On a chilly February afternoon in 2017, Abigail Williams and Liberty German went for a walk on the Monon High Bridge in Delphi, Indiana. They never came home. For years, the case was shrouded in a level of secrecy that felt almost suffocating to the local community and the true crime followers watching from afar. People wanted answers. They wanted to know how two vibrant young girls could vanish in broad daylight and be found dead less than 24 hours later. Specifically, everyone started whispering about the Delphi murders cause of death, trying to piece together a puzzle that the Indiana State Police kept tightly under lock and key.
It was frustrating.
Law enforcement held back the details for a reason, they said. To protect the integrity of the investigation. But that vacuum of information led to wild internet rumors, some of them pretty gruesome and, frankly, disrespectful to the families. When Richard Allen was finally arrested in October 2022, the seal on that information began to crack. We finally started getting a clearer—though deeply disturbing—picture of what happened in those woods near Deer Creek.
The official autopsy findings and the "sharp object"
For a long time, the public didn't even know if a weapon had been found. Then came the court filings. According to released documents and testimony from the trial of Richard Allen, the Delphi murders cause of death was determined to be blood loss due to sharp force trauma.
Basically, they were killed with a knife or a similar bladed instrument.
The specifics are heavy. Dr. Roland Kohr, the pathologist who performed the autopsies, testified that both girls suffered catastrophic neck wounds. It wasn't a quick or "clean" event. The details shared in court described the wounds as being consistent with a sharp-bladed tool. Interestingly, despite the massive search of the area and the eventual search of Richard Allen's home, the actual murder weapon has remained a point of intense contention. Prosecutors focused heavily on the "signatures" left at the crime scene, which they argued pointed toward a specific type of killer.
Wait, it gets more complex.
While the physical cause of death was blood loss, the scene itself was "odd," to use the word of several investigators. There was a lack of a massive struggle in the way some might expect, leading to theories about how one person could control two teenagers. The answer, according to the prosecution, was the presence of a firearm—specifically a Sig Sauer P226—used to intimidate the girls, even if it wasn't the instrument that caused the fatal injuries.
Why the "unspent round" matters so much
You can't talk about the Delphi murders cause of death without talking about the bullet. Or, more accurately, the unspent .40 caliber round found between the bodies of Abby and Libby. This little piece of metal is basically the cornerstone of the state's case against Richard Allen.
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Forensic examiners from the Indiana State Police Laboratory claimed that the toolmarks on that unspent round matched a pistol owned by Allen. They say the round had been cycled through his gun. Now, the defense has fought this tooth and nail. They brought in their own experts to argue that toolmark identification is more of an art than a hard science and that you can't definitively link a non-fired bullet to a specific gun with 100% certainty.
It's a "he-said, she-said" of ballistic proportions.
But for the prosecution, the logic is simple: The gun was the tool of coercion. The knife was the tool of death. They argue Allen used the gun to force the girls down the hill ("Down the hill," as heard in Libby’s haunting phone recording) and then used a blade to finish it.
Examining the defense's "Odinism" theory
If you’ve followed this case in the last year, you’ve heard about the Vikings. Sort of. The defense team for Richard Allen filed a massive, 136-page document known as a Franks motion, which introduced a wild alternative theory. They suggested the Delphi murders cause of death and the subsequent positioning of the bodies were part of a ritualistic sacrifice carried out by followers of Odinism, a Norse pagan religion.
They pointed to:
- Sticks placed over the girls' bodies in specific patterns.
- The "blood symbols" allegedly painted on trees (though the prosecution disputed these were actually symbols).
- The lack of DNA from Richard Allen at the scene.
- The way the bodies were posed.
It sounds like something out of a True Detective script. Honestly, it was a bold move. The defense claimed that several men from the area, who were allegedly involved in this cult-like group, were the real killers. They argued that the "sharp force trauma" was consistent with a ritualistic killing. Judge Frances Gull, however, didn't let much of this into the trial initially, calling it "unsupported" by evidence.
