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00:07In June 2013, the church-going Stoudy family from Springfield, Missouri, had suffered three
00:15devastating blows. Mark Stoudy and his son Sean had died within months of each other,
00:22and Mark's daughter, 24-year-old Sarah, was now critically ill in hospital.
00:27She was in a deep coma, was not responsive. Her kidney shut down, her liver shut down,
00:34but she was very young, so that was very confusing.
00:39When police received a tip about Sarah's mother, Diane Stoudy's strange behavior,
00:45in the wake of all this tragedy, an investigation was launched.
00:50There was definitely suspicion that just kept mounting and mounting, but at the same time,
00:57you don't want to think or believe that something so sinister could be going on.
01:02What was revealed during Stoudy's police interview would leave investigators speechless.
01:09They were drinking and freeze, because you were giving it to them.
01:14I didn't know what else to do.
01:17And it turned out, Diane Stoudy wasn't acting alone.
01:23How many times did you do it, Rachel?
01:26Three, four times.
01:28She would do it, and I would.
01:31In a crime that shocked the whole nation,
01:34mother and daughter Diane and Rachel Stoudy
01:37had been unmasked as two of the world's most evil killers.
02:06In January 2016,
02:09Diane Stoudy was sentenced to life in prison without parole
02:13for the murders of her husband and son.
02:16Her daughter, Rachel, whom she colluded with,
02:19was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 39 years.
02:25At the time, Sarah Forhetz was a TV news reporter in Springfield, Missouri.
02:32This type of crime, within not only a family unit,
02:37but even larger than that, a community of faith,
02:40it's absolutely unheard of.
02:46The man who cracked the case was Detective Neil McAmis
02:50from Springfield Police Department.
02:53Diane Stoudy is a cold-blooded killer.
02:56One by one was eliminating her family members
02:59and doing so without any remorse whatsoever.
03:04Diane groomed Rachel to be a willing accomplice
03:09in the murder of the entire rest of the family.
03:15Rachel Stoudy is so much like her mother.
03:18Very cunning, very manipulative, very narcissistic.
03:22They are two of the most evil people that I have ever dealt with.
03:30This killer's story begins on April 5th, 1962.
03:36Diane Elaine Richter was born in Springfield, Missouri.
03:44Diane is brought up in the Bible Belt in the United States,
03:48a strict religious upbringing.
03:51The most proper person you can imagine.
03:58In 1984, Diane Richter met Mark Stoudy
04:03when they attended the same college in Winfield, Kansas.
04:07A year later, the 22-year-old fell pregnant.
04:12I can imagine the shock of two people
04:16who were raised in very religious families
04:19getting pregnant out of wedlock.
04:22It seemed like they genuinely loved each other.
04:26They get married late in 1985.
04:28And indeed, the first child, Sean, the son,
04:31is born the following year, 1986.
04:35The Stoudys set up home in Springfield.
04:39Springfield, Missouri is a very big, small town.
04:42There's a church on every corner.
04:44And to a lot of people in this town,
04:46church is a very big part of their life.
04:49Mark and Diane Stoudy were married for many years.
04:53It appeared that they had a good life and a good marriage.
04:56They had four children.
04:58Their oldest was their son, Sean,
05:01and they had three daughters.
05:02And they were really no different than most families.
05:09Sean had learning difficulties.
05:11He wasn't particularly sociable.
05:13He liked staying indoors.
05:15He liked playing video games and watching videos.
05:20Stoudy's eldest daughter, Sarah,
05:23has fond memories of her brother, Sean,
05:26when they were children.
05:28He made me laugh when I was little.
05:31Sometimes I would go into his room
05:33and hit his light switch.
05:36And that would get him mad.
05:41Sarah was born two years after Sean
05:44on August the 10th, 1988.
05:47She went on to major in French
05:49at Missouri State University.
05:51I love translating
05:53and I love reading French literature.
05:56But most importantly,
05:57I like speaking the language.
06:00She had big dreams.
06:02She had big hopes.
06:03She wanted to travel.
06:05I wanted to be a translator.
06:08But life had other plans.
06:13The Stoudy's middle daughter, Rachel,
06:16was two years younger than Sarah.
06:19Rachel was also attending
06:21Missouri State University
06:23and was a very successful student.
