Investigating the purported release of crime-scene images from the notorious 2017 Delphi murders case is Indiana law enforcement’s current focus. These unsettling photos were shot at the Delphi site where 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German and 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams sadly died after going missing on a walk on February 13, 2017. Some of these photos have been shared via text and social media.
Crime-scene photographs are usually used for investigation purposes and are essential for presenting evidence in court since they can establish a defendant’s guilt. However, there are usually precautions in place to prevent unauthorised circulation, and these images are displayed to juries within a courtroom. These photos from the crime site in the Delphi murders case have already been shared on social media, making them easily accessible to the general public. This might have an impact on the court procedures against suspect Richard Allen, who was taken into custody in October 2022 on suspicion of two counts of murder.
Investigators had first questioned Richard Allen in 2017 after he and his car were connected to the crime site by surveillance footage and witnesses. Subsequently, on February 13, he acknowledged having been at the Monon High Bridge Trail on that day. Authorities did not press charges despite this revelation for years. The Delphi case has been the subject of widespread speculation and social media sleuthing, which has complicated the court proceedings.
There are several issues with these crime scene images being circulated without permission. First, the relatives of the victims can be harassed as a result of seeing these upsetting pictures. Furthermore, it could violate Richard Allen’s rights since the public viewing of these images could stir up negative feelings and corrupt the jury.
Following their receipt of the stolen images from an unidentified source, Kevin Greenlee and Łine Cain, the hosts of “The Murder Sheet” podcast, immediately notified the police, who are currently looking into the case’s breach of discovery. They informed Allen’s defence unit as well. Even though it has been established that the photographs are legitimate, the hosts of the podcast have chosen not to discuss any specifics about them in order to spare the families of the victims any grief and to avoid interfering with the state’s ongoing investigation into the killings of the girls.
Recently, Andrew Baldwin and Bradley Rozzi, Allen’s defence lawyers, claimed that the girls were murdered by followers of a pagan cult honouring the Norse deity Odin and contended that Allen had been falsely implicated as the primary suspect. The investigation into the Delphi killings is still complicated and emotionally fraught, and the authorities are committed to making sure that everyone involved in the case receives a fair trial.