Delphi Richard Allen Trial Update: Focus on DNA, Bullet

The trial against Richard Allen continued on October 28 in Delphi, Indiana, where DNA experts appeared.

Alain, 52 years old accused of murdering two teenagers who went missing on February 13, 2017 and was found dead the following day. He was arrested in 2022 and charged with two counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping resulting in death Abigail “Abby” Williams and Liberty “Libby” Herman.

Journalists from Indianapolis Star and Lafayette Journal & Courier will cover the case as it moves through the court system.

A crime scene investigator trained in bloodstain analysis said Libby Herman was likely dragged after her throat was slashed, one of the few revelations during Monday’s trial.

Maj. Patrick Cicero of the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office said he made that conclusion based on a blood stain on the teenager’s leg, which indicated she had stepped on blood, and because he expected more blood around her body. He said he believes Herman pulled on the arm that was above her head when she was found.

According to Cicero’s testimony, the opposite was true for Abby Williams: A police officer told jurors he believed Williams was wounded where she was found.

Cicero went on to mention that there was no blood on Williams’ hands, stating that this was unusual because people with such wounds usually touch their injuries. He suggested that Williams was either restrained or passed out.

Jennifer Auger, one of Richard Allen’s attorneys, said during cross-examination that Cicero was not asked to join the case until February of this year and had only seen crime scene photos, not the evidence in person. She noted that trees and terrain can change.

She also noted that the bloodstain analysis charts made no mention of “drag marks,” indicating that Herman’s body had been moved.

Indiana State Police Medical Examiner Stacey Bozinowski testified Monday that she did not find enough DNA material from the unexpended cartridge recovered at the crime scene to create a DNA profile.

Bozinowski, who specializes in paternity testing, testified that she swabbed the entire surface and tried to collect potential skin cells, but said it was difficult to get a DNA sample from such a small object. Prosecutors say ― and an Indiana State Police firearms expert testified last week ― that the unexpended round was fired through the same Sig Sauer Model P226 .40 caliber pistol owned by Allen.

Bozinowski also testified that she found no evidence that the teenagers had been sexually abused. She said she tested samples taken from the girls, including vaginal swabs and fingernail scrapings, and found no sperm or other types of male DNA.

Male DNA was found in samples taken from the girls, but she said the amount she found was not unusual and could have been transmitted through normal, everyday contact.

First, a strand of hair was discovered around Abby’s finger it turned out that it belonged to an unknown womanprobably a relative of Libby’s, Bozinowski testified. Earlier this month, Bozinowski determined that the DNA profile matched Kelsey Siebert, Libby’s older sister. Bozinowski said she was able to conduct further testing after Siebert provided a hair sample.

At one point during the testimony, Special Judge Frances Gall called on the audience who were falling asleep.

“I’m not holding court in your bedrooms,” Gal said. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t sleep in my courtroom.”

It is not known who exactly fell asleep. People spent the night in the camp to try to get seats in the trial, which attracted international attention.