06:25She was on the honor roll at the school
06:27and was doing very well.
06:29The Stoudy family was complete
06:32when their youngest daughter was born.
06:35And to the outside world,
06:36they seemed like the perfect family.
06:40They were super involved
06:41in the community in music.
06:43And it seems like they enjoyed it together.
06:46It was something that really
06:47could bring them together
06:48as a family unit.
06:50Diane was the organist at the church
06:53and Rachel would play instruments
06:57and sing.
07:00Diane is a pillar of the community.
07:03She was a nurse
07:03and then she became an advisor
07:05to an insurance company
07:06about medical claims.
07:11Mark Stoudy was pretty much
07:12a stay-at-home father.
07:14Diane was the breadwinner
07:16in the household,
07:17but Mark would also bring some money in.
07:20He was the lead singer in a band.
07:23He would play gigs.
07:25He'd write songs.
07:27And he also took care of us kids.
07:30I remember him cooking food for us
07:34and taking us to school.
07:37He would comfort me.
07:39As for my mom,
07:41she did absolutely nothing.
07:42The only kid she cared about
07:44was Rachel,
07:45her favorite.
07:52In the spring of 2012,
07:5561-year-old Mark's health
07:57started to decline.
07:59Mark starts getting sick,
08:02flu-like symptoms.
08:03He's not eating.
08:05He's not sleeping well.
08:10I noticed
08:12he was not quite himself.
08:15It's like he's losing coordination,
08:18getting clumsier each day.
08:20I knew something wasn't right.
08:23Mark's condition deteriorated rapidly.
08:27In April of 2012,
08:30officers responded
08:31to the Stoudy household.
08:33Diane Stoudy had called in
08:35saying that her husband
08:36was unresponsive.
08:37When officers arrived on scene,
08:39paramedics were attempting CPR,
08:42but Mark was ultimately
08:44declared deceased.
08:46Diane told officers
08:48that Mark had been ill
08:49for several days prior.
08:50She stated that he had been vomiting,
08:53and she even described
08:54him having seizures
08:55during the morning
08:56of the day he passed.
08:59The only slightly odd thing
09:01was that blood was found
09:02around his mouth,
09:03but nobody paid a great deal
09:04of attention to that.
09:09Mark's death was attributed
09:10to natural causes.
09:12No autopsy was performed,
09:14and he was cremated
09:15shortly after his passing.
09:18I was sad when he passed.
09:20I bawled my eyes out.
09:25The community of Springfield
09:27was saddened by Mark's death,
09:29but it wouldn't be long
09:31before the Stoudy family
09:32were hit by another tragedy.
09:36And this one
09:39would shock everybody.
09:51On April the 8th, 2012,
09:5461-year-old Mark Stoudy
09:56had passed away.
09:58His death was sudden
09:59and unexpected,
10:01and it had devastated
10:02the community
10:03in which he'd lived.
10:07After Mark died,
10:08I would 100% understand
10:11why nobody thought
10:13that was suspicious.
10:14He apparently
10:16hadn't been feeling well.
10:17His own family had said
10:18he doesn't really work out much,
10:21he doesn't eat very well,
10:22so there were a lot
10:23of compounding factors.
10:25Friends of the family
10:27noticed, however,
10:28that Diane Stoudy
10:29didn't seem to be mourning
10:31the loss of her husband.
10:32But I think that
10:33in that moment,
10:34you give someone
10:35the benefit of a doubt.
10:36You say, you know what,
10:36everybody's grief
10:37looks different.
10:43Stoudy used the money
10:44from Mark's
10:45life insurance policy
10:46to move the family
10:48to a new home
10:49in Springfield.
10:52The original home
10:53where the Stoudy family
10:54lived on West Page
10:55is probably best described
10:56as a lower-middle-class area.
10:59After Mark passed,
11:01they moved to a home
11:03on West Swans.
11:04It was a significant
11:05upgrade for them.
11:07They're in this new home,
11:09they're in a new routine,
11:11all of a sudden,
11:11it's life without Mark.
11:14But just five months
11:16after Mark passed away,
11:18his 26-year-old son,
11:20Sean, started experiencing
11:22some of the same
11:23flu-like symptoms
11:24his dad had felt
11:26in the days before his death.
