I, the undersigned affiant, submit the following information pursuant to I.C. The video cuts as the girls head down the hill. Brad Heath includes a flyer with information about the Delphi murders in the eBay packages he mails. A judge presiding over the Delphi, Indiana, double murder case is reviewing arguments to decide whether the probable cause affidavit and other documents related to suspect Richard Allen's arrest should be released to the public. Within days of the killings, investigators released two grainy photos of a suspect walking on the abandoned railroad bridge and an audio recording of a man believed to be the suspect saying "down the hill.". A thunderous round of applause erupts from the audience. Police announce they are looking into a potential new suspect in a crime 20 miles from Delphi. Per CNN, Delphi police announced that they had arrested and charged 50-year-old Richard M. Allen for the murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. However, for the time being, the documents will remain sealed and a ruling will be made at a later date. Advocate. The new brief video released by authorities shows a man walking on the High Bridge in the hopes that someone could identify the individual based on the mannerisms as he walks. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Special Judge Fran Gull of Allen County was then appointed to oversee the Delphi case. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, AG aims gun at experts head to dismiss Murdaugh defense theory, Ex-pol charged with murdering Vegas reporter Jeff German will rep himself at trial, Murdaugh family still buried in temporary graves almost 2 years after slayings, Cops seized accused Idaho murderer Bryan Kohbergers underwear, medical gloves from parents home, still havent described how the girls were killed. Lawyers for Allen had said they welcomed the release of the probable cause affadvit, saying they felt the information within would help exonerate him. Earlier this week, the court released Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLelands October 2022 motion asking a judge to seal the records. Their bodies were found on Feb. 14, 2017, following a large search; the story gained national attention. Allen is charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German in February 2017. At the time, Allen said that on Feb. 13, 2017 - the day the girls went missing - he was walking on a trail when he saw three "females" at a bridge called the Freedom Bridge but did not speak to them. "They are still working full force even after two years.". May 15, 2019 13:00 11:16 11:44 13:58 11:45 7:31 Oct 13 This comes after prosecutors made a shocking announcement that they believe Allen "may not be the only suspect" involved in the slayings. Abby had slept over at Libbys the night before and they were looking forward to spending the day together. There is a serial killer on the loose in Delphi. 4 dead, 1 critical after potential murder-suicide in Clermont County, sheriff says By Kendall Hyde and Candice Hare Published : Feb. 27, 2023 at 2:13 PM EST | Updated : They were found dead the next day after they failed to show up to a designated pickup location. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. The probable cause affidavit indicates it is an eight-page document. We now have some additional insight into the reasons Carroll Countys prosecutor asked a judge to seal records in the Delphi murder case. Right away, detectives say they started looking into a possible connection between Bill and Peggys 2011 murder and the murders of Abby Williams and Libby The probable cause affidavit was kept under seal after Allens arrest. We kind of know each other to some extent. Allen had no explanation how a shell ejected from his sidearm was found at the scene of the crime, according to the affidavit. He was armed and prepared to subdue two people Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations. A narrated audio file of the Delphi probable cause affidavit is below. The deaths of Libby and Abby were ruled homicides, but police had never disclosed how they died or what evidence they gathered. On February 13, 2017, Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, disappeared after being dropped off at the Delphi Historic Trails. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Chief Deputy Chris Stratton says while approaching the home, multiple gunshots were heard from inside. Witness descriptions of a small SUV or smart car matched Allens 2016 Ford Focus, which was parked at the trailhead at the time of the murders, cops said. WebDELPHI MURDERS: WITNESS TIMELINE (MINDSHOCK TRUE CRIME PODCAST) MindShock 21.3K subscribers Join Subscribe 181 7.1K views 2 years ago DELPHI MURDERS: Carroll County prosecutor Nicholas McLeland argued that in order to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and protect witnesses, he is requesting Judge Fran Gull keep the probable cause affidavit sealed. On Feb. 14, 2017, Libby German, 14, and Abby Williams, 13, were killed while biking on trails near Delphi, about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis, Indiana police release new sketch of suspect in 2017 murder of teenage girls, Authorities release audio, image of suspect in teen slayings. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (Indiana State Police). Luke Kenton; Published: 7:16 ET, Dec 3 Police have also still not released how Abby and Libby were killed. They have vaguely confirmed there were multiple witnesses when describing 2017 DELPHI MURDERS OF 2 TEENAGE GIRLS MOVING IN 'NEW DIRECTION,' INDIANA STATE POLICE SAY. Posted: Feb 22, 2023 / 10:15 AM EST. Thats the legal opinion of Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt, who was critical of how Indiana State Police handled a request for information about Allens arrest. A FORENSIC expert has voiced a chilling theory explaining why the suspected Delphi murderer may have chosen to work in a CVS near the crime. Will mock murderers with glee. Allen is charged with two counts of murder after investigators said they linked an unspent round found next to the girls bodies to a gun he owned. Allen, who has entered a not guilty plea, appeared in court Tuesday in a yellow jumpsuit and a bulletproof vest. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Sketches are worthwhile, but you never want to take it at 100 percent value and think they have to look exactly like the sketch, because they wont, retired homicide captain Robert Snow told the television station. The sketch of the unidentified man (center) was released by Indiana State Police on Monday, who is suspected in their murders. "In these rural areas, a lot of people depend on a big box store like Walmart in order to get their pharmacy needs met," he said. That on February 14th, 2017 Victim 1 and Victim 2 were found deceased in the woods approximately 0.2 miles northeast of the Monon High Bridge in Carroll County. We've received your submission. It was just simply that image of him sitting there with this suspect sketch over his shoulder that just chilled me to the bone," he said. Gull ruled in favor of media intervenors this week, making the record available to the public. While these claims have yet to be proven by officials, Morgan said that it could indicate a dark explanation as to why Allen never fled the town. "There was no blood, no gore involved in that. 4 dead, 1 critical after potential murder-suicide in Clermont County, sheriff says, New Richmond mourns loss of middle-school student, Driver killed, passenger hurt in Fayette County crash, Ohio Gov. Richard Allen FULL AFFIDAVIT TEXT Unsealed Today! The affidavit states investigators believe Allen was the man seen in the bridge video. She authorized the release of a redacted version of the affidavit in November. ", It adds: "The victims were forced down the hill by Richard Allen to the location where they were murdered.". Richard Allen, 50, was charged with the murders of Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14, in Delphi, Ind., in February 2017. This story has been shared 109,946 times. Police and prosecutors still havent described how the girls were killed. A previously released composite sketch of a suspect in the murders of two teenage girls in Indiana. However, prosecutors have not yet charged Allen with kidnapping. CVS worker Richard Matthew Allen, 50, was charged in October after an analysis concluded a 40-caliber round that was found between the bodies of 14-year-old Libby German and 13-year-old Abby Williams had come from a gun he owned, according to a probable cause affidavit made public Tuesday. More haunting clues have surfaced that give an inside look at Allen's life in Delphi, including a chilling picture of his daughter in what appears to be the exact location where Abby and Libby were last seen. This community, there are a lot of people who walk every day, that walk their dogs, that walk for exercise. No unauthorized parties may have access to that material, and its incumbent upon the defense to comply with the order. "For more than two years you never thought we would shift to a different investigative strategy, but we have.". The news came more than five years after Abby Williams and Libby German disappeared on the Monon High Bridge. DELPHI, Ind. Below, we have taken the scanned images of the case documents and transcribed into text format so it is easier to read. In the course of the investigation into the murders, authorities had previously released a pixelated image of the same man from that video walking on the bridge around the time of the girl's disappearance. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "Per the court order, we cannot talk about the evidence that's in the probable cause [affidavit]," McLeland said at the time. Libbys sister, Kelsey German, drove the two girls to a local nature preserve so they could take pictures and hike the. One witness said the man was wearing blue jeans and a blue jacket. Authorities also released an initial sketch of the suspected killer in July 2017, and then another in April 2019 based on cellphone video recorded by Libby showing a suspect on the bridge. A witness claims to have been walking with friends and said hi to a man that appeared to be Allen, who only silently glared at them in response. Allen was arrested last month and charged with two counts of murder for the 2017 deaths of best friends Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14. Gull wrote that "the public interest is not served by prohibiting access" to the documents and that witnesses' safety and Allen's personal information could be protected by redacting some parts of the records. "Theyre all just really hoping that theres some kind of a mistake in that it isnt him. Delphi murders investigation timeline: Delphi murders investigation timeline: Review the case through 5 years of reporting Allen, whom prosecutors charged Oct. 28 Investigators had previously released a different composite sketch that was "based on a previous witness," according to Carter. He parked his 2016 Ford Focus in the parking lot of the old Farm Bureau building, but police indicated in the affidavit that they believe he meant the old Child Protection Services building, according to the affidavit. But Allen's lawyer, Bradley Rozzi, argued that the Delphi case has been so highly publicized, and he thinks part of the reason why is the secrecy surrounding the details of the investigation, so he believes it would be beneficial to release the documents connected to Allen's arrest. It isnt clear what took authorities so long for investigative follow-ups, but a search of his home on Oct. 13 uncovered several weapons including a Sig Auer Model P222. The affidavit does not specifically identify the girls by name. Their bodies were discovered the next day by a volunteer, about a half-mile off the trail. The three witnesses passed a man on the trail, and one of the girls in the group said "hi" to the man. Ashleigh Banfield walks over to hug , Idaho Murders Arrest PRESS CONFERENCE Transcript & Video. