DELPHI, Ind. – The Carroll County prosecutor is asking the court to seal sensitive records, including crime scene and autopsy photos, connected to the Delphi murders investigation.
In a motion filed on Friday morning, the day of convicted murderer Richard Allen’s sentencing, Prosecutor Nick McLeland asked the court to seal “the crime scene photos, the autopsy photos and reports and the mental health/medical records presented at trial.”
The material includes gruesome photos of the aftermath as well as photos of Abby Williams and Libby German from their autopsies. The mental health and medical records concern Allen.
In its motion, the state noted some crime scene photos had already made their way into the public sphere when they were “negligently released” by Allen’s defense team in an evidence leak that sent the proceedings into a spiral. The release of those photos has “caused irreparable harm” to the victims’ families, the prosecutor wrote.
McLeland said the release of autopsy photos would have the same impact on the families and “retraumatize them for years to come.”
He said the court had the ability to seal certain records “within a mandatory exception” to the Indiana Access to Public Records Act.
From the filing’s conclusion:
WHEREFORE, the State of Indiana, by Prosecuting Attorney, Nicholas C. McLeland, respectfully requests this Court to grant the motion and seal the crime scene photos, the autopsy photos and any medical and/or mental health records presented at trial and presented as part of discovery in this case from public access and for all other just and proper relief in the premises.
Prosecutor Nick McLeland
From the very onset of Allen’s arrest, McLeland has worked to shield information from the public. When Indiana State Police announced Allen’s arrest in October 2022, McLeland had already asked the court to seal the probable cause affidavit and charging information.
Special Judge Fran Gull approved the release of a redacted version of the probable cause affidavit in November 2022. She released a trove of documents related to the Delphi murders in June 2023.