HAUNTING new pictures from the scene where two teens were brutally murdered in 2017 have come to light.
New images from victim Libby German’s phone, never before seen, were made public following a request from convicted murderer Richard Allen, aged 52, who aimed to invalidate his 130-year prison term for the killing of the two young women.
In November, Allen was found guilty of murdering German, 14, and Abby Williams, 13, near a trail in Delphi, Indiana in February 2017.
Eight years after their deaths, a jury sentenced him to 130 years in prison for two counts of murder and two counts of felony murder.
In the previous month, Allen’s legal team lodged a request for a fresh trial, claiming that mistakes had been made during the initial legal proceedings, specifically pointing to concerns about the handling of cellphone evidence during forensic analysis.
Prosecutors fired back with a public filing on Tuesday that released pictures of German’s iPhone that had never before been seen outside of court.
The pictures show the iPhone 6s in a purple phone case covered in leaves, twigs, and dirt.
The phone’s screen was covered in water droplets as it was left for hours after the girls were killed.
It was found under Williams’ body at the horrific scene.
Prosecutors included the pictures of the phone to prove that Allen’s defense team’s arguments don’t warrant a new trial.
Allen’s lawyers pushed for a retrial, underscoring the assertion made by their expert witness that the data recorded on German’s iPhone 6s indicated that the device might have been accessed by someone.
The logged activity showed someone inserted and removed headphones between 5:44 pm and 10:32 pm on the day the girls were killed, according to digital forensics expert Stacy Eldridge, who testified for Allen’s defense during the hearing.
Meanwhile, the state’s witness, Indiana State Police phone expert Chris Cecil argued that the logged activity might have been caused by water or dirt in the phone.
Allen’s team tried to call Cecil’s testimony into question with the new filing, but prosecutors released the pictures as proof that dirt and water were near the phone’s headphone jack.
Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLeland also shared doubts about Eldridge’s findings.
He pointed out that Eldridge didn’t file a report to support her testimony and noted she wasn’t an expert in cellphone forensics.
PROSECUTORS FIND NO ERROR
McLeland also said investigators didn’t find any headphones at the murder scene.
Prosecutors said it was “highly unlikely” that someone could’ve moved the phone, plugged the headphones in for several hours, and then returned to the scene to unplug the headphones.
The filing said the phone evidence, as well as the defense’s other issues, didn’t constitute the proposed “motion to correct errors.”
The state asked the court to reject the defense’s motion without a hearing.
‘MOST HIDEOUS’
German’s phone was a key piece in the murder case as the teens recorded a 43-second video on Snapchat of a man approaching them, who later became known as “Bridge Guy.”
Prosecutors said Allen ordered the girls down the Monon High Bridge before slitting their throats on February 13, 2017.
Horrifying crime scene photos showed during the trial showed how the teens’ bodies were covered with branches, leaves, and dirt.
Ahead of the trial, disturbing discourse emerged when podcasters received an anonymous tip containing several photos of the crime scene where the girls were found.
The podcasters said the photos were “very disturbing” and immediately called the police, as the evidence was under a protective order by the court.
Mitchell Westerman, a friend and former coworker of Andrew Baldwin, one of the two attorneys representing Allen, was eventually arrested for the leak.
Allen insisted he was innocent throughout the case and developed disturbing behaviors behind bars as he waited for his trial.
Judge Frances Gull said Allen’s offenses were among the “most hideous” of her 27 years on the bench.
Defense’s timeline of Richard Allen’s ‘mental decline’
March 23, 2023: Allen was depressed and withdrawn and said he “was not straight in the head.”
April 4, 2023: Allen suffered from insomnia and hopelessness, was suicidal, and stated, “Death would bring relief to him.”
April 13, 2023: Allen was exhibiting “bizarre” behavior, including consuming his feces, and was suffering from a “grave disability.” The prison psychologist ordered Allen to receive an involuntary injection of psychotropic medication.
April 21, 2023: Allen’s thoughts were disjointed and he was saying “strange things.” Wala discussed that he might be considered incompetent to stand trial.
May 3, 2023: Allen said he wanted to confess details of the crime.
May 18, 2023: Allen receives another dose of psychotropic medication.
May 23, 2023: Allen was diagnosed as suffering from stress-induced psychosis.
June 8, 2023: Allen’s depression was reported to be “at its peak,” with trembling and knees buckling noted by a psychologist.
June 16, 2023: Allen receives another dose of psychotropic medication.
End of June 2023: Allen’s mental health improving.
October 2023: Allen begins proclaiming his innocence.
