The two teenage girls who were found brutally murdered near a creek in Delphi, Ind., in 2017 had their throats cut, prosecutors said at the trial of Richard Allen, who is charged with the murders.
Prosecutors revealed the details of the deaths of Liberty “Libby” German, 14, and Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, during opening statements, which commenced on Friday, Oct. 18, according to the Associated Press, Fox 59 and the Indianapolis Star.
The girls were found slain near the creek in February 2017. For years, no suspect had been identified until Allen was arrested in 2022, and charged with four counts of murder, according to court records.
Fox 59 and the Star, citing prosecutors, reported that Libby was found naked and covered in blood, while Abby was found wearing Libby’s clothes.
Prosecutor Nick McLeland told the jury on Friday that they would be shown graphic crime scene photos during the trial, Fox 59 reported.
Police claimed at the time of Allen’s arrest that they had searched his home and found several knives and a gun that was allegedly linked to a bullet found at the scene, according to the AP.
Previously, prosecutors had claimed that Allen had confessed to the murders during a jailhouse call with is wife, according to the AP, CNN and Fox 59. But the defense has sought to have those alleged confessions thrown out, claiming that Allen was in a bad mental state at the time.
During his opening statements, defense attorney Andrew Baldwin said Allen’s alleged confessions were caused by a “mental health crisis,” and that witness descriptions of the suspect were not consistent, according to Fox 59. Baldwin also said a hair found on Abby’s hand was not a match for Allen, the Star reported.
In previous motions filed by the defense, which were reported by the AP and CNN, among other outlets, Allen’s attorneys have claimed he is innocent of the murders, which they say were actually committed by Odinists — members of a Norse pagan religion that is linked with White nationalism — as part of a ritual sacrifice.
