In a shocking turn of events, defense attorneys Andrew Baldwin and Bradley Rozzi have withdrawn from the high-profile case of Richard Allen, the Indiana man accused of killing two teenage girls on a hiking trail in 2017. The withdrawal comes after leaked photographs of the gruesome crime scene were discovered, raising questions about the security of evidence and the integrity of the defense team.

During a scheduled hearing on Thursday, Special Judge Fran Gull announced that Baldwin and Rozzi were no longer representing Allen. It remains unclear why the defense attorneys made this decision, but it coincides with the revelation that court documents were leaked from Baldwin's office. The leaked information prompted an investigation into three individuals suspected of disseminating the documents without permission.

Attorney David R. Hennessy, who represents Baldwin, issued a memorandum stating that his client had been "snookered and abused" by those who gained access to the case-related paperwork. Hennessy maintained that Baldwin had done nothing wrong and had taken measures to secure the documents, keeping them locked away in a room or fireproof file cabinet.

With the withdrawal of Allen's defense attorneys, the timeline for the case has been thrown into uncertainty. Judge Gull expressed her intention to appoint a new public defense attorney for Allen and hopes to hold a planned hearing on October 31. However, she acknowledged that maintaining the original trial date of January 8 may not be feasible given the need for new counsel to familiarize themselves with the case.

Allen, who was charged in October 2022, was linked to the murders through ballistics analysis, which determined that a .40-caliber round found at the crime scene came from a gun he owned. Additionally, he had confessed multiple times to the murders in phone calls with his wife and mother while in prison. However, his former attorneys had recently put forth a defense claim that the girls were actually victims of a racist pagan cult and not their client.

The defense team alleged that the cult, known as the Odinists, targeted the girls due to one of their parents being in an interracial relationship. They also pointed to pagan symbols found at the crime scene as evidence of ritualistic sacrifice. Prosecutors dismissed these claims as “fanciful” and lacking in credibility.

The case of Allen and the brutal slayings of Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14, has captivated the community of Delphi, where the girls lived. The discovery of their bodies in a wooded area near a hiking trail shocked the small town of about 3,000 residents.

As the investigation continues and a new defense team is appointed, the trial date is expected to be delayed. The withdrawal of Allen's attorneys and the leaked photographs of the crime scene have raised concerns about the integrity of the case and the ability to secure a fair trial for the defendant. The case remains under the scrutiny of the media and the public as the search for justice for Abby and Libby continues.