Over five years after the senseless murders of two Delphi, Indiana, teens Libby German and Abby Williams, Indiana police announced early Monday that a local man has been arrested and charged with the murders.

Abby was just 13, and her best friend Libby was 14 when the pair were killed while going on a hike along Delphi Historic Trails in February 2017. When the girls did not show up to their previously arranged pick-up locations, family members, authorities, and nearly the entire Delphi community set out in search of them. The following day, the girls’ bodies were found near the trail about a half mile away from the iconic Monon High Bridge, the last known location the girls were determined to have been.

Shortly after the girls were discovered, authorities released surveillance footage and audio captured on the cell phone of one of the girls. The grainy footage shows a man walking along the Monon High Bridge, and an audio recording revealed the voice of a man saying “Guys, down the hill.” Despite having audio and footage of the alleged murderer, the case went unsolved for nearly six years.

In a press conference held by Indiana State Police Chief Superintendent, Doug Carter, 50-year-old Delphi resident Richard Allen was named as the alleged murderer. Authorities have revealed little information on how Allen is connected to the murders, and Carter shared that court documents with details into the investigation are sealed for the time being.

Carter emphasized that more details would come out but that “today it's not that day.” Instead, authorities and the local community have emphasized that the day would be spent in commemoration of Abby and Libby. Carter added, "If you choose to be critical of our silence, be critical of me, not the frontline. These are folks who have devoted their entire lives to a conclusion. In other words, a guilty verdict."

When pressed as to why the affidavit would remain sealed for at least the next 30 days, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland admitted, "It is unusual." He explained, "We don't do it very often, in all the cases we handle here in Carroll County. We did it in this case because the investigation is still open. And while all cases are important, the nature of this case has some extra scrutiny in it. So we, my office, me, felt it was important to seal those records."

Throughout the nearly five years following the murders, the case has garnered national attention for many reasons. The ominous video and audio evidence were a focal point for many podcasters, true crime series, and national media outlets.

Despite having evidence of the possible killer, the case remained a mystery nationwide. Many members of the close-knit Delphi community wondered if the killer was one of them, while many others speculated that the killer was an outsider.

Throughout the years, a number of possible suspects were looked at, including Ron Logan, the owner of the property on which the girls were found. Despite having a questionable background, Logan was never charged with any crime, and he later passed away in 2020.

The arrest of the alleged killer has sprouted some questions among the community members, namely, how could the killer live among them all this time?

Allen was not previously named as a potential suspect and lived an unassuming life within the Delphi Community. According to reports, Allen worked at a local CVS and frequented the area where the girls were found deceased.

Although an arrest has been made in the case, officials detail that the tip line remains open as the investigation is still ongoing.

The families of the girls are slowly processing the news. After the press conference, Libby’s grandmother Becky Patty shared with reporters, “We were called in on Wednesday to tell us they had detained somebody, so we’ve had a couple more days to process this. I don’t feel like I thought I would. I’ve always said that I would be screaming on the rooftop. We’re not. It’s sad.”

Patty added, "While there’s somebody that’s been arrested, our lives for five and a half years have been in a search mode and that’s what we’ve done. We’re not doing that anymore. So we’re all just kind of feeling our way and figuring out what our purpose is now. What do we do next? How do we help?"