(DELPHI, Ind.) — A Delphi, Indiana, man, Richard Allen, has been arrested for the 2017 murders of eighth graders Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter announced at a news conference Monday.

Best friends Libby and Abby were on a hiking trail in rural Delphi when they were killed in the middle of the day on Feb. 13, 2017.

The shocking slayings cast fear across the small Indiana town and garnered national intrigue.

This marks the first time a suspect has been named in the mysterious double murder. Police have still not released how the girls were killed.

Police still ask anyone with information to submit a tip at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or 765-822-3535.

Latest headlines:
-‘Right here among us’
-Suspect enters not guilty plea
-Police ask for more tips
-Man arrested in Delphi murders

Here’s how the news developed. All times Eastern.

Oct 31, 12:55 PM EDT
‘Right here among us’

Libby German’s grandmother and guardian, Becky Patty, was surprised to learn the man arrested for the murders of Libby and Abby Williams was a Delphi resident.

“It’s a small community,” she told ABC News hours after Richard Allen’s arrest was announced. “For it to be one of us, it’s hard.”

“How can somebody do that and then just go on living life like nothing happened?” Libby’s grandfather, Mike Patty, added.

Libby’s sister, Kelsi German, said she always felt the girls’ killer must be someone familiar with the Delphi area, but she said she didn’t want to believe the suspect “was right here among us.”

Mike Patty commended the police officers who he said were diligent and “sacrificed their own family time” to work on his granddaughter’s case.

“They never let up,” he said.

“There’s a lot of questions we have that are unanswered,” he added, “but all in due time that will come.”

For Libby’s sister, the arrest brings “new obstacles and emotions that we have to learn how to deal with.”

German said she visited her sister’s grave on Sunday to talk to her about the updates in the case.

Oct 31, 12:36 PM EDT
More than 70,000 tips submitted

More than 70,000 tips have been submitted since the murders in 2017, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter told ABC News.

“The eyes of America were on this” case, Carter said, because Delphi — a “wonderful community” — is like so many other American towns.

“We committed a long time ago this day would come,” he said of the arrest.

“Evil never wins,” he added.

As for the girls’ families, Carter said, “I wish I could take their hurt away, but I can’t.”

Carter would not talk about the suspect, Richard Allen, or what led police to him.

Oct 31, 10:25 AM EDT
Suspect enters not guilty plea

The man charged with the girls’ murders, Richard Allen, had his initial hearing and entered a not guilty plea, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said.

Allen was taken into custody on Oct. 26 and is being held at the White County Jail, officials said.

He’s being held without bond and is set to return to court in January, McLeland said.

“Per the court order, we cannot talk about the evidence that’s in the probable cause” affidavit, McLeland said.

The prosecutor would not say when Allen became a suspect or if he knew Abby or Libby.

McLeland said it’s “concerning” to him that Allen is a local Delphi resident. He called the arrest a “step in the right direction.”

Oct 31, 10:13 AM EDT
Police ask for more tips

In the wake of the arrest, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said, “Peace came over me — and I didn’t expect that to happen.”

He said in a message to the families that he hopes they “have found some peace in this complicated world.”

Carter urged the public to “please continue offering tips,” as the investigation is ongoing.

 

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(NEW YORK) — The suspect accused of attacking Paul Pelosi told authorities he wanted to break Nancy Pelosi’s kneecaps to show members of Congress that there are “consequences to actions,” according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Monday.

The new revelation came Monday as the Department of Justice filed federal charges of assault and attempted kidnapping against the man suspected of attacking Paul Pelosi, the 82-year-old husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, last week.

David DePape, 42, is accused of attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer in the couple’s San Francisco home just before 2:30 a.m. Friday, according to San Francisco police.

While San Francisco prosecutors have yet to announce charges against DePape, federal charges were always a possibility due to early evidence suggesting the suspect appeared to be motivated to allegedly break into the home, at least in part, to reach the speaker, sources told ABC News.

DePape was charged with one count of assault of an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He is also charged with one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

DePape is expected to be charged locally with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and elderly abuse, authorities said following the attack.

The attack was intentional, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said Friday, describing a chaotic scene at the home once police arrived.

Paul Pelosi and DePape each had one hand on a hammer when officers from the San Francisco Police Department arrived before DePape was allegedly able to wrestle the hammer away and begin “violently” attacking Paul Pelosi with it, Scott said.

Officers then tackled DePape and disarmed him, Scott said.

Paul Pelosi called 911 after DePape entered the home, allowing the dispatcher to hear what was happening during the altercation with DePape, police said. Paul Pelosi later told police that he had been asleep when DePape, whom he had never seen before, entered his bedroom, according to the complaint.

DePape allegedly later told officers “that he was going to hold Nancy hostage and talk to her” and that he wanted to use the House speaker to lure another unnamed individual, the affidavit states.

The suspect also allegedly told investigators that he intended to break Nancy Pelosi’s kneecaps if she didn’t tell him the “truth” about “lies told by the Democratic Party” and said she would have to be wheeled into Congress, therefore showing other members of Congress that there are “consequences to actions,” according to the criminal complaint.

Paul Pelosi was struck at least twice with the hammer, sources told ABC News. He underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands, the speaker’s spokesperson, Drew Hammill, said in a statement. Although his injuries are significant, he is expected to make a full recovery, Hammill said.

DePape allegedly shouted “Where’s Nancy?” repeatedly after entering the home through a sliding glass door and moving about the house, law enforcement officers familiar with the investigation told ABC News. The speaker was in Washington, D.C., at the time, according to Capitol Police.

The suspect was carrying a bag that contained duct tape and zip ties, two law enforcement officials briefed on the probe told ABC News on Sunday.

DePape was hospitalized with injuries following the attack. While police are still investigating the motive, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank dedicated to researching extremism and disinformation, said DePape “likely was motivated by a wide range of conspiratorial beliefs.”

“In the last two months, DePape has posted dozens of articles and videos to his blogs spreading conspiracies and hateful rhetoric related to COVID-19, women, Hillary Clinton, the Jewish community, federal law enforcement (e.g., FBI), government censorship, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the climate crisis, QAnon, the 2020 election, the transgender community, and ‘grooming’ in schools,” the ISD said in a statement, though no posts were found specifically mentioning Nancy Pelosi.

Among the number of social media posts being examined by investigators include some in which DePape allegedly espouses conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines, 2020 false election theories, frustration with the Jan. 6 congressional hearings and anger over the conviction of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd, law enforcement officials told ABC News.

DePape is expected to be arraigned Tuesday. It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney.

ABC News’ Alex Mallin, Luke Barr, Meredith Deliso, Mike Levine and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.

 

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