Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more!
Delphi Murder Suspect Richard Allen's Attorneys Claim Victims Were Sacrificed By Pagans
In a new filing, Richard Allen's lawyers requested a hearing in which the court determines whether a warrant was issued without probable cause, in the hopes that evidence gathered be tossed.
Attorneys for Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen suggested in new court filings that Paganists killed Abigail "Abby" Williams, 13, and Liberty "Libby" German, 14, in a ritual sacrifice.
This week, Allen's defense attorneys Andrew Baldwin and Bradley Rozzi filed a motion in which they outlined their theory that members of a Norse religion that reveres the God Odin sacrificed Williams and German in February 2017, according to documents obtained by Oxygen.com.
Baldwin and Rozzi additionally allege that law enforcement investigated suspects with potential ties to the religion, which has been hijacked by white nationalists, but stopped pursuing leads for no discernible reason.
The attorneys claim there was evidence of a ritualistic killing at the crime scene but noted, "Absolutely nothing links Richard Allen to Odinism or any religious cult," according to NBC News.
The defense attorneys alleged that investigators included "flat out falsehoods" and withheld other information when requesting a search warrant for Allen's home in a Franks motion also obtained by Oxygen.com. As such, the documents state, Allen's attorneys are requesting a Franks hearing — a hearing in which the court determines whether a warrant was issued without probable cause — in the hopes that any evidence, including hunting and utility knives, gathered during the search be thrown out.
They're also seeking to have Allen transferred to a new prison, stating that the Westville Correctional Center, where he's currently incarcerated, "appears to be ripe with Odinistic connections."
Evidence of Odinism in Indiana
Included among the documents filed by Allen's attorneys was a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which wrote that a "racist brand of neo-Paganism, related to Odinism, spreads among white supremacists." In Indiana prisons specifically, there are Odinist ministries, according to the nonprofit.
A separate report by the SPLC, cited by WRTV, suggests that there are additional Odinist groups operating in Indiana.
The Delphi Murder Crime Scene
The defense attorneys claimed that investigators also found evidence of a "ritualistic" killing at the crime scene, according to NBC News. Such signs include symbols, as well as the positioning of German's remains.
An exhibits list obtained by Oxygen.com further reveals that the letter "F" was written in blood and formed in sticks at the scene. According to Fox 59, the defense attorneys suggested that the letter is associated with Pagan rituals.
Due to the nature of the crime scene, the attorneys argued that Allen would not be able to carry out such acts on his own or in the timeframe that has been proposed. The girls disappeared on a hiking trail the afternoon of February 13, 2017 and were found the following evening near the Monon High Bridge hiking trail in Delphi, Indiana.
Though the defense attorneys named potential suspects, none of the individuals have been charged in the case.
Richard Allen's Confession
Prior to the defense attorney's recent filings, it was revealed that Allen had allegedly confessed to murdering Williams and German "no less than five times" during prison calls with his wife and mother. His attorneys argued that Allen's words shouldn't be taken at face value considering his diminished mental state.
The supposed confessions were disclosed when the court unsealed documents related to the case, including one affidavit which stated that Williams and German had been murdered with a "sharp object."
Allen, who was arrested in October 2022, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. A trial date has been set for January 2024.
