LIBBY GERMAN & ABBY WILLIAMS: Indiana vs. Richard Allen for 2017 murder of two Delphi girls *TRIAL IN PROGRESS*

On February 14, 2017, the bodies of Abigail Williams and Liberty German were discovered near the Monon High Bridge Trail, which is part of the Delphi Historic Trails in Delphi, Indiana, United States, after the young girls had disappeared from the same trail the previous day. The murders have received significant media coverage because a photo and audio recording of an individual believed to be the girls' murderer was found on German's smartphone. Despite the audio and video recordings of the suspect that have been circulated and the more than 26,000 tips that police have received, no arrest in the case has been made.[1][2][3]



Police have not publicly stated nor released details of how the girls were murdered.[6] As early as February 15, 2017, Indiana State Police began circulating a still image of an individual reportedly seen on the Monon High Bridge Trail near where the two friends were slain; the grainy photograph appearing to capture a Caucasian male, with hands in pockets, walking on the rail bridge, head down, toward the girls.[4] A few days later, the person in the photograph was named the prime suspect in the double-homicide.[5]

On February 22, law enforcement released an audio recording where the voice of the assailant,[7] though in some degree muffled, is heard to say, "Down the hill." It was at this news conference that officials credited the source of the audio and imagery to German's smartphone, and, further, regarded her as a hero for having had the uncanny foresight and fortitude to record the exchange in secret. Police indicated that additional evidence from the phone had been secured, but that they did not release it so as not to "compromise any future trial." By this time, the reward offered in the case was set at $41,000.[5]

Murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

On Feb 14, 2017, the bodies of Abigail Williams & Liberty German were discovered in Delphi, #INDIANA. The suspect in their deaths is awaiting trial.

On February 22, law enforcement released an audio recording where the voice of the assailant, though in some degree muffled, is heard to say, "Down the hill." Even with a lot of media coverage, their murders remain unsolved.

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[GrandmaBear]

Read my post #8241. It has Kathy Shank testimony and Dulin too.

you are a total PEACH. I will, right now and thank you for the direction to it. Because I've basically had it with reporting.

 

[Tresir]

you are a total PEACH. I will, right now and thank you for the direction to it. Because I've basically had it with reporting.

That's probably all I will post for today as it is getting late here now. They haven't yet updated that link with the afternoon court session, I guess because they haven't been "let out" of the courtroom yet.

If you go back to that same link in a couple of hours they may have updated it by then with the afternoon session.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Delphi Murders trial: Day 6 live blog

Delphi Murders trial continues with testimony from Dr. Roland Kohr and Sarah Carbaugh. Allen accused of murdering Abby Williams and Libby German.

www.wishtv.com

Ok this is pretty good. Will edit out the images and unnecessary stuff.

62°

Home / News / Crime Watch 8 / Delphi Murders

Delphi Murders trial: Day 6 live blog​

Presented By​

by: Ashley Fowler and Jason Ronimous
Posted: Oct 24, 2024 / 07:06 AM EST / Updated: Oct 24, 2024 / 01:59 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Thursday is the sixth day of testimonies in the trial of Delphi Murders suspect Richard Allen at the Carroll County Courthouse in Delphi.
Allen, 52, is charged with murder and murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping in the deaths of 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams and 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German. The girls’ bodies were found near the Monon High Bridge near Delphi on Feb. 14, 2017, a day after they went missing.
Allen was first investigated in 2017 and again in October 2022. After a second police interview, he was taken into custody.
The trial began Oct. 18 and was expected to continue through mid-November. Sixteen Allen County residents sit as the jury on the case.
Day 6 of the Delphi Murders trial was set to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday.
NOTE: The times listed in the blog headers are the times which the entries were added. Specific times for courtroom events will be listed in the entries if available.
For a brief summary of Day 5 in the Delphi Murders trial (Tuesday), scroll to the bottom of the page.
FL: 66YO FALLS OVERBOARD CRUISE SHIP
To view all of our previous trial coverage, click here.

