Delphi Murders Convicted Killer Claims Mental Crisis Invalidates Confessions

Richard Allen, convicted in the 2017 murders of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, in Delphi, Indiana, is now challenging his convictions, asserting that his confessions were made during a severe psychological crisis and should not be considered reliable evidence. His attorneys presented this argument during an appeal hearing before the Indiana Court of Appeals.

Allen, 54, is currently serving a 130-year sentence, with 65 years for each girl. The case gained notoriety for a chilling audio recording from German's cellphone, capturing a male voice saying, "Down the hill." Prosecutors used this recording, along with Allen's subsequent confessions, to build their case.

At trial, evidence presented included an unspent cartridge found between the victims, which prosecutors linked to Allen's handgun. Perhaps more compelling were Allen's numerous statements made while in jail awaiting trial. Testimony indicated he confessed repeatedly, with one prison employee reporting Allen stated, "I, Richard Matthew Allen, killed Abby and Libby by myself." Another witness claimed Allen described planning to sexually assault the girls before panicking and killing them. Over 60 such confessions, in person, over the phone, and in writing, were presented.

Allen's defense team now contends that the prolonged isolation and conditions of his solitary confinement contributed to a severe psychological breakdown. They argue that this deterioration led him to internalize guilt and falsely confess, suggesting he was experiencing psychosis during some of these admissions. The defense also points to a suspect sketch that was withheld from the first trial, which they claim did not resemble Allen.

During the appeal hearing, judges questioned why the trial judge did not allow the audio of Allen's prison behavior to be played, where he reportedly claimed to be a king and to have started World War III. They also questioned why a defense expert was not permitted to testify on whether marks on an unfired bullet could be definitively traced to a specific gun, a key piece of prosecution evidence. The omission of the police sketch of an individual seen near the trail, which did not resemble Allen, was also a point of contention.

Prosecutors maintain that Allen's confessions were genuine, highlighting that he began making admissions before displaying some of the more extreme behaviors observed later in prison. The defense, however, has also challenged other trial evidence and proposed an alternative theory involving unknown perpetrators and an alleged Norse pagan ritual, which they argued jurors should have been allowed to consider.

The appeals court has not yet ruled on whether Allen will be granted a new trial. The case began on February 13, 2017, when Williams and German went for a walk near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi and disappeared. Their bodies were discovered the following day, with their throats slashed. Allen was arrested more than five years later, in October 2022.