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Delphi murder trial: Jury deliberates Friday, 2nd day after closing arguments in Richard Allen murder case
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Delphi murder trial: Jury deliberates Friday, 2nd day after closing arguments in Richard Allen murder case

DELPHI, Ind. — The jury in the Delphi murder trial resumed its deliberations Friday. They once again took a break from deliberations and will return to the courthouse to continue Saturday morning.

Richard Allen is accused of killing Abby Williams and Libby German on a trail in Indiana in 2017.

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Outside the historic Carroll County Courthouse, residents paced impatiently, putting up posters in memory of Libby German and Abby Williams.

“It’s just emotional,” said a woman named Angie. “My daughter was the same age as Libby and Abby when they were killed, and it affected the entire community.”

The trial of accused teenage killer Richard Allen hit the community in an unexpected way.

“Torn to feel more sympathy for all the families involved,” Angie said. “(Ricard Allen’s family is also) they’re going through a horrible time…I can’t even imagine what they’re going through. I can’t imagine what Libby and Abby’s families are going through.”

In court, prosecutors portrayed Allen as a murderer and this week played enhanced and expanded video that Libby recorded on her phone the day he died. Jurors heard a phone call Allen made to his wife in which he confessed to the crime.

Defense attorneys told jurors the investigation was botched.

All we want is the truth…and if that happens and Richard Allen is guilty, then that’s what we want.

Kathy Clendening, friend of the victims’ families

Richard Allen has pleaded not guilty to the murders of his best friends Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14. Their bodies were left in the woods on February 13, 2017 and discovered the next day.

The crime gained national attention when police released an image of the suspect and a clip of his voice – a recording of him saying “down the hill” – which were recovered from Libby’s phone.

Prosecutors said it was Allen’s voice threatening the teen, moments before prosecutors say he slit the girls’ throats and left them dead along a rural trail in February 2017 .

Allen admitted to being on the trail the day of the murders, but denied any involvement.

In their closing arguments, prosecutors relied on Allen’s repeated prison confessions.

Allen’s defense attempted to dig deep holes in that confession, arguing that he had been held in solitary confinement for more than a year.

Jurors looked and grimaced, watching the video of Allen naked with a hood over his head, smearing and even consuming his own feces.

Prosecutors presented no DNA evidence linking Allen to the murder.

Delphi now awaits 12 jurors to determine whether they are convinced that Richard Allen killed Libby German and Abby Williams.

“They went for a walk that day on a trail. They didn’t go on a trail to get murdered,” said Kathy Clendening, a friend of the victims’ families. “And all we want is the truth…and if that happens and Richard Allen is guilty, then that’s what we want.”

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