Additional coverage on Wednesday from News 8​

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11:38 a.m.​

Testimony from Kathy Shank​

Court was back in session today with the jury entering the courtroom at 9:06 a.m. The judge shared that the jury was able to access their phones, call their families and view work emails briefly last night. They have not seen any media coverage.
9:08 a.m. The state called Kathy Shank. Shank acted as a “secretary” for the investigation. She would take tipster’s names and information. Shank said she was surrounded by 50 or more law enforcement officers while working the investigation.
Shank told the jury she was given “bankers boxes” of reports related to the investigation and was asked to organize the reports. Eventually these reports took up five filing cabinets. Shank said she created a filing system with names of people of interest, tipsters, etc.
Shank told the jury that in 2020 she was asked to scan every file from the filing cabinets into an electronic database. She said it took her two years to do so. Shank told the jury she did not read the entire context of every file and she entered over 14,000 of them.
She told the jury that when investigators were moving their headquarters she came across some hand-written tips, one of them said a “Richard Allen Whiteman” had “self-reported being on the trails and girls had seem him at the same time.”
That tip was dated February 16, 2017.
Shank said she pulled the written tip about Allen being interviewed in 2017 and changed the file name to “Richard Allen”. She told the jury she made this discovery on September 21, 2022.
Shank told the jury that her job was not to decide if a tip should be followed up on, that she simply was tasked with organizing.
Under cross-examination by the defense, Shank said the mistake on Allen’s name was made before she joined the investigation. Defense attorney Andrew Baldwin asked Shank “There was no other tip, to your knowledge, that involved Richard Allen?” Shank replied “to my knowledge, no.” She told the jury there were so many tips that she couldn’t remember individuals.
Baldwin asked “But you would remember if there was a tip about a man covered in mud and blood walking on 300 North?” Shank said she could not remember specifics.
The jury asked Shank “How did you determine the name was incorrect on the file?” Shank replied that being from the area, she knew there was a Whiteman Drive.

Testimony from Dan Dulin​

At 9:59 a.m. the state called Dan Dulin to the stand. Dulin is a Captain with the Department of Natural Resources and has been a conservation officer for 26 years.
Dulin had worked across the state of Indiana but had worked in the Carroll County area for 10 years. He told the jury he became involved with the investigation on February 16, 2017.
Dulin said he was tasked with assisting with and following up on leads. He told the jury he received a lead on Richard Allen and he contacted Allen by phone. Dulin told the jury that he requested to meet with Allen at his home, then police headquarters. Allen refused and requested that they met at a grocery store parking lot.
Dulin said he met with Allen in a grocery store parking lot on 2/18/17. Dulin told the jury they met, spoke about the lead and Allen told him he was on the trails on February 13 between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. He told Dulin he saw three girls at the Freedom Bridge.
Dulin said Allen told him he was clear that he parked at the old CPS building and walked to the Freedom Bridge and then to the high bridge. Dulin said Allen told him he was looking at a “stock ticker” while walking.
Dulin said he took handwritten notes which included Allen’s phone number. Dulin said he wrote up his notes into a Word document and turned it into investigators.
Dulin told the jury that in September 2022 he got a call asking if he remembered interacting with Richard Allen. Dulin said it didn’t sound familiar but said he would look through his records. He said he found his documents on his 2017 interview with Allen and found a fishing license for Allen and his wife Kathy. The licenses had contact information on them.
Dulin told the jury that Allen’s fishing license had his height listed as 5’4″, but it was changed in April of 2017 to 5’6″. Dulin also told the jury his weight was changed on his license to be lighter, 13 pounds were subtracted. Dulin said he thought it was uncommon for an adult to change their height two inches.
Prosecutor Nick McLeland asked Dulin if Allen was in the courtroom and Dulin described Allen.
At 10:35 a.m. defense attorney Brad Rozzi begins cross-examining Dulin. Rozzi said Allen called law enforcement in February. Rozzi said Allen suggested meeting at the grocery story because he was already on his way there.
Dulin said he cannot recall the appearance or demeanor of Allen during the meeting. Rozzi said the handwritten notes would be better evidence of the meeting than the electronic report and that Dulin said in a March 2024 deposition that he had “no independent recollection” of what Allen said to him in their 2017 meeting.
Rozzi said that anyone could purchase a fishing license for another person.
Dulin testified that he was also in charge of calling phone numbers that pinged off of cell towers during the time of the crime. He said he canvassed the crime scene the day before he met with Allen.
Dulin told the jury that while he was at the scene he found branches piled up with blood on them.
Rozzi asked Dulin if he saw deer standing in the woods hear the bridge, Dulin said there were. Rozzi asked if it is not uncommon to find shell casings in the woods.
Judge Gull stepped in and said to Rozzi, “If you’re going to impeach him, impeach him properly.”
Rozzi asked Dulin if he was familiar with “Smith and Wesson.” Dulin said he was.
At 11:06 a.m. McLeland asked Dulin about the credit card used to purchase Allen’s fishing licenses. Dulin replied that he did not know what username was used to purchase the licenses.
Dulin told the jury in re-direct by the defense that he has not thought of Allen between 2017 and 2022.
At 11:13 a.m. The jury asked Dulin “What was Allen’s hair like?” Dulin replied that he didn’t know.
Court took a break at 11:18 a.m.

