A request has been made by Richard Allen, a pharmacy technician found guilty of the murder of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana, seeking to have his conviction overturned by a Carroll County court.
A motion filed by his attorneys outlines four key issues they argue could prove Allen’s innocence.
First, the white van. Prosecutors claimed a white van spooked Allen before he could rape the girls.
Additionally, the confession of Ron Logan is brought into question. Logan was the owner of the property where Abby Williams and Libby German were tragically killed. He provided false information regarding his alibi to law enforcement, conducted tours of the property for journalists, and identified the location where the girls’ bodies were discovered.
An FBI agent noted that Logan’s physical appearance bore similarities to the individual known as the “Bridge Guy” seen in the video captured by Libby’s phone, and his voice was deemed to be somewhat consistent with the voice heard in the recording. Allen’s defense team asserts that Logan admitted to the murders while incarcerated for violating probation.
Third, Allen’s prison transfer. His attorneys argue that Carroll County Circuit Judge Benjamin Diener, who approved the search warrant for Allen’s home, helped Sheriff Leazenby draft the safekeeping order and should have recused himself. They claim Allen had the right for another judge to review and issue the safekeeping order and an “absolute right” to refuse transfer into state custody. Because the order was never served to Allen or his attorney, Brett Gibson, they were unable to challenge it. Allen’s lawyers argue the state violated his constitutional rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Lastly, the reported connection of a pair of headphones. At trial, defense expert Stacy Eldridge testified that someone appeared to have plugged headphones into Libby’s phone at 5:44 p.m. on February 13 and removed them at 10:32 p.m. the same day. This contradicted the state’s timeline.
The state’s phone expert, ISP 1st Sgt. Chris Cecil, testified after conducting a Google search that dirt or water damage could have caused the logged activity. The defense argues they had no opportunity to counter this claim. Eldridge testified she was “unaware of any scientific or technological research suggesting that water or dirt damage to an iPhone 6s would cause the phone to inaccurately log wired headphones in or out.
“Since the state never argued Allen returned to the crime scene, the defense claims that if a jury accepted Eldridge’s analysis, the state’s “narrative is impossible.”
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Additional Guest
- Susan Hendricks – Journalist, Author: “Down the Hill: My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi’;” IG: @susan_hendricks X @SusanHendicks
- Greg Morse – Partner at the law firm of King Morse, PLLC. Current CJA counsel (Southern District of Florida), Former West Palm Beach Public Defender’s Office. Author: “The Untested” found on Amazon
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.
[Feature Photo Abby and Libby/Handout]
