Attorneys for Richard Allen, the man charged with the 2017 murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German in Delphi, Indiana, have made shocking allegations in court documents filed on Monday. According to defense attorneys Andrew J. Baldwin and Bradley A. Rozzi, the girls were victims of a “ritualistic sacrifice” by white nationalists who practice a Norse pagan religion. The 136-page memorandum obtained by USA Today supports Allen’s request for a hearing to contest the validity of a search warrant.
The court filing claims that several white nationalists practicing Odinism, a racist variant of the Norse pagan religion, “ritualistically sacrificed” the girls. The defense attorneys assert that there is no evidence connecting Allen to Odinism or any religious cult. The Anti-Defamation League describes Odinism as a sect attempting to revive ancient Norse religious beliefs and practices of pre-Christian Europe.
The defense also points to evidence found at the crime scene, consisting of symbols in the form of runes made from sticks and tree branches, which they claim are signatures left behind by Odinites. The memorandum reveals that detectives had information connecting two groups of men practicing Odinism to the murders, one near Delphi and another in Rushville. The defense alleges that a letter regarding the possible connection between the killings and the Rushville Odinist group was withheld by prosecutors and accused them of hiding information about the Odinist connections to the murders.
Richard Allen, a 52-year-old drugstore worker living in the same community where the girls resided, was arrested on murder charges in October 2022. The defense attorneys maintain his innocence and argue that it is implausible for one person to be responsible for the murders of Libby and Abby. They list 92 reasons in support of their claim.
In the early stages of the investigation, authorities consulted with a Purdue University professor regarding possible Odinism signatures found at the crime scene. However, the defense states that this angle was abandoned after the professor dismissed the connection to Odinism. The memorandum reveals that investigators cannot identify the professor and may never be able to determine their identity.
The defense alleges that authorities failed to properly investigate or arrest multiple “obvious suspects” with connections to Odinism. They accuse law enforcement of disregarding the evidence linking Odinism to the crime scene, as well as specific Odinites in Indiana.
Furthermore, the defense claims that the Carroll County Sheriff lied about evidence to obtain a search warrant at Allen’s property. The attorneys request the judge to deem the search warrant illegal and suppress the evidence obtained during the execution of the warrant. They assert that there is no forensics or electronic data linking Allen to the crime scene or the Odinist suspects.
In their final statement, the defense attorneys declare Richard Allen an innocent man, portraying him as a scapegoat for the police, arrested just 26 days before an election. Allen’s trial is scheduled for January 2024.