Indiana attorneys allege poor treatment against man accused of killing two girls

DELPHI, Ind. (AP) — Attorneys for an Indiana man accused of killing two teenage girls six years ago argued before a judge Thursday that the man has been mistreated at the prison he is housed in, requesting relocation to a different facility.

A prosecutor in the case also said the man confessed multiple times to the murders while incarcerated, something his defense attorneys attributed to his declining mental state.

Richard Matthew Allen was arrested October 2022 on two counts of murder in the killings of Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14, whose bodies were found Feb. 15, 2017, outside their hometown of Delphi, Indiana, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Indianapolis, in Carroll County. A relative had dropped the girls off at a hiking trail near the Monon High Bridge, and their bodies were found the next day, Feb. 14, 2017, in a rugged, heavily wooded area near the trail.

Attorney Brad Rozzi said Thursday that since Allen’s incarceration in Westville Correctional Facility in Westville, Indiana, Allen has been treated more stringently than other inmates, including in surveillance and restraint measures. Allen's lawyers filed the emergency motion in April, citing in court filings a “dramatic change in Mr. Allen’s condition, including his change in demeanor, change in appearance and change in his overall mental status.” They said his “incriminating” statements were the result of this stressful environment.

Law enforcement officers, as well as the warden of the correctional facility, however, testified Allen’s treatment was no different than other inmates. Allen has been in the Indiana Department of Correction facility since November 2022.

Such decisions about Allen’s living situation were made to protect his safety, officers said, as they believe he...