Prosecutors Slam Defense Claims in Delphi Murders Case
Prosecutors have strongly criticized the recent claims made by the defense team of Richard Allen, a suspect in the Delphi murders case, calling them “fanciful,” “colorful, dramatic, and highly unprofessional.” This comes in response to allegations from Allen’s attorneys, Andrew Baldwin and Bradley Rozzi, who suggested that the victims, Liberty “Libby” German, 14, and Abigail Williams, 13, were sacrificed in a pagan cult ritual when they were killed six years ago near a hiking trail in Delphi, Indiana.
Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland made these statements in court filings that followed the defense’s 136-page memorandum. The memorandum sought a “Franks hearing,” a proceeding to determine if law enforcement officers lied to obtain a search warrant. However, McLeland pointed out that only 13 pages of the memorandum were relevant to this inquiry, while the remaining 90% focused on the defense’s imaginative claims.
Defense’s Bizarre Claims in Delphi Murders Case
The case revolves around the tragic murders of Libby German and Abby Williams, who disappeared from a hiking trail in Delphi, Indiana, in 2017. Their bodies were discovered the next day. The prosecution alleges that Allen, a 50-year-old father and CVS employee, was responsible for their deaths.
The defense, however, presented a sensational narrative, suggesting that members of a pagan Norse religion known as Odinism, which had been hijacked by white nationalists, ritually sacrificed the two girls. They even named several individuals who they believed were part of this alleged Odinist cult. The defense described a gruesome crime scene, asserting that it bore signs of a “ritualistic sacrifice.” These claims were a significant departure from the information previously known to the public.
Challenging the Search Warrant and Arrest
In addition to these peculiar allegations, Allen’s defense team is contesting the validity of the search warrant used to enter Allen’s home in October 2022. They claim that Carroll County Sheriff Tony Liggett lied to obtain the warrant.
However, the state argues that Liggett did not intentionally deceive or omit evidence in the warrant application. Investigators initially questioned Allen in 2017, tying him to the crime scene through witnesses and security footage. He admitted to being at the trail on the day of the girls’ disappearance, but charges were not filed until years later.
Journalist Áine Cain and attorney Kevin Greenlee suggest that a clerical error may have contributed to the delay in Allen’s arrest. The state defended the decision to execute a search warrant, fearing the destruction of crucial evidence if they delayed any longer. This search uncovered a jacket, a handgun, and ammunition consistent with the evidence from the crime scene.
Despite the defense’s dramatic claims, prosecutors maintain that their case is built on solid evidence and reject the idea of a ritualistic sacrifice in this tragic case.