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Delphi murders case: DNA evidence does not indicate Richard Allen is suspected in the murders of Libby German and Abby Williams
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Delphi murders case: DNA evidence does not indicate Richard Allen is suspected in the murders of Libby German and Abby Williams

DELPHI, Ind. — As testimony continued in the double murder trial of Richard Allen Monday morning, the prosecution focused on DNA evidence.

Best friends Libby German, 14, and Abby Williams, 13, were walking along the Delphi hiking trail on the afternoon of February 13, 2017, when they were killed.

Delphi resident Richard Allen was arrested in October 2022 and pleaded not guilty to murder.

The prosecution called Indiana State Police forensic scientist Stacy Bozinovski to the stand.

Bozinovski worked on DNA evidence in the Delphi case and wrote the report on the case in March 2017. The report also included analysis of the rape kits administered to both girls.

RELATED | Delphi murders trial: Extended video played in court from victim’s phone

Bozinovski stated that there was no evidence that the girls were sexually assaulted.

He said male DNA was detected but the amount was insufficient. He added that male DNA may come from shared clothing and produce very little DNA.

Bozinovski said the hair found in Abby’s hand belonged to Libby’s sister.

The forensic scientist also tested the unspent bullet found at the murder scene; was an important factor in this incident.

Bozinovski said he tried to collect skin cells from the cartridge, but this was difficult because the cells were so small. The DNA found in the cartridge was not sufficient for further testing.

Other tests show that most of the DNA found at the scene belonged to one or both of the girls.

Bozinovski told the court there was no DNA evidence linking Allen or any other person to the crime scene.

Interrogations of Richard Allen

The jury allowed to hear the interrogation tape of the suspect being questioned about the murders of two eighth-grade girls.

Allen’s defense team asked the jury to hear recordings of two interrogations.

Five years after the murders, he became a suspect when a volunteer officer who entered more than 14,000 tips into a database discovered a misfiled tip form.

The tip came three days after Allen’s murders.

The suspect contacted the police, saying that he was on leave on the day of the murder.

The report “fell through the cracks,” the sheriff told the jury Friday. And Allen was “hiding in plain sight.”

“From the defense’s standpoint, the fact that this tip was there, that it was miscategorized, and that it wasn’t discovered until five years later really strengthens their case, because every instance that they can find of it not being handled properly always raises reasonable doubt on behalf of the jury,” ABC News’ said Channa Lloyd, legal participant in .

Indiana State Police Lt. Jerry Holeman took the stand Saturday. Holeman questioned the suspect during the house search.

Holeman told the jury that he questioned Allen about the unexpended cartridge found near the girls’ bodies, a key piece of evidence in the case.

Allen reportedly told Holeman at the time, “There’s no way that bullet went through my gun. I don’t know how it got there.”

Holeman testified that Allen became increasingly agitated but denied any involvement despite being asked more than 20 times.

Allen’s wife, Kathy, was there for the interview, according to the lieutenant’s statement. He allegedly told her, “All you have to do is ask for a lawyer and he’ll let you go.”

According to Holeman, Allen responded, “Don’t worry about me.”

The lieutenant said he told Allen and his wife at one point that he “believed he was a good man.”

RELATED | Sheriff says Delphi suspect went to police three days after murder but went “under the radar” for years

Allen allegedly responded: “What kind of good person kills two girls?”

The defense countered Holeman because this conversation was not recorded.

Defense Attorney Andrew Baldwin questioned the interrogation methods; Why Miranda Rights were not recorded and how evidence was collected at the scene.

The defense also asked Holeman if there was more than one stick left at the murder scene.

Baldwin pressed whether it was a mistake they were left behind. Holeman answered “No” but admitted on the stand that “mistakes were made.”

Allen was interviewed by police on October 13 and 26, 2022.

Baldwin wants videos of those interviews to be played in court. The judge ruled that this will happen next week.

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