11:30He's not feeling well,
11:32he's losing weight.
11:34The fact that his father
11:35had died,
11:36Shirley was also weighing on him,
11:39now all of a sudden
11:40he's sick.
11:41On Sunday, September 2nd, 2012,
11:45Diane Stoudy left Sean
11:47at home with Sarah
11:48while she and Rachel
11:50went to church.
11:53He was suffering.
11:55I did not know what to do,
11:57I was frozen in fear.
12:00I was helpless.
12:02Diane, she had returned home
12:04from church
12:05and she went to check on him.
12:08She said she found him
12:09curled up almost
12:10in the fetal position
12:11of the floor of his bedroom.
12:15There was no pulse
12:16or signs of life
12:17and she called 911
12:18at that time.
12:21Emergency services
12:23responded to the Stoudy house
12:25for the second time
12:26in five months,
12:27but there was nothing
12:29they could do for Sean.
12:33When officers got there,
12:35Sean was already
12:36declared deceased.
12:38His mother, Diane,
12:39had informed them
12:40that Sean had been very sick
12:42and had experienced seizures
12:44leading up to his illness.
12:50Because of Sean's young age,
12:52his body was sent
12:53to the medical examiner
12:55for an autopsy.
12:57It was determined
12:59during that autopsy
13:00that there was a lesion
13:01on Sean's brain
13:02and he suffered
13:03from a seizure disorder
13:05and ultimately,
13:06that was noted
13:08as his cause of death.
13:11Sean was cremated quickly
13:13and the community
13:15was left in shock
13:16at the awful tragedy
13:17that had befallen
13:19the Stoudy family.
13:20It must have been
13:22absolutely dreadful
13:23and for the children
13:25living in the house
13:26to have that double bereavement
13:28coming so fast as well.
13:36Nine months later,
13:38in June 2013,
13:40with the family
13:41and the community
13:42still struggling
13:43to come to terms
13:44with Mark and Sean's deaths,
13:4724-year-old Sarah's
13:48previously good health
13:50took a turn
13:51for the worse.
13:53I do remember
13:54puking
13:55and feeling unwell
13:57like I wanted
13:58to sleep a lot
13:59and all of a sudden,
14:01there was this period
14:02I just don't remember
14:03at all.
14:04It was like darkness.
14:08Sarah started
14:09to really go downhill
14:11and this was a girl
14:12who was perfectly healthy
14:14before this.
14:15She probably knew
14:16something is happening
14:18to me.
14:19I think at that point,
14:21people must have been
14:22looking at the family
14:23and thinking,
14:23how can one family
14:24have so much bad luck?
14:29Sarah Stoudy
14:30had become
14:31totally unresponsive
14:33and she was brought
14:34to the hospital
14:35for treatment.
14:36Sarah's doctor,
14:38S.M. Elcardi,
14:39remembers how serious
14:40the 24-year-old's
14:42condition was
14:43when her mother
14:44and sister Rachel
14:45dropped her off
14:46at the hospital.
14:48She was very sick.
14:49She was already
14:50requiring life support
14:52and her kidney
14:53has shut down.
14:54She was very young,
14:56so that was really
14:57very confusing to me.
14:59The following day,
15:01Sarah's condition
15:01showed no signs
15:03of improvement.
15:04She was in a deep coma,
15:06was not responsive.
15:08Her kidney shut down,
15:09her liver shut down.
15:11She was just basically
15:13living on life support.
15:14When you're in
15:16multi-system organ failure,
15:17unfortunately,
15:18the chance of you
15:19making it is
15:20maybe 1%, 2%,
15:22so the odds
15:24were against her
15:25at that time.
15:27Diane Stoudy
15:28returned to the hospital
15:30to visit her daughter.
15:32She did not show
15:34any interest.
15:35She was talking
15:37to the nurse
15:37about going to vacation
15:39and how is this
15:40going to affect
15:41her vacation.
15:42Then later on,
15:43during the day,
15:44she came to the nurse
15:44and saying,
15:45I think she's not
15:46going to make it
15:46and let's just
15:47withdraw her
15:48from life support.
15:49That's when the nurse
15:50came back to me
15:51and told me that.
