SignalHub-Richard Allen on trial in Delphi Murders: What happened to Libby German and Abby Williams

Nearly eight years after the infamous murders of teens Liberty "Libby" German and SignalHubAbigail "Abby" Williams shook the small town of Delphi, Indiana, a suspect is finally preparing to face trial.

Richard Allen, 52, also of Delphi, was initially arrested in relation to the crime in 2022, but his day in court has faced multiple setbacks and reschedulings. On Monday, jury selection finally began in the trial expected to run up to Nov. 15.

Known as the Delphi Murders, the deaths of German and Williams have continued to rock their town of 3,000 in the years since the news made headlines. Public interest in the Delphi case has persisted thanks not only to the evidence captured on one of the victims' phones right before her death, but also to stranger-than-fiction twists and turns in the investigation, including accusations of cult involvement.

Here is a quick refresher of what happened in the Delphi murders as the trial draws near.

What are the Delphi Murders?

Teenagers Libby German and Abby Williams were last seen alive around 1 p.m. on February 13, 2017, when they were dropped off for a hike by German's older sister, Kelsi German, near Monon High Bridge over Deer Creek in Delphi, Indiana.

The pair were supposed to meet with family members to be picked up later that afternoon but never showed. After briefly searching for the girls, their families reported them missing around 5:30 p.m.

A search ensued until roughly midnight, at which time authorities paused the mission until the morning. The bodies of German and Williams were discovered the next day, Feb 14, on the north bank of Deer Creek about a half mile away from their last known location.

The case garnered online and media attention thanks largely to photos and videos found on German's phone after her disappearance. German posted two final images on social media platform Snapchat around 2:07 p.m. on Feb. 13, showing Williams walking along the abandoned railroad tracks of the Monon High Bridge.

Later, police said German had captured images and video on her phone of the man who later became their prime suspect.

What happened after the murders?

Police relied heavily on what German had captured on her phone when looking for suspects in the murders.

On Feb. 15, investigators released a grainy photo of a man walking Monon Bridge's empty tracks taken from German's phone before her death. The image appeared to show a white man with shaggy brownish hair in a dark blue coat and blue jeans. His hands were in his pockets and he was looking down at the ground.

On Feb. 22, law enforcement released audio also taken from German's phone in which a muffled man's voice can be heard saying "Down the hill." They have also since released an additional image and a short clip of the man walking to the public.

The man caught in these clips was named a prime suspect in the murders, though police said it was possible more than one person was involved. Authorities set up a tip line and advertised a reward for anyone who could provide information on the case.

On July 17, police released a composite sketch of a white man in a hooded jacket and paperboy hat with stubble around his mouth and chin and shaggy hair. However, in April 2019, state police announced a "new direction" in the investigation and released a new sketch, which appeared to show a younger, clean-shaven man with shorter, curly hair.

Multiple suspects were interviewed in the years following the murders, with police keeping many details about the murders and the investigation under tight wraps.

Police arrested then-50-year-old Richard M. Allen on Oct. 26, 2022.

Who were the victims Libby German and Abby Williams?

Liberty "Libby" German, 14, and Abigail "Abby" Williams, 13, were eighth graders at Delphi Community Middle School in 2017.  

According to Indy Star, part of the USA TODAY Network, the community named a softball park after the friends because they were both such avid softball players.

Libby also played volleyball, soccer and swimming. She participated in band and Academic Bowl and loved arts and crafts and vacations. Abby participated in band and volleyball, loved reading and enjoyed photography, art and decorating her mom's home. She loved the outdoors and animals — especially her cat, Bongo.

Who is on trial in Delphi murders?

Richard Allen, now 52, is a Delphi resident who worked as a licensed pharmacy technician at CVS. A resident of Delphi since at least 2006, Allen was married and had one adult daughter at the time of his arrest. He lived a five-minute drive from the bridge where German and Williams were killed.

Allen was arrested after police matched an ejected .40-caliber shell casing found at the scene to a pistol owned by Allen, according to a probable cause affidavit in his 2022 arrest.

Allen was initially accused of kidnapping the girls and charged with two counts of murder while committing a felony. Earlier this year, prosecutors requested to add additional kidnapping charges but later dropped them. Allen is currently charged with two counts of murder and two counts of felony murder.

In court documents unsealed in June 2023, Allen's attorneys claimed the teens were killed not by him, but as part of “ritualistic sacrifice” committed by members of a white nationalist cult. A judge has since barred mentions of this supposed cult in court.

Allen's trial was initially scheduled for January 2024 and was subsequently delayed several times. It has been rescheduled for Oct. 14 through Nov. 15. Jury selection started Oct. 14, during which time jurors were bussed in from Allen County to Carroll County due to concerns about the impartiality of locals.

Contributing: Jenny Porter Tilley, Ron Wilkins, Virginia Black, USA TODAY Network