DELPHI, Ind. — Five years after two teen girls were found murdered after disappearing during a hike, an Indiana man was charged with their deaths.
In a news conference Monday, authorities announced the arrest of Richard Allen, 50, who was formally charged in the deaths of 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German, CNN reported.
“Today is not a day to celebrate, but the arrest … is sure a major step in leading to a conclusion of this long-term and complex investigation,” Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said in the news conference.
Libby and Abby disappeared on Feb. 13, 2017 and were found one day later in a rugged area near the hiking trail they had taken, The Associated Press reported. The two girls had gone hiking during a day off from school in Delphi, which is a community known for its hiking trails.
“I believe in a God of justice and righteousness,” Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leazenby told WANE. “Today I believe that same God has provided us with justice for Abby and Libby.”
Allen pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder at an initial hearing, and is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 13, CNN reported.
The girls’ deaths were ruled homicides, but more than five years later, police have not disclosed how they were killed or offered insight into any evidence in the case, the AP reported.
A judge found probable cause in Allen’s arrest warrants, but all charging information in the case has been sealed by the court, The New York Times reported. “It’s about protecting the integrity of the case,” Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland told the Times.
Police have said that tip lines remain open, and McLeland told CNN that investigators are seeking information “not only about Richard Allen, but about any other person you may have,” but declined to say whether police are looking for additional suspects.