The man accused of killing two Indiana teen girls may not have acted alone, according to the prosecutor involved in the case.
Richard Allen, 50, faces two counts of murder, in connection to the deaths of 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German and her best friend, 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams in Delphi, Ind., on Feb. 13, 2017.
The girls were reported missing by family after failing to return home from a hike on a local trail. Their bodies were discovered the following day, Feb.14, near a creek, according to authorities.
Their manners of death have not been released.
“We believe Richard Allen is not the only actor involved in this,” prosecutor Nicholas McLeland told a judge during the suspect’s Tuesday hearing, WTHR-TV reports.
Because of this, McLeland is requesting the judge keep court documents sealed, per the station.
According to ABC News, McLeland argued police are still receiving tips on the case. He also presented an online petition with 40,000 signatures, which is supporting keeping the affidavit sealed, as well as a letter from Libby’s grandmother Becky Patty, requesting the documents not be released.
McLeland said keeping the documents confidential would protect both parties involved, according to WTHR.
However, Allen’s attorneys are pushing for the papers to be made public, WXIN-TV reports.
“Once it’s opened up, the probable cause affidavit will have more questions than answers,” defense attorney Andrew Baldwin told the outlet.
“That’s how confident we are in our client,” he said. “That’s how confident we are at the evidence contained, at least what’s written in the probable cause affidavit, is nothing for us to worry about.”
And despite what prosecutors say, Baldwin said the documents make no indication that another suspect may have been involved in the alleged murders.
“If you read the probable cause affidavit, it does not mention anything about any other person,” Baldwin said to the station. “That was news to us.”
Baldwin did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to the murders, according to ABC News.
He is scheduled to return to court Feb. 17.