15:52I said,
15:53I'm not going to give up
15:54on a 24-years-old,
15:56healthy patient.
15:59Legally,
16:00Diane had the power
16:01to withdraw life support,
16:02so what I did
16:03is I avoided
16:05meeting with her
16:06as much as I can
16:08because it would have
16:09been a big ethical dilemma
16:10if she insisted.
16:12We're obligated
16:12to just take
16:13life support off
16:14and let Sarah die.
16:22Dr Elkadi
16:23wasn't the only one
16:25with concerns.
16:27On June 11, 2013,
16:30Springfield police
16:31were alerted
16:32to the deaths
16:33in the Stoudy family.
16:39We received a call
16:41from a subject
16:42that wanted
16:43to remain anonymous.
16:45The individual
16:46essentially said
16:47he was suspicious
16:48of some deaths
16:50and illnesses
16:51in the Stoudy family.
16:55I immediately began
16:57researching
16:58the deaths
16:59of Mark and Sean
17:00to see if I could
17:01locate any similarities
17:02or anything at all
17:03that might seem
17:04suspicious or nefarious.
17:07In reviewing photos
17:08from the incidents,
17:10Mark and Sean
17:11had blood
17:12around their mouth.
17:13There was definitely
17:15suspicion
17:16that just kept
17:17mounting and mounting,
17:18but at the same time
17:20you don't want
17:21to think or believe
17:22that something
17:23so sinister
17:25could be going on.
17:27As the investigation
17:29continued,
17:30it wasn't long
17:31before the anonymous tipster
17:33revealed himself
17:34to the police.
17:35It was none other
17:37than the Stoudy family's
17:38church pastor.
17:41This is a pastor
17:43who knows
17:43his congregation.
17:44He recognizes
17:45this family unit,
17:47something is breaking down.
17:49This is not normal.
17:50You just don't lose
17:51three people
17:52in a short time frame
17:54for no reason.
17:57He detailed
17:58that prior
17:59to the incidents,
18:00there was nothing
18:01alarming,
18:01nothing suspicious.
18:02They were just
18:03another family
18:04that attended church.
18:06When Mark passed,
18:08he was very surprised.
18:09He knew that
18:09Mark had some
18:10health issues,
18:11but nothing
18:12that would be alarming
18:14in terms of
18:15an expected passing.
18:17And when Sean passed,
18:19he was also
18:19extremely surprised
18:20about that.
18:22It's a brave thing
18:24to call police
18:26on just a feeling.
18:29He has no evidence,
18:31but he just has
18:32this inner sense
18:35that something
18:36is awry.
18:39After the deaths
18:41of Mark and Sean,
18:42the pastor told me
18:43that he would meet
18:44and speak with Diane.
18:45Part of his suspicions
18:46was how she reacted
18:48during those meetings.
18:49She didn't seem moved,
18:51didn't seem bothered,
18:51and just seemed
18:54completely calm
18:55and fine
18:56with the deaths
18:57that had occurred.
18:59It was when
19:0024-year-old Sarah
19:02fell ill
19:02that the pastor
19:04decided
19:04he actually
19:05had to act
19:06on his suspicions.
19:09Sarah was a
19:10very healthy individual.
19:12There was nothing
19:12at all
19:13in her life
19:14that would have
19:15made anyone
19:15think that she was sick,
19:17especially at the point
19:18of near death.
19:21I made contact
19:22with the hospital
19:23where Sarah
19:24was being cared for.
19:26They did not know
19:27what was going on
19:28with Sarah,
19:28but they said
19:29it was a very,
19:31very bad situation.
19:33Essentially,
19:33her body,
19:34her organs,
19:35everything had just
19:35shut down,
19:36and all the tests
19:37that they were performing
19:38were coming back negative.
19:40On June the 13th,
19:422013,
19:43Neil went to the hospital
19:44to try and find out
19:46more information.
19:47As a rule of thumb,
19:49when we don't know
19:49what's going on,
19:50in critical care,
19:52we have to always
19:53think about
19:53something introduced
19:54from outside your body.
19:58Through process
19:59of elimination,
20:00he said that
20:01poisoning was about
20:02the only thing
20:03left on the table
20:04that he could think of.
