Richard Allen trial starts in Delphi murders. What to know about the case

It's been almost eight years since two girls — Liberty "Libby" German and Abigail "Abby" Williams — went missing during a hike to the Monon High Bridge in Delphi, Indiana.

After they didn't return home, their bodies were found on the morning of Valentine's Day along Deer Creek.

In the years that followed, multiple composite sketches made the rounds. Investigators looked at various suspects, including the owner of a fake social media profile . Podcasters discussed theories about the killings. A small Indiana community looked for ways to remember and honor the teens who were lost. And the two girls' families prayed for answers.

News that an arrest had finally been made came on Halloween in 2022. Officials arrested local CVS employee Richard M. Allen , charging him with murder in both Liberty's and Abby's deaths.

Since the arrest, Allen's criminal case has been a flurry of motions, court orders, sealed documents and lawsuits leading to a murder trial that's been scheduled and rescheduled, and finally is set to begin Friday.

Here's a refresher on what's happened so far in the case.

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.

Who are Libby German and Abby Williams?

The two teenage girls were eighth-graders at Delphi Community Middle School. Both were avid softball players, and after their deaths, the community named a new softball park after them. Family members say their favorite colors were teal and purple, and ribbons in those colors have been used over the years in remembrance. A memorial service and lantern release for both girls took place in February 2017.

According to her obituary , Libby also played volleyball, soccer and swimming. She participated in band and Academic Bowl and loved arts and crafts and vacations.

Abby's obituary said she participated in band and volleyball, and she and her family went to several area churches. Abby was an avid reader and enjoyed photography, art and decorating her mom's home. She loved the outdoors and animals — especially her cat, Bongo.

Who is on trial for the Delphi murders?

When state police announced they arrested Richard M. Allen in connection with the girls' deaths, Delphi community members recognized the face they saw in the news as a man who worked at a local CVS pharmacy. One local woman said she regularly saw Allen picking up lunch at the McDonald's next door.

What are the charges against Richard Allen?

Richard Allen was initially charged with two counts of murder while committing a felony (kidnapping), one for each victim. In January, prosecutors requested to add two additional counts of kidnapping, which were later dropped.

Prosecutors also added two counts of murder. Unlike the original murder charges, these two counts accuse him only of the act of killing the girls. The first murder counts filed in 2022 accuse him of murder in the commission of a felony, meaning the girls died in the process of a kidnapping. In those charges, prosecutors would not have to prove that Allen was the actual killer, only that he participated in kidnapping Abby and Libby.

In March, prosecutors dropped the request to add kidnapping charges. Allen now faces four charges: two counts of murder; and two counts of felony murder.

State vs. Richard M. Allen: When and where is the trial?

Richard Allen's trial was initially scheduled for January 2024, then was delayed until October. Later, Special Judge Frances Gull rescheduled the trial for May. It was rescheduled again for Oct. 14 through Nov. 15.

Although the trial will be in Carroll County, jury selection will not include local residents. Jurors will be selected out of Allen County and bused to Carroll County. Jury selection is set to begin Monday, Oct. 14, in Allen County.

Why did police charge Richard Allen?

A probable cause affidavit in Allen's 2022 arrest links him to the crime scene. It said an ejected .40-caliber shell casing matched a pistol owned by Allen.

When police interviewed Allen, he told them no one else ever used the pistol, according to the court document. He had told police in 2017 that he'd been on the trails the afternoon the girls were killed.

What is Odinism, and what does it have to do with the Delphi murders?

In a memorandum released last year, Allen's attorneys outlined an alternate theory of the girls' killings, saying evidence found at the scene mimicked rituals from a pagan Norse religion called Odinism . Odin is believed to be one of the many gods worshipped by Nordic people before the advent of Christianity.

When defense attorneys offered their complicated theory of why their client was wrongly implicated in the Delphi case, they included allegations of law enforcement ignoring the involvement of known Odinists who posted photos on social media they say looked remarkably like scenes from where the girls were found.

"To summarize: The crime scene is chalked (sic) full of signs of cult involvement," they wrote in their memo. The defense court document also accuses correctional officers in the state prison system guarding Richard Allen while wearing various patches on their Indiana Department of Correction uniforms with Odinistic symbols or that read "In Odin we trust."

CONTRIBUTING: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY; Lafayette Journal & Courier reporter Noe Padilla; IndyStar digital operations manager Joe Mutascio; IndyStar reporters Kristine Phillips, Sarah Nelson and Kayla Dwyer.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Richard Allen trial starts in Delphi murders. What to know about the case