Richard Allen, convicted in Delphi murder case, appeals 130-year sentence
09/21/2026 2:46 pm PDT
INDIANAPOLIS (TCN) -- Richard Allen, the 54-year-old man convicted in 2024 of the double murder of Liberty German and Abigail Williams in Delphi, Indiana, has appealed his 130-year sentence.
In February 2017, 14-year-old German and 13-year-old Williams went on a hike together at the Monon High Bridge. When they did not show up at their designated pickup spot, their families became concerned. Their bodies were found with their throats cut the next day about a mile from where they were last seen on the bridge. The crime went unsolved for years until Richard Allen was arrested in 2022. He was convicted in November 2024 and handed a 130-year sentence.
Allen appeared in court on Sept. 21 to bid to overturn his sentence, WXIN reports. His attorneys have been working through the appeals process since his conviction, and they filed a 113-page brief in December 2025 explaining their argument why Allen’s conviction should be overturned.
According to WXIN, Allen’s attorneys argued in the brief that a search of Allen’s home was not constitutional, and that all evidence found was inadmissible and should not have been used in trial. In addition, they argued that he was “gravely disabled” when he confessed and that his defense team was unable to present their complete defense because their alternate theory was thrown out by a judge.
The theory, which gained significant publicity, centered on an occult-based sacrificial killing under the Norse offshoot religion Odinism. Allen County Judge Fran Gull did not allow this theory to be presented at trial, per WXIN.
According to WXIN, during the hearing on Sept. 21, both sides were given 30 minutes to present their arguments. The Indianapolis Star reports that the state defended the conviction.
In a statement via his press secretary, Attorney General Todd Rokita said, “It’s our office’s responsibility to represent the state on appeal and defend that verdict. … We stand with Abby and Libby’s families, and we’ll keep fighting for the accountability and closure the crime demands.”
According to the Star, a decision on the appeal could take months. Defense attorney Stacy Uliana said, “It could be a week, or it could be in a year. … My guess is we’re going to have it in a couple months.”
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