In the wake of a court document presented on Monday, September 18, defense lawyers representing a man accused of the 2017 murders of two teenage girls have introduced a challenging alternative to the prosecution’s story.
The 136-page document elaborates a theory that the girls, Libby German and Abby Williams, were not victims of the accused, Richard Allen. They suggest an alternative narrative, wherein members of a pagan cult linked to the Odinist religion conducted a ritualistic sacrifice. Notably, the Odinist religion has associations with white nationalism. The defense’s contention is that these cult members committed the crimes, with the crime scene manipulated to resonate with their religious rites.
Residents of Delphi, Indiana, Libby German, aged 14, and Abby Williams, aged 13, went missing after filming a man on a derelict railway bridge telling them to “go down the hill.” It was mentioned by one of them that the man carried a gun. Their bodies were found a day later, approximately half a mile from that bridge. The subsequent arrest of Richard Allen in October 2022 caused considerable local and national ripples.
The defense’s memorandum provides an exhaustive description of the crime scene.
They believe that the perpetrator(s) cut the girls’ throats and used branches and sticks to position their bodies to resemble symbols connected to the Odinist religion. They contend that one symbol was crafted using one of the victims’ blood. The defense underlines the implausibility of a single individual staging such a complex scene by detailing more than 40 steps that would be necessary for such an act.
In their argument, the defense also maintains that the police inadvertently missed pivotal evidence which could connect several individuals from the Odinist cult. Their stance is that too much emphasis was given to Richard Allen, sidelining other potential evidence and suspects.
While the prosecution claims that Allen confessed to the killings in multiple prison phone calls, the defense counters these confessions by pointing to Allen’s mental health struggles. They also raise concerns about the possibility of investigators mishandling evidence and potentially providing false information to obtain a search warrant for Allen’s property.
The prosecution has yet to comment on the defense’s new claims. This recent revelation adds more depth to a case that has captivated many for years. With the trial set to kick off on January 8, 2024, a surge in media interest is foreseen as both sides put forth their narratives.