Testimony from Steve Mullin​

Court is back in session at 11:35 a.m. as the state called former Delphi police chief Steve Mullin for the third time.
Mullin said he got a call from Richard Allen on Sept. 21, 2022, and then he reached out to Dulin to ask if there was any additional info. Mullin said Dulin forwarded information to him and Tony Liggett, and after learning there were two cars registered to Allen, he went to Hoosier Harvestore to look for them.
He told the jury that Tony Liggett went to the CVS and found Allen’s car and then they looked for it on the Harvestore footage.
Mullin said Liggett looked at the video and found the vehicle matching the description. The timestamp was 1:27 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2017.
Baldwin interjected, telling Mullin that “it’s only your opinion” that your car matches.
Mullin responded that he believes the car in the video was Richard Allen’s. He said the “general shape of the car was the same,” as were the taillights, bumper, rims (black sports rims with spokes).
The jury was shown a 9-second video of the vehicle as it passed from east to west, followed by close-ups of the car.
Some of the car’s major identifying features — including the license plate and VIN — were not visible on the security camera footage. The time on the security camera footage and info from Dulin’s meeting match up, according to News 8’s Kyla Russell.
Mullin said he and Liggett went to Richard Allen’s house on Oct. 13, 2022, and told him they wanted to ask questions about the Delphi investigation.
He told the jury Allen agreed to go to the police department and was taken there in an unmarked car and in plain clothes.
They arrived at the police station, where Mullin said he asked Allen what he was doing on Feb. 13, 2017.
Allen said he went to his mom’s house in Peru, returned to Delphi, and picked up a jacket, went to the trails around 12 p.m., and left at 1:30 p.m.
According to Mullin, Allen told police he drove his Ford Focus to the old DCS building, parked there, and went to the trails. He said he was wearing as a blue/black Carhartt jacket, blue jeans, and a skull cap.
Mullin said Allen told police he saw three girls on the bridge and was “looking at his stock ticker.” Allen then said one of the girls “appeared to be older” and that she was “babysitting.”
Mullin told the jury he showed Allen a photo of “Bridge Guy” and that Allen responded, “If the photo was taken with the girl’s camera, it couldn’t be him.”
The former police chief said Allen agreed to let him look at the phone, but then got angry and walked out of the interview. After that, Allen was taken back to his house.
Court took a lunch break at 12:06 p.m.

Wow thnak you Tresir for point me to this. I had things in the beginning I was going to point out as how easily reporting, etc. can be screwed up but by the end, forgot a lot of them.

I am going to try to remember. Listen to Lauren's I linked. It is not in the same depth but is about this.

There are things I thought as reading each part that changed by the end and reading all of it. I think there are little nuances and discrepancies and what damage can be caused when reporters use on wrong word etc.

I am going to have to look back at it and remember. But first of all it is made to sound as if Dulin (been spelling it wrong I guess) followed up on a tip about RA. Dulin called him by phone folwoing up on a tip. In the way unclear reporting goes, maybe RA left a message but it actually sounds more like Dulin was follwong up on a tip from someone about RA, and taht's what news and lack of live coverage does so who knows... I thought RA self reported...

