CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. — A hearing Tuesday morning will likely determine whether documents outlining the case against Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen will be unsealed.
Special Judge Fran Gull of Allen County will oversee the hearing on the possible unsealing of the probable cause affidavit in Allen’s arrest.
Allen was seen around 7:57 a.m. walking into the Carroll County Courthouse through a side entrance with his arms and legs in shackles. The legs of his orange jumpsuit were visible underneath a coat as he was surrounded by armed officers.
Allen, 50, was arrested on October 26 for the 2017 murders of Delphi teens Libby German and Abby Williams. The Carroll County prosecutor asked a circuit judge to seal the charging documents in the case, a move that is unusual in a murder investigation.
Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter, someone who’s been a prominent figure in the Delphi investigation since the girls went missing on Feb. 13, 2017, has said he believes the investigation would not be compromised if the probable cause was unsealed.
If the judge does order the documents to be unsealed, it’s possible the prosecutor will be given time to redact certain details.
Another potential outcome of Tuesday’s hearing could be Allen’s attorneys request for a bail hearing being granted.
The attorneys state they’ve read the sealed probable cause and argue there’s no evidence of proof or a strong “presumption” of guilt. They are requesting Allen be released “on his own recognizance or in the alternative to set a reasonable bail.”
Allen has been charged with two counts of murder.
Judge Gull requested Allen appear in person for Tuesday’s hearing at 9 a.m.