Hearing in Delphi case continued to June

Kim Dunlap, Kokomo Tribune, Ind.
·2 min read

Feb. 17—DELPHI — A Carroll County man arrested in connection with the February 2017 deaths of Delphi teenagers Abby Williams and Libby German now is not scheduled to be back in court until June.

Richard Allen, 50, of Delphi is facing two charges of murder, both Level 1 felonies, for his alleged role into the girls' deaths. He was set to appear in person this week inside Carroll County Circuit Court for a bail hearing.

However, Allen's defense team filed a motion for continuance earlier this month so they could have additional time to look through what they referred to as a large amount of evidence in the case, per court records.

With Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLeland not objecting to the defense's motion, Judge Frances Gull of Allen County, a special judge presiding over the court proceedings, officially granted that continuation Thursday afternoon.

Allen's new hearing date is slated for 8:30 a.m. June 15, where the issue of bail and a discussion regarding a possible upcoming trial schedule is likely to take place.

This is the latest in a string of court filings that have occurred since Allen's arrest last October.

Last November, defense attorney Bradley Rozzi filed a motion for change of venue in the case, citing the "extensive media attention" and "highly publicized" nature of the case against Allen, adding they believed the defendant would not receive an impartial jury if the trial were held in Carroll County.

Gull partially granted that motion in a ruling last month, stating that while a potential trial would still remain in Carroll County, the trial would feature a jury pool from Allen County.

Then, during a Jan. 13 hearing, Gull upheld a temporary gag order that was filed by McLeland in early December. The order called for all parties involved in the case, including court officials, law enforcement officers and family members, to be banned from publicly speaking about the details of the investigation unless it is within the confines of the court itself.

It was Feb. 14, 2017, when the bodies of Abby and Libby were located along the banks of Deer Creek near the Monon High Bridge area after being dropped off the day before but not returning to their pick-up location.

Five years later, on Oct. 31, 2022, investigators released they had arrested Allen on two felony counts of murder for his alleged connection to the case.

During an interview with investigators, Allen admitted to being on the Monon High Bridge around the time the girls went missing, but he added he did not see Abby or Libby that day.