Then RA refused to meet at police headquarters or at his home. Sounds a bit controlling and bossy...My guess would be either of the two other options would alert his wife or the community if he was seen going into headquarters or police were at his home...

Listen to Lauren's, it is not as detailed as this but probably is so in a later live, but she said I think Kathy Shank was out of town when this happened and when she got back she jumped in and asked what she could do to help. She also said I believe that Kathy is CPS or DCF or some such. This is not atypical in a small town area. That never has BIG cases that turn out to be of national interest. It's just the norm every day, safe little community but for druggies I'm sure, some petty thefts, domestics, etc.

I come from what I'd think is a similar area and in recent years, the last ten? we had two huge cases most here would likely know of. and i'm no talking of ours, add another rare murder case.

And our LE is NOT used to handling such. Anyhow too not sidetrack in the ONE, way out in rural area, a constable/DNR person small town kind of police officer, one in one very small town, was the closest and responded. THIS is what I picture Dulin to be. of course everyone responded but it was miles upon miles for many, this guy was the closest. I'm not going to name the case but it was huge and a similiation was done or idea of the same on one of the big fictional crime shows, CSI maybe, can't recall.

Nothing was ever wrong there or done wrong but he was just a conservation officer, and small town one cop, kind of constable.

it is interesting that here it was never said he recorded, and I actually have doubted he did. Because it just is'nt how they are thinking...

What's more interesting is how RA demanded to meet at a grocery store parking lot and not at headquarters or his home and what is the truth about the tip, did RA report himself or did someone else. It's very unclear on that in this account...

I thought Dulin might be a snag but it sounds like here he was a pretty strong witness. The fishing licenses are very interesting, and again watch Lauren for interpretation and how it can vary between people reporting.

And more desperation by the D in someone else could have applied for them right and changed height, etc... And your account here mentions licenses for both him and wife Kathy...

It's kind of a stand alone remark where Gull interjects and said if you are going to impeach him, impeach him properly. WTF? And no more about it...

So then to the Mullin part. Mullin received a call FROM RA in 2022? Is THIS a typo?? Mistake?? And then he looked t Harvestore video, etc.? RA called him? Why?? WAs he alerted somehow (RA) that they were looking at him? These omissions or little mistakes in reporting can give an entirely different impression... I'd believe first that they tried to reach RA in finding the tip, etc. and that he was returning the call? This makes it sound as if RA reached out to the Chief and called first...

And these little things that can be big because one little mistake can make a world of difference if reported wrong.

I so appreciate you directing me to this post. And you have plenty going on but anytime you can to the important ones or want to, much appreciated. This was well worth the read. I've pretty much had it overall and am doing other sources if I get to it at all.

The fishing license things has me pretty darned curious I'll admit...

 

[GrandmaBear]

That's probably all I will post for today as it is getting late here now. They haven't yet updated that link with the afternoon court session, I guess because they haven't been "let out" of the courtroom yet.

If you go back to that same link in a couple of hours they may have updated it by then with the afternoon session.

I think I am going to skip trying to go back on anything and just watch Tom when today's session ends. And listen to it all and just stick to that. And skip trying to catch up here. I will get the whole day today from him. ASSUMING he got in.

Lauren also was going on if even they take a break, they go through the whole line thing again each and every time to get back in.

What Gull did here maddens me and she's on my sh*t list. The effects it is having imo are vast. And I can only thank God the jury by rules are not seeing such.

 

[Tresir]

This is a continuation of the Wish TV link I posted upthread reporting the afternoon session.

The time at the top of each section is the time that testimony was added to the blog.

Delphi Murders trial: Day 6 live blog​

by: Ashley Fowler and Jason Ronimous
Posted: Oct 24, 2024 / 07:06 AM EST / Updated: Oct 24, 2024 / 05:08 PM EST



To view all of our previous trial coverage, click here.

​

---

4:03 P.M.​

TESTIMONY CONTINUES WITH FORMER DELPHI POLICE CHIEF STEVE MULLIN.​

Court resumed at 1:38 p.m. with defense attorney Andrew Baldwin cross-examining former Delphi Police Chief Steve Mullin.

