Delphi Murders Trial: Live Blog Coverage of Day 21

INDIANAPOLIS — Today marks Day 21 in the trial of Richard Allen, the suspect in the Delphi murders, taking place at the Carroll County Courthouse. This is also the fourth day of jury deliberations.

Allen, 52, faces charges of murder and murder while attempting to commit kidnapping in connection with the tragic deaths of 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams and 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German. The girls’ bodies were discovered near the Monon High Bridge on February 14, 2017, just a day after they went missing.

The investigation into Allen began in 2017 and was revived in October 2022, leading to his arrest following a second police interview.

The trial commenced on October 18 and is expected to continue through mid-November. Initially, there were 16 jurors from Allen County; however, one juror was dismissed on October 25.

Cameras have been prohibited inside the courtroom.

NOTE: The timestamps in this blog indicate when each entry was added. Specific times for courtroom events will be noted within the entries if available. The following notes are compiled from written observations by reporters present in court and shared with our news desk.

For a recap of Day 20 in the Delphi Murders trial (Saturday), please scroll to the bottom of this page.

10:47 a.m.: Deliberations continue

Kyla Russell reports that deliberations for the jury have now reached nearly hour 16.

9 a.m.: Court session begins

The jury arrived at the Carroll County Courthouse shortly before 9 a.m. for their fourth day of deliberation. If they do not reach a verdict today, deliberations will continue tomorrow. Should they arrive at a decision today, the judge will announce when that verdict will be read to the court.

8:30 a.m.: Defense team arrives

The defense team representing Richard Allen has entered the courthouse. Earlier reports mentioned Allen and his defense team leaving just before 2 p.m. on Saturday while deliberations were ongoing; however, their reason for departure remains unclear.

8:27 a.m.: Jury arrives

Vans carrying all 15 jurors—12 who will decide Allen's fate and three alternates—have arrived at the courthouse for what is now their fourth day (third full day) of deliberation regarding whether Richard Allen is guilty of murdering Abigail “Abby” Williams and Liberty “Libby” German.

Brief summary of Day 20 of the Delphi Murders trial

The jury concluded their deliberations on Saturday after five hours of discussion.

During this time, they requested Richard Allen’s defense team to review some evidence presented earlier.

Special Judge Frances Gull stated that the evidence could only be displayed once.

The specific evidence the jury wished to revisit has not been disclosed.

As reported, Allen and his defense team were seen leaving the courthouse shortly before 2 p.m., although the reason for their departure remains unclear.

On Monday, there will be a total of 15 jurors present in the courtroom — comprising 12 who will determine Richard Allen's guilt regarding the murders of Abby and Libby, along with three alternates.

The deliberations may extend over several hours or even days. The 12-member jury must arrive at a unanimous verdict.

If they harbor any reasonable doubt about Allen's involvement in the murders, they are instructed to render a verdict of not guilty.

If they find him guilty based on the evidence presented, they should declare him guilty.

A failure to reach a unanimous decision could result in a mistrial.

If no verdict is reached on Monday, deliberations will resume on Tuesday.