Delphi, Indiana – A three‑judge panel in Indiana is currently hearing an appeal filed by Richard Allen, the man convicted in 2024 of murdering 13‑year‑old Abigail Williams and 14‑year‑old Liberty German. The judges are evaluating whether Allen’s confessions were reliable and whether his mental condition at the time of those statements met legal standards.
Background of the case
In November 2024, a jury found Allen guilty on two counts of murder and two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping. The verdict followed a lengthy investigation that began after the girls’ bodies were discovered on February 14, 2017, near the Monon High Bridge trail outside Delphi. German’s recovered cell phone captured video and audio that investigators later linked to the suspect, but the case remained unsolved until Allen’s arrest in 2022, after a shell casing at the scene was matched to a pistol he owned.
Allen was sentenced to 130 years in prison. Since the conviction, his legal team has pursued a series of appeals, arguing that critical evidence was mishandled and that Allen’s mental health was not properly considered.
Appeal arguments
During the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Ellen Meilaender questioned the state’s handling of Allen’s confessions. She noted that Allen repeatedly confessed, even after being told he was no longer psychotic, suggesting a personal need for reassurance that his family would continue to love and forgive him.
Allen’s attorneys contend that the confessions were not voluntary because he had spent 13 months in solitary confinement, which they say impaired his judgment. They also argue that only video footage of the confessions was presented at trial, and that the jury would have reached a different verdict had they heard the audio recordings, which they claim contain inconsistencies.
“To say those confessions were cogent, coherent, clear, they had a man working full time listening to him, saying that his confessions were true. If the jury heard those video, there’s no way they would have reached the same conclusion,” said Mark Leeman, Allen’s attorney, during the hearing.
Judicial review
The judges have not yet set a date for a final decision. Their questioning indicates a focus on whether the confession evidence met the constitutional standards for admissibility and whether Allen’s mental state at the time satisfied the legal definition of competency.
Legal experts note that appellate courts often scrutinize confessions obtained under duress or after prolonged isolation, as such conditions can raise doubts about voluntariness. The outcome of this appeal could have broader implications for how Indiana courts handle confession evidence in serious criminal cases.
Next steps
If the judges grant a new trial, the case would return to the courtroom for a reevaluation of the evidence, potentially including the previously excluded audio recordings. If the appeal is denied, Allen will remain incarcerated for the remainder of his 130‑year sentence.
The Delphi community, still mourning the loss of the two young girls, awaits the court’s decision, hoping for clarity and justice in a case that has drawn national attention.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