Baldwin said to Mullin, “You lied to this jury, before lunch you lied to this jury.” Mullin responded “Is there a question?” Baldwin handed Mullin a copy of the October 13, 2022 interview with Allen. Baldwin asked Mullin to point out exactly where Allen said he may have gone westbound on 300N to get to the trails on Feb. 13, 2017.

Mullin responds that Allen said he was travelling in a direction that seemed like it could have been westbound.

Baldwin asks Mullin if he asked Allen if he went to the trails in a different way. Baldwin says this is because “they are desperate for Rick to have been going west.”

Prosecutor Nick McLeland objects over and over, saying Baldwin is impeding the questions with his opinions.

Baldwin says “words matter on the stand, correct? Especially if those words impact the timeline.”

Baldwin asks Mullin, “for your theory to work, Richard Allen’s car had to be at the CPS lot between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.?” Mullin says he wasn’t giving direct quotes from Allen.

The jury asked Mullin “Were you in an interview with Mr. Allen where he stated he didn’t remember which way he took to the trail?” Mullin responded “yes.”

4:20 P.M.​

TESTIMONY OF CARROLL COUNTY SHERIFF TONY LIGGETT​

At 2:08 p.m. the state called Carroll County Sheriff Tony Liggett to the stand. Liggett tells the jury he was a detective in Feb. 2017.

Liggett tells the jury that when the tip came in from Kathy Shank’s lead, he wasn’t aware anyone had seen the witnesses on the trail, and that he thought that person could be bridge guy.

Liggett tells the jury about the process of altering the video on Libby’s phone. Liggett says the bridge guy video was “altered to be upright all the time.”

The prosecution shows the video to the jury again. Liggett describes what he hears in the video in the following way:

Abby: “Is he right here? Don’t leave me up here.”

Libby: “This is the path, that be a gun, there’s no path here.”

Bridge Guy: “Guys”

Girls: “Hi”

Bridge Guy: “Down the hill.”

Liggett tells the jury that he did research on Allen’s vehicles in 2022 and that he went to CVS and got photos of the car. Liggett says the car was “backed in” at the CVS and “backed in” at the CPS building.

Liggett tells the jury about finding Allen’s gun and ammunition and that he found another 40 caliber Winchester cartridge. Liggett said he also found more 40 caliber ammunition from a different brand.

Liggett tells the jury a blue Carhartt jacket was found.

At 2:33 p.m. defense attorney Brad Rozzi began his cross-examination of Liggett.

Rozzi asks about Liggett being involved in a contentious election in 2022, to which McLeland objected. Liggett responded that it “had nothing to do with me, it was about the murder of two little girls.”

Liggett is asked “do you acknowledge that there have been leaks in this investigation?” Liggett responds that there have been leaks but he wasn’t referring to just after the investigation started and said “some information got out, yes.”

Liggett said he did not check to make sure there were no cameras on the south side of the Hoosier Harveststore, he only retrieved video from cameras pointing at 300N.

Rozzi asked Liggett “you’re aware of the discrepancies in Sarah Carbaguh’s take?” “Is it possible you’re wrong?” “Is it possible that Sarah Carbaugh didn’t see anyone that day?”

Liggett tells the jury he agrees that the investigation was chaotic in the beginning and that the FBI worked with them and he knew he could call them.

Liggett tells the jury that “someone cleared that lead and it shouldn’t have been,” referring to the Kathy Shank lead. He tells the jury that it could be challenging to recall what happened in 2017.

Liggett tells the jury he believes Allen acted alone now, “before I was open to anything.”

Rozzi asked if the sound from the bridge guy video every came from Allen. Liggett says there’s no digital evidence that links Allen, but Allen was on his phone at that time on the bridge.

Liggett says “I don’t know the motive of why he (Allen) came forward.” Liggett says Allen was “hiding in plain sight.”

Rozzi questions Liggett about the Carroll County Jail and if Liggett has had a person charged with a violent crime there.

At 3:25 p.m., McLeland begins re-direct and asks Liggett questions about the ammunition in Allen’s home.

 

[Tresir]

That last post isn't quite so clear cut but i guess this is the problem when going by hand written notes of the testimony. Will be interesting to see what Tom reports.

 

[RoundPeg]

BTW, Mr. Westerman apparently completed the terms of his pre trial agreement and charges are dismissed.