Richard Allen given maximum sentence in killings of Liberty German and Abigail Williams
DELPHI, Ind. ― Richard Allen, convicted of killing Abigail “Abby” Williams and Liberty “Libby” German, was sentenced Friday to the maximum punishment of 130 years in prison.
Allen was convicted in November of two counts of murder and two counts of murder while kidnapping the girls. Special Judge Frances Gull imposed the maximum 65-year punishment for each murder charge.
"I have been a criminal court judge in the state of Indiana for 25 years, and I have presided over some of the most hideous cases in the state of Indiana," Gull told Allen before announcing her sentence in a packed courtroom, "and you rank right up there."
Gull also castigated Allen for his lack of remorse. Allen, who has maintained that he is innocent of the crimes, did not show any reactions.
"You sit here and roll your eyes at me as you have repeatedly rolled your eyes at me throughout the trial," Gull told Allen.
After the hearing, which lasted less than two hours, Mike Patty, Libby's grandfather, was heard saying, "It's over."
But Allen and his defense team have made clear the case will continue.
Defense attorney Jennifer Auger told reporters after the hearing concluded that they're looking forward to pursuing an appeal and seeking a new trial.
"Thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims. What they went through was unimaginable," Auger said, adding that they plan to give a more detailed statement later, "but today is not the day for that."
Abby and Libby were kidnapped and killed on Feb. 13, 2017 after they went on a hike on the Monon High Bridge trail. Their bodies were found the next day. Jurors found Allen guilty on Nov. 11. The long-awaited decision in one of Indiana's most high-profile murder cases – which became known as the Delphi murders – came after more than seven years of investigation, nearly three weeks of testimony and roughly 18 hours of deliberation spread over four days.
Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said the crimes affected countless people in Delphi and injected fear and anxiety into the community. People obtained gun permits and took self-defense classes, McLeland said.
Indiana State Police Lt. Jerry Holeman, one of the lead investigators on the case, said Allen killed the girls in a brutal and humiliating way.
"He killed one in front of the other," Holeman said. "I can't imagine the fear."
Girls' deaths will have a 'generational impact' on family
Several of the girls' family members spoke during the hearing, with some describing the whole experience a nightmare that has and will continue to haunt them.
Becky Patty, Libby's grandmother, said the girls' deaths will have a "generational impact" on their family because their great-grandchildren will inevitably see photos of Abby and Libby on the Internet.
Carrie Timmons, Libby's mother, said she and her daughter would've been celebrating their birthdays together next week. Her 14-year-old, she said, will never get to fall in love, get married and have children.
Diane Erskin, Abby's grandmother, said Allen took away her daughter's "one and only child," a teenager whose favorite phrase was, "Do you need any help?"
Abby was a shy girl, Erskin said, and she would've been devastated to know that photos of her were shown during the trial. The last time she saw Abby and her best friend, Libby, they were laughing together, Erskin said.
Josh Lank, Libby's cousin, said Allen "took so much away" from the girls and said he hopes Allen dies in prison.
"They had amazing lives ahead of them," Lank said. "Now, it's time for your life to become a living hell."
Allen and defense attorneys confident in chance of a new trial
Defense attorneys usually present arguments during sentencing hearings. But Allen's attorneys said very little, with Brad Rozzi asking Gull to not "count as an aggravator the way we did our job."
Allen declined to talk when given the chance.
In a six-page memorandum filed Wednesday, the attorneys said they plan to focus their efforts on Allen's appeal, which they expect will involve "a neutral, detached and unbiased tribunal."
They've also advised Allen not to participate in the pre-sentencing process, which involves an interview with a probation officer who prepares a report to help the judge determine the appropriate punishment. Allen's attorneys advised him not to talk to "state actors" because doing so has only "negatively impacted his defense," according to their memorandum.
Normally, parties submit long and detailed memorandums outlining why a defendant should receive a certain sentence. But Allen's attorneys listed only a few factors, including his lack of criminal history, his military service and his mental illness, that they said should result in a less harsh sentence.