Judge says Delphi murders suspect cannot use ‘Odinism’ defense in court

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The attorneys for Delphi murders suspect Richard Allen will not be allowed to make claims in court that the murders are tied to an Odinistic sacrifice.

Special Judge Frances Gull issued the ruling early Wednesday morning.

First mention of the Nordic religion was brought to court in September 2023, where Allen’s attorneys presented evidence stating that Odinists killed Abigail Williams and Liberty German in Delphi in 2017.

Odinism was one of several of the defense’s arguments that the state recently pushed to bar from being presented to the jury.

In a court hearing in August, the defense fought to allow evidence of Odinism into the court, along with information on third-party suspects like Kegan Kline or evidence of geocaching.

The court ultimately denied Allen’s defense to present the evidence. Wednesday’s court order says that it would not allow Odinism into court as the argument “must not be based on speculation, conjecture, rumors, or hearsay, rather than admissible evidence.”

This ruling comes just over a week after the judge said she would allow the jury to hear all of Allen’s confessions to the killings that police say he has made since his arrest.

Jury selection in Allen’s trial was set to begin Oct. 14.