20:06Neil questioned
20:07Dr Elkadi
20:08about Stoudi's
20:09behaviour
20:10in the hospital.
20:12Everybody knew
20:13just how dire
20:14Sarah's condition was,
20:16and it was not
20:16expected that she
20:17was going to survive,
20:18and they detailed
20:20to me that Diane,
20:21she just seemed
20:22unconcerned,
20:23very calm,
20:24and even had talked
20:26with them about
20:27taking a trip
20:28if Sarah was
20:29in the hospital or not.
20:34This is not
20:35how a mother
20:36should act.
20:37Whether this person
20:38is a Christian
20:39or not a Christian,
20:40this is just not
20:41how a mother
20:42acts when one
20:44of her daughters
20:44is critically ill.
20:52With his suspicions
20:53growing stronger
20:54by the day,
20:56Neil knew it was
20:56time to speak
20:57to Diane Stoudi.
20:58But was she
20:59a grieving wife
21:00and mother?
21:01What do you think?
21:02I've been trying
21:03to wrap my brains
21:04trying to figure out
21:05what happened.
21:07Or something
21:08far more sinister.
21:16Within the space
21:17of 14 months,
21:19Diane Stoudi's
21:20husband Mark
21:21and son Sean
21:22had both passed away,
21:24and her eldest daughter
21:25Sarah was in a critical
21:27condition in hospital
21:28and not expected
21:29to survive.
21:31Alerted to Diane Stoudi's
21:33strange behavior
21:34in the wake
21:35of all this tragedy,
21:36Detective Neil
21:37McCamiss
21:38had been investigating
21:39the Stoudi family.
21:40And with his suspicions
21:42of foul play
21:43growing,
21:44he knew he had
21:45to speak
21:45to the 51-year-old.
21:50She was cooperative.
21:52She agreed
21:52to follow me
21:53down to the police
21:54station where I did
21:55a formal interview
21:56with her.
21:59I had no idea
22:00what she was
22:01going to tell me.
22:01I knew I just
22:02had to be very careful
22:03because I did not
22:04know if I was
22:05dealing with
22:06a person that
22:07was involved
22:08in the deaths
22:08or a grieving
22:10mother and widow.
22:12Stoudi's behavior
22:13immediately raised
22:15more red flags.
22:17She just seemed
22:18very unconcerned
22:20about Sarah's
22:21well-being.
22:22She was just
22:22very casual
22:23and laid back
22:24when talking
22:24about what
22:25was going on.
22:28And as far
22:29as you know,
22:29they still don't
22:30know anything
22:31at the hospital?
22:31No.
22:32Other than
22:33whatever happened
22:34really did
22:36a number on her.
22:37What do you think?
22:38I don't know.
22:40I've been trying
22:41to rack my brains
22:43trying to figure out
22:43what happened.
22:46It was very obvious
22:48that she was not
22:49going to bring up
22:50Mark or Sean
22:51without my prodding.
22:53So I asked her
22:54about Mark.
22:57And she told me
22:58about the situation
22:59of Mark's passing.
23:01You know,
23:02they tried CPR
23:03on him
23:04and they told me
23:05that his lungs
23:06were just black
23:08from the smoke.
23:09Mm-hmm.
23:11And he was
23:12pretty overweight
23:13and they just said
23:14it's a heart attack
23:15for sure.
23:19With essentially
23:20each passing moment
23:22with Diane
23:22in the interview room,
23:24my suspicions
23:24just grew
23:25more and more.
23:27And she made
23:28a couple statements
23:30throughout
23:30that I thought
23:31this really is happening.
23:33This is the real deal here.
23:37Do you think
23:37there's going to be
23:38anything suspicious
23:39that we find
23:40in all these tests
23:40that they're going
23:41to be doing?
23:42I have no clue.
23:44I don't even know
23:45what to look for.
23:46If they're looking
23:47for some kind
23:48of a chemical
23:49that she may have taken,
23:50I can't think
23:51of what it would be.
23:55In speaking
23:56with medical professionals,
23:58I knew that
23:59they needed to know
24:00what kind of poison
24:01this situation could be.
24:02So my focus
24:04then became on
24:05how can I get her
24:06to tell me
24:07either directly
24:09or indirectly
24:10what kind of poison
24:11we need to look at.
