The family members of Richard Allen were called to the witness stand as defense attorneys tried to poke holes in the prosecution’s case.
Allen’s long-awaited trial began last month. The 52-year-old is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping in the killings of the Delphi, Indiana, girls Libby German, 14, and Abby Williams, 13. If convicted, Allen could face up to 130 years in prison.
On Monday, Allens attorneys called his half-sister, Jaimie Jones and daughter, Brittney Zapanta to the stand, Fox 59 reported. They both gave brief testimony when the defense team asked them about the nature of their relationship with Allen.
Did Richard Allen ever molest you? Both were asked, and both answered: No. Would you lie for him? Both were asked. No. Both answered. The jurors asked Zapanta if her dad ever took her out on the trails where Abby and Libby vanished and she said she recalled crossing the Monon High Bridge once or twice with her father.
Also returning to the witness stand was Brad Weber, who previously told jurors that on the day of the murders he drove a white van home from work and passed by the stretch of Deer Creek where the girls bodies were discovered at around 2:30 p.m. This is significant because in Allens prison confession he says he was spooked by a passing van before deciding to murder the girls.
Data from Libbys phone also shows the cell phone stopped moving at around 2:30 p.m. at the same spot the girls bodies were found, Fox 59 reported. Defense attorney Andrew Baldwin pushed back against Webers account stating that Weber told police days after the girls were found that he was driving a Subaru, not a van.
The two previously clashed on the stand regarding Weber stopping to fix an ATM which would make his timeline no longer add up. On the stand Baldwin asked Weber why he got so upset.
I was upset with you because you tried to tell me what I did, Weber said. Weber stuck to his timeline though and said when he got home he took a nap. Can you hear screams of someone on your property? Baldwin asked. If outside, I would, Weber answered. When asked if he heard any screams that day, Weber said no.
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Former Delphi police chief Steve Mullin also returned once again to the witness stand on Monday. Baldwin implied that Allen was told about the white van prior to his confession. The defense has argued that Allen could have learned this key detail from psychologist Dr. Monica Wala, a true crime fan who worked with Allen during his stint in Westville prison.
Wala is said to have been obsessively following the Delphi case, reading and posting online about the case and even traveling to the Monon High Bridge. During her testimony it was revealed she shared information she read online with Allen during their sessions.
You dont know what Dr. Wala told Richard Allen about a van? Baldwin asked. No, Mullin answered. Mullin did say that Allens admission to Wala about being spooked by a van was the first time the prosecution heard about the van, however.