By Alexander Zabel
The Delphi murders case, involving the tragic deaths of Abigail Williams and Liberty German in 2017, has taken another dramatic turn with the start of Richard Allen's trial. On the first day, a controversial ruling by Judge Frances Gull set the tone: the two infamous composite sketches, which were instrumental in generating over 100,000 tips, will not be shown to the jury. These sketches had been widely circulated and are still listed on the FBI's most wanted list, but the judge denied a motion to include them—without holding a hearing. However, the brief video of "Bridge Guy" (BG), the suspect seen near the crime scene, will be presented as evidence, despite the exclusion of the sketches.
This decision raises serious questions, especially since the video and sketches have been linked in the public's mind for years. The exclusion seems to stem from the fact that two witnesses, Sarah Carbaugh and Betsy Blair, who helped create the sketches, were not expected to identify Richard Allen as the person they saw that day. It appears the state may have known that these sketches no longer fit the narrative they are trying to build against Allen.
Adding to the complexity is the evidence itself, especially regarding DNA and physical traces found at the crime scene. One particularly startling detail is that strands of hair were found wrapped around Abigail Williams’ fingers but were not tested until just two weeks ago—nearly eight years after they were recovered. It has been revealed that the hair does not belong to either of the victims or to Richard Allen, but is somehow linked to a member of Libby German’s family, though not Libby or her sister, Kelsi. The delay in testing such critical evidence casts doubt on the thoroughness of the investigation.
The defense has also taken aim at the state’s timeline and evidence handling. The prosecution's key evidence, an unspent bullet supposedly linked to Richard Allen’s gun, is now under scrutiny. Recent tests reportedly suggest that the bullet could not exclude the possibility that it came from a gun owned by another local man, Brad Weber, casting further doubt on its reliability. The defense has also highlighted inconsistencies in the state’s lone-wolf theory, stating that footage from Libby German’s phone shows and sounds as if the girls are being confronted by multiple individuals. Even more surprising, the defense claims the voice saying "down the hill" in the recording belongs to a different person than the one seen in the BG video.
The trial has been fraught with tension, not just in the courtroom but also with the media. Before proceedings even began, four journalists were banned from covering the trial, and two major outlets—AP and NBC—were expelled for taking photos of jurors as they arrived, even though they were reportedly on public property. Judge Gull has been adamant about ensuring Richard Allen receives a fair trial, free from excessive media interference, which likely prompted the bans.
Another troubling issue is the disappearance of key interviews from the early days of the investigation, particularly those involving other potential suspects. The defense has pointed out that interviews conducted in the first week of the case were lost due to what law enforcement claimed was a DVR error. These interviews, which involved several third-party suspects, were also missing from the hard drive. This adds to the growing list of concerns about missing or mishandled evidence in the case, including DNA, fingerprints, and geofencing data, all of which seem to have either been poorly preserved or downplayed.
DNA evidence has been a point of contention as well. While it is widely accepted that DNA was recovered at the crime scene, it is unclear why it hasn’t played a larger role in the case. Despite law enforcement testing numerous people, including third-party suspects, none of the DNA evidence has been linked to Richard Allen. Notably, genetic genealogist CeCe Moore offered to assist in analyzing the DNA through genetic genealogy, free of charge, but both law enforcement and the family declined the offer. This has raised eyebrows about why DNA isn’t a central focus of the prosecution’s case.
Another critical point raised by the defense involves the timeline of events. Kelsi German, Libby’s sister, dropped the girls off at the trails at 1:49 p.m., and the BG video was recorded at 2:13 p.m. The defense argues that Richard Allen’s car was captured on camera leaving the area at 2:15 p.m., heading toward his home—leaving little time for him to commit the crime. This discrepancy in the timeline is one reason the defense has focused on undermining the prosecution’s theory and the tight window of time in which Allen could have acted alone.
The case against Richard Allen is riddled with inconsistencies, questionable evidence handling, and missing information. The defense is seizing on these gaps to build a narrative of reasonable doubt, while the prosecution faces an uphill battle to present a clear, cohesive case. With major evidence still under scrutiny, including potential DNA matches and a contested timeline, this trial is shaping up to be one of the most complex and contentious legal battles in recent memory.