Defense attorneys question 'magic bullet' linking Richard Allen to Delphi murders
Attorneys for Richard Allen, the man accused in the 2017 killings of two teen girls in Delphi, continued to assert their client's innocence in a Thursday evening news release.
“He is innocent and completely confused as to why he has been charged with these crimes,” said Attorneys Brad Rozzi and Andrew Baldwin in a statement to media, adding their client "has never been arrested nor accused of any crime in his entire life."
Earlier this week, a probable cause affidavit, with details on the prosecution’s case against Allen, was released. The document sheds light on the evidence investigators believe connects Allen to the killings of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14.
Delphi murders:Cause of death? Unspent shell? What we know and don't after document release
Williams and German never returned to a prearranged pickup spot after their walk on the Delphi Historic Trails on the afternoon of Feb. 13, 2017. Searchers found their bodies the next morning — Valentine's Day — in a wooded area not far from the Monon High Bridge, which they had visited the day before.
More than five years later in October, police announced Allen, 50, of Delphi, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of the girls. The probable cause affidavit did not reveal how the girls died, but stated Allen was connected to the crime scene via an unspent bullet.
The bullet was found within two feet of one of the girl’s bodies and had been cycled through a firearm owned by Allen, according to investigators. The firearm was located by investigators at Allen’s home during a search on Oct. 13, the probable cause affidavit states.
Previous coverage:Cause of death in Delphi murders still unknown, but document links Richard Allen to scene
Defense attorneys say Allen tried to assist with the investigation and told the police that he did recall seeing three younger girls on the trail that day but that his contact with them "was brief and of little significance."
"The police did not contact Allen. He contacted the police and voluntarily discussed being on the trail the day Williams and German went missing," the news release states. “Like many people in Delphi, Rick wanted to help any way he could. Rick contacted the police to let them know that he had walked on the trail that day, as he often did."
Witnesses told police they passed a man on the trail the day the girls were killed and remembered seeing a car parked at a building nearby. One of the three witnesses described a car parked at the building as a PT Cruiser, and another described it as an SUV, and the third described it as a "smart" car, according to the affidavit.
"Investigators believe those descriptions are similar in nature to a 2016 Ford Focus," the affidavit stated.
Allen's attorneys have disagreed with that assessment.
"Allen owned a Ford Focus in February of 2017. His Ford Focus is not, in anyway, like the distinctive look of the PT Cruiser or Smart Car that was described by the witnesses," the statement from Allen's attorneys reads.
The case against Richard Allen:Court issues gag order on Delphi murder case, sets hearing for change of venue
According to his attorneys, Allen did not get rid of his vehicle or his guns, did not throw out his clothing, did not alter his appearance or relocate himself to another community after the girls were found dead.
“He did what any innocent man would do and continued with his normal routine," the news release stated, which also took aim at the unspent bullet mentioned in the probable cause affidavit for Allen's arrest.
“The probable cause affidavit seems to suggest that a single magic bullet is proof of Rick’s guilt," the defense team's news release states. "It is a bit premature to engage in any detailed discussions regarding the veracity of this evidence until more discovery is received, but it is safe to say that the discipline of tool-mark identification (ballistics) is anything but a science.”
The news release concludes by stating the defense team will scrutinize the discovery in the case and will give necessary attention to tips they are receiving.
“Rick has nothing to hide," the news release states. "As importantly, we were hoping that we would receive tips that would assist us in proving up his innocence. Not surprisingly, we have been inundated with tips from a variety of sources, all of which will be vetted by our team."
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Richard Allen defense attorneys question 'magic bullet' in Delphi case
