In a somber and emotional testimony, a longtime family friend of two Indiana teens brutally murdered in 2017 recounted the devastating moment he found their lifeless bodies nearly eight years ago. The second day of Richard Allen’s murder trial brought back haunting memories as Patrick Brown, who had joined the community-wide search for the girls, tearfully recalled his discovery of the tragic scene.
Liberty German, 14, and Abigail Williams, 13, went missing on February 13, 2017, after a day spent hiking near Delphi, Indiana. Their disappearance ignited a frantic search across the small community, but the grim outcome that followed has left an indelible mark on all those involved, particularly Patrick Brown, who was the one to stumble upon the horrifying scene.
The Discovery of the Bodies
Testifying in court on Saturday, Brown described the heart-wrenching moment he found the bodies of Liberty and Abigail along Deer Creek, just a day after they had disappeared. He joined the search party on Valentine’s Day in 2017, hoping to find the girls alive. His testimony painted a haunting picture of that day, one filled with shock, grief, and devastation.
Brown told the jury that he decided to search the north side of the creek after hearing that Liberty’s shirt had been found in the area. As he scanned the area in hopes of finding a clue, he came across something unexpected. At first, he thought what he saw were mannequins—an illusion that quickly turned into a terrifying reality when he realized they were the bodies of the missing teens.
“I thought they were mannequins,” Brown said through tears, his voice trembling. After asking the court for a moment to compose himself, he continued, “I turned around and I yelled out we had found them.”
Brown explained that he never got within five feet of the bodies, choosing instead to turn away and call the police chief to report his horrific discovery. His testimony, filled with anguish, was one of the most emotional moments of the trial thus far. The trauma of that day continues to weigh heavily on him, as well as the rest of the tight-knit Delphi community.
The Horrific Details of the Murders
Richard Allen, 52, a former pharmacy technician, is now on trial for the murders of Liberty German and Abigail Williams, charged with two counts of murder and two counts of murder while kidnapping. The case, which had remained unsolved for years, shook the entire state of Indiana, and Allen’s arrest in 2022 brought both relief and further anguish to the victims’ families, who had been waiting for answers.
Prosecutors have laid out a chilling timeline of events. They allege that Allen came across the two girls on February 13, 2017, while they were walking along a hiking trail near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi. Armed with a gun, Allen reportedly forced the girls off the path and ultimately took their lives in a violent attack.
In the opening statements of the trial, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland described the horrifying final moments of the girls’ lives, revealing to the jury that Liberty German had captured both a grainy image and a brief audio recording of Allen on her phone.
“The last thing the girls saw was Richard Allen’s face,” McLeland told the jury. He went on to explain how Allen was caught on video telling the girls, “Girls, down the hill,” while wielding a gun. According to McLeland, the girls complied out of fear, but their compliance did not save them from the brutal fate that awaited them.
The details of the crime were gruesome. German’s body was found naked and covered in blood, while Abigail Williams was dressed in German’s clothes, her own clothing having been discarded in the nearby creek. These haunting details have left a deep scar on the Delphi community, which has been grappling with the tragic loss for more than seven years.
The Case Against Richard Allen
The investigation into the murders dragged on for years, leaving the families and community in a state of limbo. However, in October 2022, Indiana police arrested Richard Allen in connection with the murders. The key piece of evidence that linked him to the crime was an unused .40-caliber bullet casing found at the crime scene, between the girls’ bodies. The casing was later connected to a gun owned by Allen.
Allen’s grainy image and voice were captured on Liberty German’s phone, which had been found with her at the scene. In 2019, investigators released a short video from German’s phone, which showed a man walking across the Monon High Bridge. The image was blurry, but prosecutors believe it was Allen.
However, Allen’s defense attorney has mounted a strong challenge to the prosecution’s case, arguing that there is reasonable doubt. The defense claims that the timeline of events presented by the state is flawed and that Allen was not on the hiking trail at the same time as the girls. They have also questioned the reliability of the evidence, including the video and the bullet casing.
Justice for Liberty and Abigail
As the trial continues, the families of Liberty German and Abigail Williams wait anxiously for justice. The emotional toll on the community and those who were involved in the search for the girls remains heavy. Patrick Brown’s testimony was a painful reminder of the horrors that unfolded that fateful day in February 2017, and the scars that still linger.
The trial will resume on Monday, with both sides continuing to present their cases. For the families and the Delphi community, the hope is that the truth will finally come to light, and justice will be served for Liberty German and Abigail Williams—two young lives taken far too soon in a senseless act of violence.
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