#12 The Missing Pieces: The Delphi Murders - Exploring Ritualistic Theories, Richard Allen's Conviction, and Unanswered Questions

What if the Delphi murders weren't the work of a single individual, but rather a chilling ritual carried out by a mysterious group? Join us as we unravel the perplexing tale of Abigail (Abby) Williams and Liberty (Libby) German, whose tragic deaths cast a long shadow over the quiet town of Delphi, Indiana. After years of uncertainty and frustration, the arrest of Richard Allen in October 2022 seemed to bring hope for justice. But as we explore the evidence, including a bullet and an eerie audio confession, we're left with more questions than answers about Allen's true role in the crime.

In a courtroom drama filled with twists, Allen's defense argued that the murders bore the hallmarks of a ritualistic killing linked to a group practicing Odinism, a claim that ignited fervent discussions online. Despite the court's decision to exclude this theory from jury consideration, it has become a lightning rod for debate among those convinced of Allen's innocence. With a guilty verdict and a 130-year sentence, the case may be officially closed, but the lingering doubts and alternative theories continue to divide the community. Join us as we navigate through the evidence, scrutinize the judicial process, and seek to uncover the missing pieces of a story that refuses to rest.

Transcript

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Delphi, indiana, a small, quiet town nestled in the Midwest where life is simple and everyone knows each other, the kind of place where kids ride their bikes until sundown, where the biggest event of the year is the county fair and where people leave their doors unlocked because crime feels like something that happens somewhere else. But on February 13, 2017, delphi changed forever. Two young girls, abigail Williams and Liberty German, walked onto the Monon High Bridge for what should have been a normal afternoon in their hometown. They never came home. Their bodies were found the next day and what followed was one of the most haunting, frustrating and controversial murder investigations in recent history.

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Welcome to the Missing Pieces podcast, where we dive into stories of crime, corruption and mysteries that refuse to stay buried. These are the stories that leave behind more questions than answers, the ones that consume communities, ignite online debates and expose the dark truths hiding in plain sight. Each week, we explore these cases, piecing together the evidence, following the investigations and asking the difficult questions, because somewhere in the silence, in the unknown, the missing pieces are still out there waiting to be found. For five years, the Delphi murders remained a mystery. Investigators released audio clips, blurry images and sketches of the suspect, but the case went cold. Then, in October 2022, there was a breakthrough. Police arrested 50-year-old Richard Allen, a Delphi resident who had lived in the community the entire time, a man who worked at the local CVS, who had interacted with members of the community, who had watched as the town grieved. Two of its own Prosecutors laid out their case An unspent .40 caliber bullet found between the victims' bodies, matched a gun owned by Allen. His voice, captured on a chilling audio recording taken by Liberty German just before the attack, was eerily similar to the voice that investigators had released years earlier the man telling the girls guys down the hill. And then there were his own words. According to police, allen confessed multiple times while incarcerated, speaking to family members and even to prison guards about his involvement in the murders. In November 2024, allen was found guilty and sentenced to 130 years in prison, 65 years for each murder. It seemed like justice had been served. The town of Delphi could finally breathe, but the case wasn't as clear-cut as it

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seemed. Throughout the trial, allen's defense team fought hard to cast doubt on the prosecution's case. They argued that the bullet evidence was weak, that the crime scene had been contaminated and that Allen's so-called confessions were the ramblings of a man who had been subjected to extreme isolation and psychological distress in prison. And then came the biggest bombshell of the trial distress in prison. And then came the biggest bombshell of the trial. The defenses claim that the murders were not committed by Allen at all, but were instead a ritualistic killing tied to a group practicing Odinism, a modern version of Norse paganism. According to the defense, there were symbols carved into the trees near the crime scene, patterns that suggested the crime had a deeper, ritualistic meaning. They argued that a group of individuals, not just one man, were responsible for the deaths of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. The court, however, did not allow this theory to be presented to the jury, ruling that there was not enough evidence to support the claim. Prosecutors maintained that Allen acted alone, that the bullet, the audio and his own words were enough to convict him beyond a reasonable

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doubt. But even after the verdict, some people aren't convinced. Online forums and social media communities have exploded with debates about whether Allen really is the killer. Some believe he was framed, that he was an easy scapegoat for a case that had dragged on for too long. Others question why the crime scene evidence wasn't analyzed more thoroughly, why key pieces of information were withheld from the public and why Allen, a man with no history of violent crime, would suddenly commit such a horrific act in broad daylight. One of the biggest questions remaining is this If Richard Allen is guilty, why did it take five years to find him, when he had been living in Delphi the entire time? Some believe that local law enforcement knew more than they were letting on for years, but didn't have the right evidence to make an arrest. Others think Allen's arrest was politically motivated, a way to close a high-profile case that had put immense pressure on investigators. And then there's the unsettling possibility that Allen was involved, but not alone. Could there be other individuals still out there walking free, knowing exactly what happened that day on the Monon High Bridge, and, if so, will they ever be brought to

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justice? Despite the guilty verdict, this case is far from over. Appeals are already being discussed, legal experts are questioning how the trial was handled, and the community of Delphi is still divided. Some believe the right man is behind bars. Others believe the real killers are still out there. The Delphi murders changed the town forever. The Manan High Bridge, once a place of quiet beauty, is now a symbol of tragedy. For the families of Abby and Libby. The pain of their loss will never fade and no conviction whether Allen's or anyone else's will ever bring their daughters back. But one thing remains certain the truth is out there, and until every missing piece is uncovered, the mystery of the Delphi murders is far from over.