Naman Shrestha
When two early teenagers, Abby Williams and Libby German, were killed in Delphi, Indiana, in 2017, the authorities launched a homicide investigation. Despite finding a video of the killer on Libby’s phone, the detectives were led to nothing but dead ends for several years. However, it ultimately helped law enforcement apprehend the perpetrator — a local man named Richard Matthew Allen. The years-long investigation is explored in detail in the episode titled ‘A Walk Through the Woods’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline.’ Featuring exclusive and in-depth interviews with the victims’ loved ones and the attorneys, the documentary also provides new insights into the case.
Richard Matthew Allen Was Taken Into Custody Years After Killing Two Teenage Girls
Born in September 1972, Richard Matthew Allen reportedly crossed paths with 14-year-old Libby German and 13-year-old Abby Williams on the fateful afternoon of February 13, 2017, near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi, Indiana. Before he killed the two best friends, he was captured on Libby’s phone, and his voice saying “down the hill” was also recorded. He disposed of the bodies of the girls in a rugged area near a hiking trail, where they were found the following day. Three days after the murder, Richard self-reported being near the crime scene on the day of the murders and claimed that he saw three girls. Managing to stay out of suspicion, he hid in plain sight for several years.
At the time, the killer worked at the local CVS store as a licensed pharmacy technician and had also helped process some photos for Libby’s family without charging them. Several years later, in 2022, he finally became a person of interest in the eyes of the investigators, after which they obtained a search warrant for his home. Although there was no physical evidence in his car that connected him to the crime, the police found a gun that matched the .40-caliber unspent round found near the victims’ bodies. Thus, on October 28, 2022, 50-year-old Richard Matthew Allen was finally arrested for the double homicide of Libby and Abigail. Maintaining his innocence, the accused pleaded not guilty to the murders at his initial hearing. Later, he was also charged with new felony kidnapping and murder counts.
Richard Matthew Allen Was Placed in Solitary Confinement For Several Months
While in custody, Richard Matthew Allen’s mental state reportedly went spiraling down as he hit his head on the wall, refused to eat, washed his face in the toilet, ate paper, and more. By the spring of 2023, he also started admitting his guilt on prison phone calls to his wife, a psychologist, his mother, and corrections officers. Due to this behavior, he was sent to solitary confinement, where he spent 13 months waiting for his trial, which started in October 2024. During the trial, the prosecution presented an analysis of the defendant’s gun as their key evidence. The defense argued that Richard was “monitored, intimidated, and mentally abused” by corrections officers at Westville Correctional Facility.
A neuropsychologist also testified for the defense, claiming that the accused experienced psychosis, hallucinations, and suicidal ideation due to solitary confinement. Meanwhile, the prosecution brought several corrections officers to the stand who testified that Richard had confessed to the murders multiple times. The defense argued the accused’s innocence by highlighting the fact that he self-reported and cooperated with the authorities despite having so many chances to leave Delphi for good. They also claimed that the markings on the cartridge were inconclusive to prove that the bullet came from Richard’s gun. Despite the best efforts of the defense, the jury reached an unfavorable verdict after several weeks of trial and four days of deliberation. On November 11, 2024, he was convicted of murdering Abigail “Abby” Williams and Liberty “Libby” German in 2017.
Richard Matthew Allen is Currently Incarcerated at an Indiana Prison Facility
About a month later, the judge declared Richard Allen’s fate on December 20, 2024. For the killings, he was sentenced to a total of 130 years behind bars — 65 years for each murder. According to records, the authorities were asked to take into consideration the 760 days he already served in prison following his initial apprehension and adjust it in his sentence. The killer remained unfazed, with a deadpan look on his face when the sentence was announced. A gag order had prevented the family members of Libby and Abigail from commenting on the case for nearly eight years.
When that was lifted after the sentencing, the families expressed their relief over the verdict by thanking to the jurors and the investigators for their help in ensuring the killer received the maximum penalty for the double murders. “I want to send out my appreciation that justice has been serviced for the girls,” Mike Patty, Libby’s grandfather, stated. “I’ll always be grateful.” The then-Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter thanked the families for their strength and faith as well as the community for their support, and exclaimed, “Let’s heal.”
The case saw a development in January 2025 when Richard Allen’s attorneys filed a petition to have his murder conviction vacated. The 24-page motion reportedly asserted the convict’s innocence and further hinted at an appeal being filed soon, suggesting there were several procedural issues in the case. It targeted several areas, ranging from the timeline of the killings, Allen’s safekeeping order, an alleged confession from another suspect, and a piece of phone evidence (disputed). However, an Indiana judge dismissed the same and rejected the request. As of today, Richard Allen is serving his sentence at the Pendleton Correctional Facility in Pendleton, Indiana.
Read More: Kathy Allen: What Happened to Richard Allen’s Wife?
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