A newly unsealed affidavit details the clues that led investigators to the suspect in Delphi teen girl killings - CNN

CNN  — 

A .40 caliber unspent circular that was recovered adjacent the bodies of 2 teen Indiana girls was tied to suspect Richard Allen, who was arrested past period successful transportation with the killings, according to a probable origin affidavit.

The affidavit, unsealed by a justice connected Tuesday, helps shed airy connected however investigators narrowed successful connected Allen and arrested him much than 5 years since the February 2017 slayings of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14. Allen is charged with 2 counts of execution and has pleaded not guilty.

The 2 girls went for a hike on Delphi Historic Trails successful February of that twelvemonth but ne'er showed up astatine a antecedently arranged clip to conscionable Libby’s dad, constabulary previously said. Their bodies were recovered the adjacent time successful a wooded country adjacent the trail, astir a fractional mile from the Monon High Bridge wherever they’d been dropped off, according to authorities.

A grainy video of a antheral walking and a garbled dependable signaling were among the scant clues authorities publicized implicit the years.

Investigators judge the grounds they gathered shows that Allen is the antheral seen connected a video from Liberty’s telephone who forced the girls down a elevation and that helium led them to the determination they were killed, according to the affidavit.

Among that grounds are interviews with witnesses who were astatine the country the teens acceptable retired to hike successful during a time disconnected from schoolhouse connected February 13, 2017, arsenic good arsenic the video from Libby’s phone. The video shows a antheral successful a acheronian overgarment and jeans walking down the girls and past telling them, “Guys, down the hill,” according to the affidavit.

The 2 girls were dropped disconnected successful the country conscionable earlier 1:50 p.m. that day, the affidavit says. The video shows they encountered the antheral astatine the Monon High Bridge astatine 2:13 p.m.

A witnesser told investigators she had seen a antheral heading distant from that span aboriginal “wearing a bluish colored overgarment and bluish jeans and was muddy and bloody,” and appeared to person gotten successful a fight, the affidavit says. The antheral was traveling connected a roadworthy adjacent to the transgression scene, and investigators were capable to find that took spot soon earlier 4 p.m.

Another witnesser told investigators she noticed an oddly parked conveyance astatine an aged Child Protective Services building. A extremity that came successful to investigators had besides referenced a conveyance parked astatine that gathering that “appeared arsenic though it was backed successful arsenic to conceal the licence plate.” Investigators judge the statement of that conveyance matched 1 of 2 vehicles that Allen owned successful 2017, the affidavit says.

When Allen spoke with an serviceman successful 2017, helium admitted helium was connected the way for astir 2 hours, the affidavit says. In a consequent interrogation successful October 2022, Allen told authorities helium had gone retired determination to “watch fish,” that helium was wearing jeans and a achromatic oregon bluish overgarment and besides said helium owns firearms which were astatine his home, according to the affidavit.

“On October 13th, 2022, Investigators executed a hunt warrant of Richard Allen ‘s residence,” the affidavit says. “Among different items, officers located jackets, boots, knives and firearms, including a Sig Sauer, Model P226, .40 caliber pistol with serial fig U 625 627.”

According to the document, investigators recovered a .40 caliber unspent circular little than 2 feet distant from 1 of the bodies, and betwixt the 2 victims.

Lab results confirmed the unspent circular had been cycled done Allen’s Sig Sauer, the affidavit says. When Allen was questioned astir that result, helium denied knowing their victims oregon having immoderate engagement successful their killings, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit does not marque immoderate notation to immoderate different participants successful the girls’ killings, contempt Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLeland precocious saying successful tribunal that helium had “good crushed to judge that Richard Allen is not the lone histrion successful this heinous crime.”