Probable cause released in Delphi case

Nov. 29—DELPHI — The probable cause affidavit against a Delphi man accused of murder in the deaths of teenagers Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14, was officially released to the public Tuesday.

In it, authorities laid out the case against 50-year-old Richard Allen, stating he admitted in two separate interviews to being on the Monon High Bridge area on the day the girls went missing.

According to court documents, Abby and Libby were dropped off shortly before 2 p.m. Feb. 13, 2017, and were on the southeast portion of the bridge when they encountered a male — whom the prosecution believes to be Allen — at around 2:13 p.m.

Video from German's cell phone also indicates the girls were being followed by a "male subject wearing a dark jacket and jeans," per court documents, and that man reportedly approached the girls.

That's when one of the girls says, "gun," before the male's voice says, "Guys, down the hill," according to the probable cause affidavit.

The video then cuts off as the girls proceeded down the hill.

The next day, the girls' bodies were found a few feet away from the banks of Deer Creek, along with their nearby clothes and a .40 caliber unspent round less than two feet away from their bodies, per court records.

Investigators also interviewed several juveniles who were in the area of the Monon High Bridge that day, per court records.

In one of those interviews, three juveniles told police they encountered a male matching the description of the one seen in the video walking from nearby Freedom Bridge to the Monon High Bridge area, and the juveniles described the man as "kind of creepy" at the time, according to the probable cause affidavit.

One of the juveniles told authorities that she said, "Hi," to the man, but he reportedly just "glared at them," court documents indicated," while another juvenile told investigators the male appeared to be "walking with a purpose like he knew where he was going."

"She stated he had his hands in his pockets and kept his head down," the probable cause affidavit stated.

During a separate interview with yet another juvenile in the area that day, the man was reportedly standing on the first platform of the Monon High Bridge, per court records.

Other witnesses also told authorities they observed a man — again matching the description of the image found on Libby's cell phone — walking away from the Monon High Bridge area with "muddy and bloody" jeans, as if he had "gotten into a fight," according to the probable cause affidavit.

Then in 2017, police interviewed Allen as part of the Delphi investigation.

During that interview, Allen reportedly told authorities that he was on the Monon High Bridge the day the girls went missing.

"Mr. Allen was on the trail between 1330-1530 (1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.)," per his interview in the probable cause affidavit. "He parked at the old Farm Bureau building and walked to the new Freedom Bridge. While at the Freedom Bridge, he saw three females. He noted one was taller and had brown or black hair. He did not remember description nor did he speak with them. He walked from the Freedom Bridge to the High Bridge.

"He did not see anybody, although he stated he was watching a stock ticker on his phone as he walked," investigators noted. "He stated there were vehicles parked at the High Bridge trail head, however did not pay attention to them. He did not take any photos or video."

Investigators later discovered that Allen owned two vehicles in 2017, one of which they believe was seen on surveillance footage driving through the area Feb. 13, 2017.

Allen was interviewed once again Oct. 13, 2022.

During that interview, according to court documents, Allen reportedly admitted again he was on the Monon High Bridge around the time of the girls' disappearance, though he told investigators he was there to "watch the fish."

He added that he parked his vehicle on the side of an old building, walked to the first platform on the Monon High Bridge, sat on a nearby bench and then left, per his interview with police.

He also told investigators he was wearing blue jeans and a blue or black Carhartt jacket with a hood at the time, though he said he didn't encounter anyone but some juvenile girls — not Abby and Libby — a few moments before he approached the bridge.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Allen's home and reportedly located several jackets, boots, knives and firearms, including a Sig Sauer, Model P226, .40 caliber pistol, court documents indicated.

Subsequent analysis of that firearm appeared to show that the unspent round found next to Abby and Libby reportedly cycled through it, per the probable cause affidavit.

That same firearm was reportedly purchased by Allen in 2001, according to investigators, and Allen reportedly told police he didn't ever let anyone borrow the firearm and also didn't have an explanation for why the bullet was found near the girls.

Allen then reportedly admitted again that he was on the trail that day, but he did not encounter Abby or Libby, court records indicated. He reportedly told police he didn't know the girls or have any involvement in their deaths.

Allen is currently facing two counts of murder for his alleged connection to the case.

He has a pretrial conference in February, with a tentative trial set for March 2023.