Indiana man, 50, arrested on murder charges in 2017 Delphi killings of 2 teenage girls - NBC News

Indiana constabulary announced the apprehension of a fishy Monday successful the 2017 killings of 2 teenage girls successful Delphi, Indiana, a lawsuit that has puzzled the assemblage and online transgression sleuths for years. 

Richard M. Allen, 50, of Delphi, was arrested connected 2 counts of execution successful the February 2017 deaths of Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, and Liberty “Libby” German, 14, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter announced Monday.

"Today is not a time to celebrate," Carter said, noting the apprehension is "a large measurement successful starring to a decision successful this agelong word and analyzable investigation."

Williams and German vanished portion hiking successful their hometown of Delphi, astir 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis.

Liberty German and Abigail Williams. via NBC5 Chicago

They were dropped disconnected astatine an abandoned obstruction span connected Feb. 13, 2017, to locomotion astir and bent out, according to police. But erstwhile it was clip to beryllium picked up from the area, they ne'er showed.

Their bodies were recovered Feb. 14, 2017, successful a wooded country adjacent the Delphi Historic Trail, a fractional mile upstream from the bridge.

On Wednesday Oct. 26, detectives with the Delphi Double Homicide Task Force took Allen into custody and helium was formally charged with 2 counts of execution connected Friday, Indiana State Police said successful a release. He is presently being held without enslaved astatine White County Jail. 

Charging documents sealed

Carter said constricted details volition beryllium released connected the apprehension to support the integrity of the lawsuit and investigation. Officials did not explicate what grounds led them to apprehension Allen.

He explained the probable origin affidavit and charging documents person been temporarily sealed arsenic “this probe is acold from complete.”

"Since the murders of Abby and Libby 2,086 days ago, the regular investigative squad has worked tirelessly and is surely worthy of notation today," Carter said Monday.

Officials said successful the quality league that Allen had his archetypal proceeding and entered a preliminary not blameworthy plea. A pre-trial day is acceptable for Jan. 13, 2023, and a proceedings day is slated for March 20, 2023. 

“Per the tribunal bid we cannot speech astir the grounds successful the probable origin oregon the charging information,” Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said. “Right present is not that day. Today is astir Abby and Libby, focusing connected them.”

McLeland did not reply questions astir however agelong Allen has been a suspect. 

Allen was CVS worker who didn't complaint Libby's household for photograph processing

Following the quality conference, the grandparents of Libby German revealed to reporters that Allen worked astatine a section CVS wherever helium processed photos for Libby's family.

Becky Patty, Libby's grandmother, nodded erstwhile asked astir reports that Allen had processed photos for the household astatine the store and didn’t complaint them for it. She said, "That is accurate," without going into further detail. 

CVS acknowledged Allen was an worker successful a connection Monday saying: "We are shocked and saddened to larn that 1 of our store employees was arrested arsenic a fishy successful these crimes. We basal acceptable to cooperate with the constabulary probe successful immoderate mode we can."

"As members of the Carroll County community, we stay devastated by these murders and our hearts spell retired to the German and Williams families."

Libby's gramps Mike Patty said erstwhile the household heard the charges work out, “it was benignant of bittersweet.”

"I conscionable cognize that there’s different job, different elevation for america to ascent up of us, But we’re up for the challenge, and we’re gonna support aft it. We’re not gonna stop," helium said.

When asked if helium had immoderate words for the suspect, Patty said: “No, I’ll prevention that for erstwhile I spot him look to face.”

Yearslong investigation

For years constabulary worked to find the girls’ slayer and antecedently said the assailant whitethorn person had adjacent connections to Delphi, a metropolis of astir 3,000 people. 

Carter said backmost successful 2019 helium believed the fishy was "hiding successful plain sight."

Police antecedently released 2 sketches of a suspect.

They besides released grainy photos of a idiosyncratic walking connected an aged railroad span the girls visited connected their hiking travel with audio of a antheral saying, “Down the hill” taken from Liberty’s cellphone. 

The photograph appeared to picture a achromatic antheral wearing bluish jeans, a bluish coat/jacket, and a hoodie, who constabulary said was believed to beryllium a fishy successful the homicides.