New crime scene photos from Delphi murders scene released

DELPHI, Ind. (WNDU) - For the first time in Delphi murders case, the state of Indiana has released photos from the crime scene.

According to our affiliate WPTA in Fort Wayne, the photos were included in Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland’s response to a Motion to Correct Errors filed by the attorneys for convicted killer Richard Allen.

A jury convicted Allen for the murders of 13-year-old Abby Williams and 14-year-old Libby German in November. The 52-year-old was sentenced in December to 130 years in prison.

Each of the three photos released by the state shows a slightly different angle of Libby German’s cellphone before it was collected as evidence. It’s the same phone that was used to film the infamous “bridge guy” video.

According to our sister station WTHR, the state claims the photos support its theory that water or dirt could have impacted the phone. Allen’s attorneys, however, claim someone manually activated the phone, even after it had reportedly stopped moving.

Allen’s attorneys say forensic analysis of Libby’s cellphone is one of the four issues that should be enough to overturn his conviction. The other issues are a safekeeping order that led to him being housed at the Westville Correctional Facility, prosecutors allegedly presenting false evidence and new evidence of a confession from someone else in 2017.

Richard Allen’s safekeeping

As you may recall, Allen spent most of his time as a pretrial detainee at the Westville Correctional Facility. It was a move his attorneys say was “plainly illegal from start to finish.”

They say the extended time in solitary confinement impacted Allen’s mental health and, ultimately, the outcome of the trial.

According to WTHR, McLeland responded by writing, “The motion for safekeeping does not touch on matters of guilt or impact the ability to have a fair trial, it is a mechanism for housing the Defendant in a penal facility pending trial that will keep him and others safe.”

Surveillance video and false evidence

In their January filing, Allen’s attorneys shared surveillance video near the crime scene that was new video to the public. According to WTHR, they claim parts of the video do not line up with the prosecutor’s timeline of what happened the day the girls were murdered.

In turn, Allen’s attorneys are accusing the state of allowing the jury to hear false evidence during testimony at trial.

In response, McLeland claims the video is “unverified by legitimate means” and the state says the video is not identified with an Indiana State Police number.

Therefore, McLeland says it “is an improper submission for consideration by the Court.”

Retired WTHR reporter Rich Van Wyk interviews Ron Logan on Feb. 16, 2017 in Delphi.(WTHR)

Alleged confession

According to WTHR, Indiana State Police learned in 2017 of an alleged confession by a man named Ron Logan. He allegedly explained, in detail, how he killed both Abby and Libby.

Allen’s attorneys, who were prohibited from discussing third-party suspects as part of their defense during the trial, say it was a mistake by the court to exclude Logan’s confession.

McLeland responded by saying the man who allegedly heard Logan’s confession and told police “failed the polygraph miserably” and that “many of those details are directly contradicted by the evidence.”

What’s next?

In its Motion to Correct Errors, the defense is asking for Allen’s conviction to be overturned or for the judge to schedule a hearing to discuss the alleged errors.

According to WTHR, the state is asking the judge to deny the motion without hearing, writing, “The Defense is not permitted to request a new trial to change strategy when their chosen path fails.”

Former prosecutor, now defense attorney, Brad Banks told WTHR he expects the judge to rule quickly in favor of the state.

“I won’t be surprised if this was denied pretty readily,” Banks said. “I think there’s somewhere close to 0% chance any of this gets granted.”

NBCUniversal wants evidence made public

In another new motion filed this week, NBCUniversal is asking for evidence and exhibits from the Delphi murders trial to be released to the public.

According to WPTA, NBCUniversal tried to get evidence released through a public records request last month in the case against Richard Allen, but the state denied that request. Now, NBCUniversal is asking the court to step in.

Tony Brueski, host of the “Hidden Killers” true crime podcast, says he agrees with NBCUniversal’s motion and thinks its important for the public to “make an educated decision on what they are actually seeing.”

“The public is only being fed the narrative that Judge (Frances) Gull and the authorities there want them to see, and most people just watch this on the surface level,” Brueski says.

NBCUniversal is also asking for video recorded on Libby German’s cellphone to be released.

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