DELPHI, Ind. — It's been more than seven years since the bodies of Abby Williams and Libby German were found near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi. Richard Allen, the man accused of killing the two teenagers, will stand trial for the ninth day Monday.
The trial began Friday, Oct. 18.
Sixteen Allen County residents were selected to serve on the jury. Twelve of those people (eight women and four men) began the trial as jurors with four (two men and two women) serving as alternates.
From opening statements to verdict, 13News will be at the Carroll County courthouse every day of the trial to explain what happened inside the courtroom.
Follow along with the latest updates from Monday below:
Day 9 summary
(WARNING: Monday's testimony involves graphic descriptions of Abby and Libby's wounds and the scene where their bodies were found.)
Monday's testimony came from two witnesses. The first one testified about DNA found at the crime scene.
The second witness was an expert on blood pattern analysis. He told the jury about what he said was a voluminous amount of blood, most of it Libby German's, found in different spots at the crime scene.
Major Pat Cicero testified he believes Abby Williams died in the same spot where she was attacked, saying there was no blood on her hands, something he said he'd never seen before, calling it "very unusual."
Cicero said Libby German was likely attacked close by, but at one point was "moving and basically walking in blood."
Cicero told the jury he believes Libby bled to death a short distance away from where she was first attacked, based on the large amount of blood in one spot. Cicero said Libby was later dragged a short distance, close by a large tree, perhaps to try and make it harder to spot her body.
Cicero also testified he believed Libby left a bloody handprint shaped like an upside down "L" on one of the trees. His testimony and photos from the crime scene led to several jurors looking away.
When Cicero testified that markings near Libby's eyes were consistent with tears, Libby's grandmother put her head in her hands and wept.
Cicero told the jury it's possible one person killed the girls, but on cross-examination, Cicero said he couldn't rule out that more people were involved.
The state's DNA expert, Stacy Bozinovski, told the jury she tested clothing from Abby and Libby found at the murder scene, skin cells from under their fingernails and the blood from the crime scene. She testified she also tested several items from Richard Allen's home, like his blue Carhartt jacket, carpet from his car, knives and the unspent cartridge found between the girls' bodies.
Her conclusion: Richard Allen's DNA was not found anywhere at the crime scene, including on the cartridge that the prosecutor claims came from one of Allen's guns, and Abby and Libby's DNA was not found on any of the items taken from Allen's home after investigators served a search warrant.
On cross-examination, the defense asked Bozinovski about hair from the crime scene, some the lab held onto to possibly test at a later date. Bozinovski said the decision was made to not test them at this time. Defense attorney Jennifer Auger said, "But this is the time. Richard Allen is on trial now!"
After the jury was dismissed from the day, the state introduced a motion to bring in new evidence: Google search history. They didn't say what the search history was about, but the defense said Kathy Allen, Richard Allen's wife, is prepared to testify about that motion.
State's 27th witness, Indiana State Police DNA analyst Stacy Bozinovski
9 a.m. - Senior investigative reporter Bob Segall said Richard Allen is wearing a green checkered shirt and khaki pants, with reading glasses on top of his head.
Special Judge Frances Gull noted that there are now 15 jurors – 12 on the jury and three alternates. The man who left Friday for a "family emergency" is no longer on the jury.
Stacy Bozinovski works in the Indiana State Police Indianapolis Post laboratory as a forensic scientist and DNA analyst. She conducted DNA analysis on Abby Williams and Libby German's bodies, as well as their clothes, blood at the crime scene and cartridge recovered from the crime scene.
Bozinovski said she found DNA belonging to Libby and Abby on most of the crime scene samples she tested.
Bozinovski said it is very difficult to find DNA on a cartridge and did not find a sufficient amount of DNA on the cartridge for further testing. "The DNA result from that cartridge demonstrated an insufficient quantity of DNA for further analysis," Bozinovski said.
Bozinovski said there was male DNA found at the crime scene; however, she said it is not unusual to find that, saying it come come from the girls' clothing or environment.
According to Bozinovski, there is not DNA evidence to indicate Libby and Abby were sexually assaulted.
Bozinovski said a swab from the tree sample showed blood consistent with Libby's DNA.
DNA from the fibrous material found in Abby's hand was consistent with Kelsi German's DNA.
Bozinovski's testimony indicates that no DNA found at the crime scene is linked to Richard Allen.
A DNA analysis is performed to individualize DNA to a specific person, according to Bozinovski.
Bozinovski explained to the jury what DNA is and what a DNA analyst does. She said blood is an ideal source of DNA, while hair, skin cells and urine are less ideal.
10:15 a.m. - Testimony from Stacy Bozinovski continued after a short break.
Bozinovski said shoes collect a lot of DNA and get dirty, which is not great for DNA analysis.
Bozinovski said the water from the creek has the potential to remove or dilute DNA. She said dirt and sunlight can also impact DNA on items.
Bozinovski noted that one sample tested showed DNA from three people: an unknown male and assumed DNA of Abby and Libby.
Tree branches from the crime scene were tested at the Indiana State Police Lafayette Post, with DNA samples from two branches testing positive for blood from Libby.
When asked why there wasn't DNA found on the cartridge, Bozinovski said it is a very small surface area and minimally handled.
Prosecuting attorney Jim Luttrell asked Bozinovski, "Did you find the DNA of Richard Allen on any of the items you tested?"
