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Richard Allen was sentenced Friday to 130 years in prison for the 2017 murders of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana. After the hearing, his attorney, Jennifer Auger, told reporters that they plan to appeal the decision and seek a new trial.

Newsweek Auger emailed for comment.

Why it matters

Allen, 52, received the maximum sentence of 65 years for each count of murder for the killings of Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, and Liberty “Libby” German, 14.

A relative dropped off the eighth-graders at a hiking trail on February 13, 2017, but the girls never returned. Authorities released files from German’s cell phone, including two blurry photos and an audio clip of a man believed to be Allen saying, “Guys, down the hill.” Their stabbed bodies were found at the bottom of the hill the next day .

What you should know

Friday’s sentencing hearing lasted less than two hours. After finding out that Allen would have to serve his two 65-year terms consecutively, Auger told the media that Allen’s legal team planned to release a more detailed statement, “but today is not the day for that,” he said Indy Star Reports.

“Thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims. What they went through was unimaginable,” Auger said.

It took police five years to arrest Allen, who worked at a CVS Pharmacy in Delphi in 2022. The victims’ families said Allen even helped them print photos for the funeral for free.

Nearly everyone involved in this case, including law enforcement and the teens’ families, were bound by a confidentiality agreement that prohibited them from commenting on the case during or after Allen’s trial. The gag order was lifted Friday after Allen’s sentencing.

What people say

Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said during a press conference Friday: “We are very satisfied with the jury’s verdict. The judge’s sentence is appropriate. As Judge (Frances) Gull noted in court, the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating ones, and the heinous nature of this crime merits a full sentence.”

Becky Patty, German’s grandmother, said in a victim impact statement Friday, according to ABC News: “I can never change my decision to let Libby and Abby hit the trails that day. I hope he lives with the same fear he caused Abby and Libby in the last hour of their lives.”

Mike Patty, German’s grandfather, told Allen in court Friday, according to ABC News: “They could have taken responsibility. You have to stand up and not appeal.”

Diane Erskin, Williams’ grandmother, in court Friday, according to ABC News: “This is a day of great sadness for our family. We won’t go home to celebrate with champagne. I watched their friends graduate college and wondered how many great-grandchildren were also murdered that day.”

What happens next

At the time of publication, Indiana State Police are holding a press conference regarding Allen’s sentencing.

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