Delphi murders trial delayed as suspected killer Richard Allen seen in new mug shot

The trial for Delphi murders suspect Richard Allen has been delayed until October.

The decision was made at a critical hearing on Tuesday just a week before he was set to face trial for the 2017 murders of two teenage girls.

Allen confessed to the murders of Abby Williams, 13, and 14-year-old Libby German in 2022. Their bodies were discovered on 14 February 2017, a day after they had gone for a walk on abandoned train tracks near their homes in Delphi, Indiana.

At the hearing on Tuesday, Allen Superior Court Judge Fran Gull was expected to hear concerns from Allen’s defence team about the timeline of the trial and a slew of motions including the prosecution’s motion seeking to prohibit the defence from bringing up its alternative murder theory in court.

Richard Allen is accused in the 2017 murders of Abby Williams, 13, and 14-year-old Libby German (Allen County Jail)

Allen’s attorneys have previously said that details from the crime scene pointed to a possible Odinist cult killing with symbols painted in the blood of one of the victims allegedly discovered, according to court filings obtained by The Independent last year.

However, there were no discussions about evidence in the case on Tuesday. Attorneys will return to court May 21-23 in Carroll County to discuss further motions.

The defence told the judge that they wanted a 15-day guarantee to present their side, however,  they were not granted a guarantee.

Libby German (left) and Abby Williams (right) pictured together were killed in 2017 (Facebook)

Brad Rozzi, one of Allen’s attorneys, said it was not practical for the trial to take place during the dates in May, and said no end date should be set in the trial.

“If you can’t try this case in one month, there’s something wrong,” Judge Francis Gull said to Allen’s defence team.

He responded to the judge: “You don’t know anything about this case.”

The trial is now expected to take place 14 October – 15 November.

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