Delphi Murders: Crime scene photos of Libby German’s phone released in new filing
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A recent filing in the Delphi Murders case has released previously unseen pictures of Libby German’s cell phone – a piece of evidence that’s spurned much debate between the defense and prosecution.
The man convicted in the Delphi Murders case, Richard Allen, 52, was found guilty of two counts of murder and two counts for felony murder for the deaths of 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams and 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German. The girls’ bodies were found near the Monon High Bridge near Delphi on Feb. 14, 2017, a day after they went missing.
Allen’s trial started Oct. 18 and spanned through mid-November, almost eight years the girls’ deaths. The 12-person jury deliberated for four days before delivering the guilty verdict on Nov. 11.
On Dec. 20, he was sentenced to 130 years.
The pictures of German’s phone came with the release of a new filing by state prosecutors in the Delphi Murders case made Tuesday. In the document, prosecutors respond to a request by Richard Allen’s defense team for a new trial, stating that the pieces of their argument do not warrant a “do over.”
The images of the phone found at the Deer Creek crime scene were used to discredit the defense’s claim that dirt and water didn’t cause damage to the phone’s headphone jack.
Prosecutors say when forensic analyst Stacy Eldridge testified in court on the condition of German’s phone, “she did not submit any report, log, or any other information that supported her position that the log accurately supported that headphones were plugged into and later unplugged from the auxiliary jack.”
That opinion was only supported by her testimony, the filing says. They add that the defense’s claim contradicts that there weren’t headphones found on the girls’ bodies and that it was “highly unlikely” for someone to move the phone, plug in headphones for several hours, then come back to the scene to unplug the headphones.
(Provided Photos/Carroll County Prosecutor’s Office)
In their other responses, the state says the defense’s claims over faulty witness testimony or “newly revealed evidence” was used too late.
The Motion to Correct Error can only apply to newly discovered evidence, court documents say, and indications that Brad Weber‘s testimony contained errors about his timeline on Feb. 13, 2017, were not brought up when the defense had the opportunity to cross-examine him.
“If anything, this evidence is no more than impeachment evidence that the defense chose not to use,” the filing said. “The defense is not permitted to request a new trial to change strategy when their chosen path fails.”
Prosecutors continued, referring to an apparent “murder confession” by Ron Logan, which they claim the state had mentioned in a previous court filing. The defense had three days to respond and present evidence, but they did not present anything at the following hearing and did not present when they renewed their moving during the October-November trial.
“This now seems to be an effort by the defense to use a Motion to Correct Error in an effort to circumvent their burden concerning third-party motive.”
