or take me home, I’m done, you’re not going to find anything that connects me to the murders. you’ve lost my trust, now you’ve pissed me off, you’re an (expletive).
In the video, Allen gets up and leaves. News 8’s Kyla Russel says at this point in the courtroom, there is laughter.
Court is in recess at 9:55 a.m.
9 A.M.: Court begins for Tuesday session
The first court session of the day is expected to begin at 9 a.m. The court adjourned at 5 p.m. Monday.
News 8’s Kyla Russell is back in Delphi for continuing coverage of the double murder trial of Richard Allen.
Follow Kyla on X for photos, recaps, and more from Delphi.
8 a.m.: Line waits outside courthouse doors
The line to get in to the Carroll County Courthouse on Day 10 of the Delphi Murders trial started forming at 5:30 Monday night, says News 8’s Kyla Russell. The number of people allowed inside the courtroom each day is limited, so the line starts forming as soon as the previous day’s session is adjourned.
Brief summary of Day 9 in the Delphi Murders trial
Monday began with testimony Stacy Bozinovski, a forensic scientist for the Indiana State Police who tested the DNA found at the scene where Abby Williams and Libby German died in February 2017.
Bozinovski walked the jury through the DNA collection process, the steps involved in testing DNA, and the many DNA swabs she collected from the scene near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi.
Bozinovski testified that she found no DNA evidence that linked suspect Richard Allen to the crime scene.
She also told the jury that there was no DNA indicating that the girls had been sexually assaulted.
Bozinovski said recent testing showed the hair found in Abby’s hand was that of Libby’s sister, Kelsi German Siebert. Hair samples were also sent to the FBI for testing, and they said three hairs were found that did not match Abby or Libby’s DNA profiles.
Branches found on the girls’ bodies were also tested and two of them matched Libby’s DNA profile.
Bozinovski told the jury she tested Abby’s black hoodie for male DNA. She said the test was positive, but the DNA belonged to a male lab employee.
She also told the jury the cartridge found in between the two girls at the murder scene could not be tested because there was not enough DNA on it.
Bozinovski said she also tested the items found at Richard Allen’s home in 2022 and none of it pointed to Abby and Libby, according to News 8’s Kyla Russell.
The prosecution asked Bozinovski, “Did you find the DNA of Richard Allen on the DNA samples submitted to you?”
The forensic expert said no, adding that she “did not even create a male profile for any of the DNA.”
Maj. Pat Cicero was the next person to testify. Cicero is a LaPorte County sheriff’s major with previous experience as a crime scene investigator.
Cicero testified that he was called to work on the case in February and didn’t visit the crime scene until April 4.
He told the jury that he believes, based on the direction of blood found at the crime scene, that Libby was killed in one area of the crime scene and then dragged to a different spot.
Cicero said he did not believe Abby Williams was moved after injury. Williams did not have blood on her hands, which Cicero said could have been due to her possibly being restrained or unconscious.
Court adjourned for the day at 5 p.m.