“Today is the day.” A quote posted almost daily on Facebook by Becky Merchand Patty, the grandmother of Liberty “Libby” German, whose life was tragically taken alongside her best friend Abigail “Abby” Williams nearly six years ago. The quote had become a rallying cry for the families of the girls and the community of Delphi, IND, an affirmation of hope that that day would be the day the killer was brought to justice. On Oct. 28, that day finally arrived. 

In a press conference held on Oct. 31, the Indiana State Police formally announced that Richard Matthew Allen, 50, was taken into custody a few days prior and charged with two counts of murder. As the Indiana State Police suspected, he had been “hiding in plain sight.” Allen was a resident of Delphi and worked at the local CVS as a pharmacy technician. In a now chilling photo, Allen can be seen at a bar with the sketch of the suspect on the wall behind him. Even more disturbing: the family of German revealed that Allen had processed photos of German for her funeral, free of charge. 

As the years went on, the hope that the case would be solved dwindled for many. “I never thought the case would be solved,” said sophomore Adam McManus. “I think it was hard for them to find the real killer, which kind of made it hopeless at times.” German had the presence of mind to photograph and capture audio of the suspect, yet the murderer escaped justice for more than five years. 

Delphi, a town of less than 3,000 people, has a relatively low crime rate. People know each other, and, before the murders, felt secure enough to leave their doors unlocked. After the murders, which have been described as gruesome although the cause of death has not been disclosed, Delphi became a hotspot for podcasters and true crime fans interested in the infamous case. People flocked to the scene of the crime, the place where the girls spent their final moments. 

Though the case still needs to be worked through the legal system, the arrest of Richard Allen has finally brought some peace to the families of the victims, and the community of Delphi as a whole. Senior Marissa Cacanindin expressed her relief, saying, “after all these years, they finally have some answers as to what happened to the girls.” Pleading not guilty to the charges, Allen’s trial is set for March 20, 2023.