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The chief deputy adds that there were no signs of forced entry into the home, and the sheriffs office is not searching for a suspect. Bryant, who did not draw an earlier, widely-disseminatedsketch released by police that showed a much-older looking person of interest, told the Star he creates hisdrawingsbased off how a witness describes a suspect using a "facial identification reference sheet," which allows peopleto describe a suspect based on various categories such as a person's head shape, style ofeyebrows ortype of nose. Near the end of the video a male is heard telling the girls, 'Guys, down the hill,'" the affidavit states. He has not yet returned the call. Allen is next due in court on June 15 for a bail hearing. November 30, 2022 / 6:15 AM During the Oct. 31 press conference, ISP Superintendent Doug Carter announced Allen, 50, of Delphi had been charged with two counts of murder in the deaths That there could be other actors," McLeland said in court. Allen said in an Oct. 26 interview with police that he had never allowed anyone to borrow the gun, according to the affidavit. Our private group is clearly the best Delphi sleuthing group on the Internet by far and has been since it was founded four years ago in 2017. Former medical examiner Joseph Scott Morgan suggested that working in a pharmacy could have given prime suspect Richard Allen intimate access to the community and a "sick pleasure" while No probable cause affidavit was released during the Oct. 31 press conference. He told authorities no one else had access to his gun nor would anyone else have used it, the document showed. WebThe Witnesses - Lets get the story straight Based on my understanding through reading the case so far, there were at least 4 witnesses at around the trail that day at around the time Besides the video and new image, ISP Superintendent Doug Carter revealed that investigators were looking for the owner of a vehicle abandoned on the east side of County Road 300 North next to the Hoosier Heartland Highway between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m on Feb. 14, 2017, the day the girl's bodies were discovered. The teens were reported missing on Feb. 13, 2017, after they were dropped off at the Delphi Historic Trails in the early afternoon to go for a walk. Allen, 50, was arrested on October 26 and charged with the murders of best friends Libby and Abby, two eighth graders found dead in a Delphi, Indiana woods on Valentine's Day in 2017. Indiana law allows courts to withhold records in "extraordinary circumstances,"CBS Chicago reported. She further stated that it appeared he had gotten into a fight," the affidavit states. Analysis connected that gun to the unspent round with extraction marks on it found by the bodies, according to the police records. On Oct. 31two days after Wilkins request was deniedauthorities held their news conference announcing theyd arrested Allen in connection with the infamous murder case. 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The affidavit states, "Investigators believe that after the victims were murdered, Richard Allen returned to his vehicle by walking down (Carroll) County Road 300 North. An ejected .40-caliber shell found inches from either Libby German or Abby Williams' body ties Richard Allen to the 2017 killing of the teens, according to the probable cause affidavit released Tuesday. The surviving victim was taken to UC Medical Center and is reportedly in critical condition, Stratton said. The killings of two young teenage girls, Abigail Abby Williams, 13, and Liberty Libby German, 14, near an abandoned railroad trestle on Feb. 13, 2017, finally led to Allens arrest, an assemblage of local law enforcement authorities and a local prosecutor announced on Monday morning. Ohio train derailment Nikki Haley presidential bid Witness in Delphi double murder likely afraid, investigator says Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter told "GMA" investigators are "one tip away from success" in solving the murders of Abby Williams and Libby German. "If he developed those photographs, did he have duplicates? Near the conclusion, audience members were encouraged to ask questions, and a touching story was shared about how the news of Libbys quick thinking to film her killer ended up impacting a completely unrelated case. Allen admitted to being in the area where they were killed and said he was wearing a similar outfit to the 'Bridge Guy' Libby captured on video Credit: FBI. Unburieda true-crime blog with no illusions in the police, the privileged, or the powerful. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. Police have tens of thousands of tips in the investigation into Williams' and Germans deaths but have not yet made any arrests. He appeared to have been in a fight, the witness said. Only one of the witnesses described "muddy and bloody" clothing. The name of the arrestee has not been confirmed, but sources say the individual appeared in court Friday morning. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. he asked. DELPHI, Ind. Witnesses described seeing a man matching Allens general description on the trail that day, with one girl describing him as kind of creepy., One witness described a man walking with a purpose like he knew where he was going.. ", A previously released composite sketch of a suspect in the murders of two teenage girls in Indiana. In fact, Libby German's heartbroken grandmother even claimed the suspected killer printed off pictures for her slain granddaughter's funeral, FOX 59 reported. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? He'salso believed to have lived, workedor regularly visited Delphi, which is located about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Snow, who told FOX59 he didn't have any inside information about the investigation or why it took two years for the video of the man to be released, praised the actions of state police to keep the case in the spotlight. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Lafayette Journal & Courier reporter Noe Padilla contributed to this report. They boiled down to protecting the public interest and preventing information from being released that could damage an ongoing murder investigation, although the motion didnt elaborate on the latter point. Heres everything you need to know about The Grinch sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. McLeland presented multiple exhibits to the court, including a letter from Libby's guardian and grandmother Becky Patty, as well as an online petition that garnered 40,000 signatures asking to keep the evidence confidential. Twitter / @MaxLewisTV The probable cause affidavit said Allen admitted to 35-33-7-2 as a sworn affidavit setting forth the facts and circumstances known to law enforcement of Carroll County as the basis for probable cause to arrest without a warrant or to establish probable cause for issuance of an arrest warrant for the above named defendant. "When we look at cases like these, you have to think - did he derive some kind of joy from it?" Media organizations contested the order shielding those documents from the public, although a special judge granted the release of a redacted version of the affidavit in late November 2022. Large search ; the story gained national attention asked a judge to seal records in the video! 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