"No, I did not," Bozinovski responded.
12:35 p.m. - Special Judge Frances Gull called out people who were sleeping in the courtroom.
"I do not conduct court in your bedrooms. I would appreciate you not sleeping in my courtroom," Gull said.
1:43 p.m. - Defense attorney Jennifer Auger began cross-examination of Bozinovski.
Auger asked Bozinovski about the DNA testing of the rootless hair.
Bozinovski said it can help detect DNA in the shaft of the hair follicle. Bozinovski said the root of the hair is not necessary with the technology called SNP.
"It's a new tool to add to our technologies," Bozinovski said.
Auger asked if it was a reliable tool to help solve crimes.
Bozinovski said it's possible, though it's only used now on cases involving remains and genealogy.
Auger said she and Rozzi interviewed Bozinovski at the Indiana State Police lab over the summer.
Auger asked, "Do you have any hairs left from the Delphi investigation?"
Bozinovski estimated there were probably 72 hairs remaining.
Auger asked, "Could the hairs have been subjected to additional testing?"
Bozinovski said, "Yes, but they were not." Bozinovski said the decision was made not tot test them at this time.
Auger said, "This is the time. Richard Allen is now on trial."
Auger then highlighted a hair found at the crime scene. Auger said Bozinovski didn't test for a possible DNA match with a victim's family until two weeks before the trial.
Bozinovski said investigators thought the perpetrator was male so "that's what we focused on."
"I'm at the discretion of whatever investigators submit," Bozinovski said. "I don't tell them how to do their jobs."
Bozinovski said she had reason to believe it was a male perpetrator based on case history.
Bozinovski said she was given hundreds of DNA standards for the case. But only one of them was female.
Auger asked if Bozinovski could determine how many people were in some of the mixed samples.
Bozinovski said she could not.
Auger asked if the DNA found on the sweatshirt could have been from a state police investigator.
Bozinovski said it was possible.
Auger asked if anyone else had touched the sweatshirt in the lab. Bozinovski said only her.
Auger asked Bozinovski, "When you tested clothing from Richard Allen's house, did you find any DNA from Abby or Libby?"
"No, I didn't find any DNA profiles consistent with Abigail Williams or Liberty German," Bozinovski said.
Auger said that Bozinovski tested Allen's blue Carhartt jacket, his black boots and his knives.
Bozinovski said, "Yes."
Auger said that nowhere was there any DNA from Libby or Abby.
Bozinovski said, "That's correct."
Auger asked if Bozinovski found any DNA evidence on the cartridge found at the scene that connected it to Richard Allen.
Bozinovski said there was not enough material on the cartridge to develop a DNA profile for anyone.
Auger said there was nothing biologically or serologically linking Richard Allen's DNA to Libby German or Abby Williams, despite all of the time and effort Bozinovski put into the case.
"There was no DNA results consistent with Richard Allen," Bozinovski said.
2:22 p.m. - Prosecuting attorney Jim Luttrell began the redirect for the state.
Luttrell said the FBI offered to do more testing if Indiana State Police sent more samples. Bozinovski agreed.
Luttrell said Indiana State Police stopped doing hair comparison because it had been discredited.
Bozinovski said she was aware of concerns about credibility of hair comparison.
Luttrell asked if there were any analyses or tools available to the ISP lab that should have been used but weren't.
Bozinovski said they (State Police) exhausted all the resources they have at the ISP lab.
State's 28th witness, LaPorte County Sheriff's Major Pat Cicero, crime scene investigator
2:47 p.m. - The state's 28th witness is LaPorte County Sheriff's Maj. Pat Cicero, a crime scene investigator with training in blood stain pattern analysis.
Cicero said he has been involved with several hundred cases for blood stain pattern analysis. Cicero said he has testified in 34 court cases on the subject.
WARNING: Cicero's testimony involves graphic descriptions of Abby and Libby's wounds and the scene where their bodies were found.
Cicero said that blood reacts in predictable, repeatable and measurable ways based on the amount of force. Cicero said you can look at the shape, volume and location of patterns to provide a possible explanation for what occurred.
Cicero said was asked to help in Delphi case on Feb. 12, 2024.
The jury was shown many pictures of blood stains on the scene and the bodies of the girls.
As the pictures were shown, several jurors closed their eyes or looked away.
Cicero highlighted the "flow patterns" of the "voluminous" amounts of blood on Libby's face.
At one point, Cicero highlighted that the patterns on Libby's cheeks were consistent with tears. At that point, Libby's grandmother, Becky Patty, put her head down and cried.
Cicero said that the blood pattern on Libby was consistent with her being seated.
Prosecuting attorney Jim Luttrell asked, "Do you believe Liberty was moved after she died or was unconscious?"
Cicero said, "Yes."
Cicero said he would have expected more blood where Libby was found lying.
The jury was then shown more graphic crime scene photos.
Cicero said the blood on Abby's chin was a sign she had been moved because blood would normally flow down from a neck wound, not up.
Cicero said all of the blood in the large pools belonged to Libby. Cicero said Libby was drug to where her body was found. Cicero said he believes Abby died where she was injured.
Cicero said it was very unusual that there was no blood on Abby's hands. Cicero said he had never seen a wound like hers with no blood on the victim's hands.
Cicero offered the explanation that Abby was bound when she was injured, but there was no evidence of that. Cicero offered another explanation, that she was unconscious or restrained.