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Delphi murders trial: Jury deliberates for day 2 Friday after closing arguments in Richard Allen murder case
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Delphi murders trial: Jury deliberates for day 2 Friday after closing arguments in Richard Allen murder case

DELPHI, Ind. — The jury in the Delphi murders trial resumed deliberations Friday.

Jurors will be detained again until Saturday morning. After reviewing weeks of testimony for nine hours, they still couldn’t reach a decision.

Richard Allen is accused of killing Abby Williams and Libby German on an Indiana road in 2017.

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Outside the historic Carroll County courthouse, locals marched expectantly, holding up posters in loving memory of Libby German and Abby Williams.

“It’s just emotional,” said a woman named Angie. “My daughter was the same age as Libby and Abby when she was killed, and it affected the entire community.”

The case of Richard Allen, the accused murderer of young girls, affected society in unexpected ways.

“I’m torn about having more sympathy for all the families involved,” Angie said. “(Ricard Allen’s family also) They are going through a terrible process… I can’t even imagine what they are going through. “I can’t imagine what Libby and Abby’s families are going through.”

In court, prosecutors named Allen as the killer and played an enhanced and expanded video this week that he recorded on his phone the day Libby was killed. Jurors heard a phone call Allen made to his wife in which he confessed to the crime.

Defense attorneys told jurors the investigation was botched.

All we want is the truth… and if this happened and Richard Allen is guilty, that’s what we want.

Kathy Clendening, friend of victims’ families

Richard Allen pleaded not guilty to the murders of his best friends Abby Williams (13) and Libby German (14). Their bodies were left in the forest on February 13, 2017 and were found the next day.

“My voice shakes because I want the families to find some peace in their lives and now we can remember how Libby and Abby were, not this tragic part,” said Kathy Clendening, a friend of the victims. ‘ families.

The crime gained national attention when police released an image of the suspect found on Libby’s phone and audio recording of him saying “down the hill.”

Prosecutors said the voice threatening the young girl was Allen’s; moments before prosecutors say Allen slit the girls’ throats and left them to die in the countryside in February 2017.

Allen admitted that he was on leave the day of the murders but denied involvement.

Delphi resident Sarah Ausbrook said she did not miss the hearing.

“As time went on, I watched him come in and out of the courtroom, and I truly believe he was the bridge man,” Ausbrook said.

In closing arguments, prosecutors relied on Allen’s repeated prison confessions

Allen’s defense tried to poke holes in these confessions, arguing that he was held in solitary confinement for more than a year.

Jurors watched and were startled by the video of Allen naked, wearing a hood, even smearing and consuming his own feces.

Prosecutors presented no DNA evidence linking Allen to the murder.

“I have faith in the jury and the evidence the prosecution has put forth, so I’ll keep that faith,” Clendening said.

Delphi is now waiting for the 12 jurors to decide whether they are convinced that Richard Allen killed Libby German and Abby Williams.

“They set out to march that day. They did not set out to be killed,” Clendening said. “And all we want is the truth… and if this happened and Richard Allen is guilty, that’s what we want.”

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