Whether you believe the ritual theory or think it's a "smoke and mirrors" tactic, it highlights how unusual the crime scene actually was. Even veteran cops admitted it was one of the most disturbing things they had ever seen.
Misconceptions about the crime scene
There is a lot of bad info out there. Let's clear some of it up.
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First, there was no "message" written in blood. While there were rumors of letters being drawn on the girls or the trees, forensic testimony clarified that the "markings" were likely just natural smears or patterns formed as blood pooled and dried.
Second, the girls were not strangled. While manual strangulation is common in many homicides involving younger victims, the Delphi murders cause of death was strictly related to the neck wounds. Dr. Kohr’s testimony was very specific on this.
Third, the timeline. People think this took hours. In reality, the window between the girls being spotted on the bridge (2:13 PM) and the point where they likely encountered their killer was incredibly tight. This wasn't a long, drawn-out ordeal in the woods; it was a fast, violent ambush.
The psychological impact of the "Signature"
Criminologists often talk about "signatures"—actions a killer takes that aren't necessary to complete the crime but serve some psychological need. In Delphi, the signatures were the posing of the bodies and the covering of the victims with branches.
Why do this?
Some profilers suggest it shows a level of "undoing" or remorse, while others say it’s about depersonalizing the victims. If it was Richard Allen, a local guy with a wife and daughter, did he cover them because he couldn't stand to look at what he’d done? Or was it, as the defense argued, a symbolic gesture linked to a cult?
The reality of the Delphi murders cause of death is that the physical act was only half the story. The "why" and the "how" of the crime scene arrangement remain some of the most debated aspects of the case.
DNA, or the lack thereof
Here is the kicker: There was no DNA from Richard Allen found on Abby or Libby.
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In a modern murder trial, that’s huge. You’d think a struggle involving sharp force trauma would leave skin cells, hair, or something. But the scene was outdoors, near a creek, and it had been cold. Environmental factors can degrade DNA. Plus, if the killer was wearing heavy clothing—like the blue jacket seen in the "Bridge Guy" video—it's possible he didn't leave much behind.
The prosecution countered this by focusing on Allen's "confessions." While in jail, Allen reportedly confessed over 60 times to his wife, his mother, and prison staff. He allegedly admitted to using a box cutter, then later said it was a different kind of knife. The defense says these were the ramblings of a man broken by solitary confinement.
What this means for future safety
Understanding the Delphi murders cause of death and the mechanics of the crime isn't just about morbid curiosity. It’s about the terrifying reality of "stranger danger" in wide-open, public spaces. These girls did everything right. They were together. It was broad daylight. They even recorded their attacker.
The case changed Delphi forever. It changed how parents in Indiana let their kids play outside.
If there is any "actionable" takeaway from the tragedy and the forensic details that emerged, it’s a grim reminder of situational awareness.
Key takeaways from the forensic evidence:
- The Weapon: While never recovered, the wounds indicate a sharp blade, likely a knife, used with significant force.
- The Gun: A .40 caliber unspent round is the primary physical link to the suspect, suggesting a firearm was used for control.
- The Location: The murders didn't happen on the bridge. The girls were led down a steep embankment to a secluded area near the water.
- The Confessions: Detailed admissions from the suspect often mentioned the specific method of death, which the prosecution used to bolster their case despite the lack of DNA.
To truly stay informed on this case, it is essential to look at the court transcripts rather than social media theories. The "sharp force trauma" wasn't just a clinical term; it represented a violent end to two lives that sparked a decade-long search for justice. As the legal battles continue, the focus remains on the intersection of ballistics, pathology, and the digital trail left on a cell phone.
Keep an eye on the appellate filings. The debate over the "Odinist" evidence and the reliability of toolmark identification is far from over. If you're following this, look for updates from local Indiana journalists who are actually in the courtroom, as they often catch the nuance that national headlines miss.