Delphi murder trial: Defense files to introduce ritualistic killing theory to jury
DELPHI, Ind. -- Defense attorneys are trying to introduce the Odinism theory into Richard Allen's double-murder trial.
Wednesday marked day five of Allen being tried for the brutal murders of Libby German, 14, and Abby Williams, 13.
The eighth graders' bodies were discovered near the Monon High Trail one day after they went missing.
On Wednesday, Allen's attorneys once again filed a motion to introduce evidence they believe is connected to Odinism, Norse Paganism and a ritualistic killing.
Allen's attorneys are citing testimony from one of the state's witnesses, Indiana State Police crime scene investigator Brian Olehy, who said sticks over the bodies of Libby and Abby were meant to hide their bodies.
On Tuesday Olehy testified "They appeared to be placed there by an individual." Olehy also noted it seemed to be an "attempt at concealment".
The defense also wants to allow testimony from Odinism expert Dr. Dawn Perlmutter.
The attorneys argue that blocking the Odinism theory and explanation would violate Allen's constitutional right to provide alternative explanations to the ones the state plans to present in the case.
The judge has ruled previously that the defense can not present the theory to the jury because of a lack of evidence.
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It's not clear when there will be a ruling on the motion.
All while the jury heard from two witnesses on Wednesday morning: a witness and the pathologist who performed the autopsies.
Sarah Carbaugh testified that she was a man covered in mud and blood near the entrance of the trail around 4 p.m.
She later saw a picture of the "bridge guy" on the news and said it was the same man she saw on the trail.
She contacted police three weeks later.
Defense attorney Andrew Baldwin then asked if she stopped to help the man on the road. Carbaugh said, "I am a woman, I am not going to stop and help a random man."
Carbaugh was also pressed on inconsistencies she provided about the man's clothing.
The jury finished by asking how close she was to the man when she saw him at the Mears entrance, to which she answered he was within three feet of the passenger side of her car.
Pathologist Dr. Roland Kohr performed the girls' autopsies on Feb. 15.
Doctor Kohr said Abby had a 1-inch deep, 3-inch-long incision wound on her neck. She also had a faint mark under her mouth, which Kohr said could be from duct tape or cloth.
Libby German's autopsy report said she had between three to five incision wounds on the right side of her neck, the largest being around 3.5 inches long.
Rape kit tests were performed on both girls and came back negative, but that it does not mean that sexual contact didn't occur.
Autopsy pictures of the girls were shown in court.
Doctor Kohr believes a box cutter may have been used in the killing.
Allen, a Delphi resident, was arrested in 2022 and has pleaded not guilty to murder. Allen has admitted to police that he was on the trail that day, but he denied any involvement in the murders, according to court documents.
Court is set to continue Wednesday afternoon.
'Down The Hill' video
A 30-second video filmed by Libby just before she was murdered was played for the jury on Tuesday Allen's trial.
The video -- played during testimony from Indiana State Police digital forensic examiner Brian Bunner -- showed Libby filming herself and Abby walking on the Monon High Bridge. At one point, the camera panned up, and no one was behind Abby. In a later shot, the video shows a man walking behind her.
According to Indianapolis ABC affiliate WRTV, a girl's voice is heard on the video saying, "There's no path -- the trail ends here, so we have to go down here?"
Libby's mother cried in court when she heard the voice.
The video, which was not enhanced, was played just once for the jury.
Libby posted a photo of Abby on Snapchat as they walked over the Monon High Bridge, prosecutor Nick McLeland told the jury last week in his opening statement. After the girls crossed the bridge, they saw a man behind them, and Libby started a recording on her phone at 2:13 p.m., he said.
The man pulled out a gun and ordered the girls to go "down the hill," McLeland said. The girls complied, he said, and then the video on Libby's phone stopped recording.
The eighth graders' bodies were discovered near the trail one day later.
Day four in court
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Indiana State Police crime scene investigator Brian Olehy testified Monday that both girls' necks were cut, noting that Libby's was "viciously slashed." A large pool of blood was visible between their bodies, he said.
On Tuesday, Olehy returned to the stand and walked the jury through evidence collected during the autopsies, including: sex assault evidence kits for Abby and Libby; Libby's Delphi swimming sweatshirt with red stains; jeans with red stains; a gray bra with red stains and a black bra with red stains.
Libby's mom wiped away tears as Olehy explained the sex assault evidence collection kit.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Brad Rozzi asked if any of the recovered DNA evidence was linked to Allen, and Olehy responded, "No."
The jury heard from three witnesses that were on the trail the day of the murder.
Railly Voorhies was 16 at the time of the murders. She said she was friends with the girls.
Voorhies said she was at the trail with a friend and two sisters at noon and she had to be home by 2:30 p.m.
She said she saw a man near Freedom Bridge. Voorhies said the "bridge guy" was overdressed for the weather with dark clothes, a running mask.
During cross-examinations, the defense said Voorhies' description of the man did not match that of a previous interview.
Voorhies said she never gave a statement on estimating someone's height or weight. She said no.
Defense Attorney Jennifer Auger then asked Voorhies if the photo of "Bridge Guy" influenced her memory, which Voorhies said, "Possibly, yes."
Breann Wilber was also on the bridge that day with Voorhies. She was in the 10th grade at the time. She said she knew Libby's older sister and was friends with Libby on Snapchat.
Wilber said she also saw "bridge guy." She said he was walking with a purpose and gave off "weird vibes."
Wilber says when she saw the picture of "Bridge Guy" she said, "the first thing I thought is, that is the person I saw on the trail."
During the defense cross-examination they pressed Wilber on how her description of the man she saw on the trail has changed over the years.
Betsey Blair took the stand shortly after. She said she frequently visited the Monon High Trail in 2016 and 2017.
On Feb. 13 she said she saw a man and later two girls.
After the grainy image had been released of "bridge guy", Blair told jurors, "I immediately knew when I saw that photo that was the man I saw on the bridge."
She contacted the sheriff's department to report what she saw.
Steve Mullin, an investigator for the Carroll County Prosecutor's Office was the final witness of the day. He testified about collecting video from sources connected to the case.
Delphi murders trial: Jury gasps after seeing graphic crime scene photos of girl's bodies in court
ABC News' Janel Klein contributed to this report.
