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Delphi Murders defense team tries to introduce Odinism into trial

Delphi Murders trial jury sees autopsy photos/Delphi defense moves to admit odinism evidence – News 8 at 6

DELPHI, Ind. (WISH) — Richard Allen’s attorneys want the jury to hear evidence and testimony from their experts who claim the murders of Abby Williams and Libby German were Odinism ritualistic killings.

For more than a year, the defense team has claimed the murders were ritualistic and connected to Odinism. They’ve filed several motions and spent hours in court trying to convince Special Judge Fran Gull to let them show that evidence to the jury. Gull has denied them at every turn.

On Tuesday, the prosecution put a crime scene investigator on the stand who testified that the sticks placed on the bodies of Abby and Libby were an attempt by the killer to conceal the bodies from being found.

News 8 reporter Kyla Russell drew a depiction of those sticks shown to the jury. It appears to show the sticks making a triangle and other shapes on the girls.

During hearings in July, the defense put Dr. Dawn Perlmutter on the stand. She has experience in training FBI agents on how to identify ritualistic killings.

At the time, she testified that the sticks on Abby and Libby were an indication that the killings were ritualistic.

Because the crime scene investigator testified Tuesday that the sticks were an attempt to cover up the body, the defense is now saying Allen has a constitutional right to present an alternative theory to the jury; that the sticks were purposefully placed in the shape of Nordic runes as part of ritualistic killings.

In September, the judge ruled that the defense would not be allowed to present evidence about Odinism to the jury.

Gull on Wednesday had yet to rule on the defense attorneys’ newest motion.