24:13As the interview progressed,
24:15she began to open up more.
24:17She discussed
24:19the possibility
24:20of Sarah drinking
24:22antifreeze.
24:26We had been arguing
24:27that she got really mad at me.
24:29And I think she went
24:30out in the garage.
24:32And there's antifreeze
24:34out there.
24:37It was at that point
24:38where I was
24:39fairly certain
24:41that this was going
24:42to be an antifreeze
24:43poisoning case.
24:46Neil decided
24:48to push Dowdy
24:49a little bit harder.
24:53I knew
24:54that Diane
24:55was getting closer
24:56and closer
24:56and closer
24:57to a confession.
24:58She had told me
24:59that Sarah
25:01had been
25:01contemplating suicide
25:03and Sarah
25:04had discussed
25:05with her
25:06about taking
25:07antifreeze
25:07to kill herself.
25:10And that was
25:11where I really
25:12went in
25:13on her
25:13and confronted
25:14her.
25:17Diane,
25:18you knew
25:19that they were
25:20drinking antifreeze
25:21because you were
25:22giving it to them.
25:23Yeah.
25:27I didn't know
25:28what else to do.
25:31it was a completely
25:33surreal feeling.
25:34My heart
25:35was pounding,
25:36you know,
25:36my pulse
25:36was through
25:37the roof,
25:38but I knew
25:39I can't let
25:40Diane see
25:41what's going on.
25:42She says it
25:44out loud,
25:44which is really
25:45what was her
25:47nail in the coffin.
25:48I mean,
25:48had she not
25:49said this out loud,
25:50I think there
25:51would have always
25:51been this question
25:52as to,
25:53we think something
25:54has gone awry here,
25:56but we don't actually
25:57have the evidence
25:57that we need.
25:59Stoudy started
26:00to explain
26:01her reasons
26:02for poisoning
26:03her family.
26:04Diane described
26:05that she
26:06essentially was
26:07at wit's end.
26:08She told me
26:09she'd gotten
26:09to the point
26:10in her relationship
26:12with Mark
26:13that she hated him.
26:14Why didn't you
26:15call an ambulance
26:16or bring him
26:16to the hospital
26:17at that point?
26:18Because by then,
26:19I hated his curse.
26:23She described
26:25Sean as a burden
26:27and she just
26:28was tired
26:29of dealing
26:29with him.
26:30And then,
26:31when discussing
26:31why she poisoned
26:33Sarah,
26:33she said that,
26:34you know,
26:34Sarah had graduated
26:35college and she
26:36wasn't getting a job,
26:38she wasn't out
26:38looking for work
26:39and she was
26:40frustrated by that.
26:44This girl
26:45was going places
26:46and Diane
26:47couldn't see it.
26:48all Diane
26:50could see
26:51was the money.
26:54They would do
26:55whatever they
26:56wanted to do
26:57and never helped
27:00support
27:01or even
27:02contribute.
27:04To hear a mother
27:06talk like that
27:07was beyond shocking.
27:14Stoudy started
27:15talking about
27:16her weapon
27:17of choice
27:18antifreeze.
27:21Why did you decide
27:22that you were
27:23going to use
27:23antifreeze
27:24to do it?
27:24Why not
27:25some other means?
27:26Because I read
27:26online it was
27:27pretty easy to do.
27:30She was just
27:31very matter-of-fact.
27:32She said she would
27:33put it in their drinks.
27:34She even told me
27:36that at one point
27:37Mark wasn't getting
27:38sick enough,
27:39fast enough,
27:39so she started
27:40to up the dose
27:41for them
27:41and even did
27:42further research
27:43about how much
27:44should she give them
27:45to make them pass.
27:50And you said
27:51you expected
27:51the antifreeze
27:52would be quick
27:53and it would
27:53kill them right away.
27:54Were you surprised
27:55when it took a while?
27:58Is that why
27:58you continued
27:59to give them
28:00more?
28:01Because I didn't
28:02know what else
28:02to do.
28:04It was not a quick
28:06and immediate
28:06passing by any stretch
28:08and knowing that
28:09she was doing
28:09nothing to
28:10give them help.
28:12It was tortuous
28:13what each one
28:14of them went
28:15through.
28:19It's a slow
28:20and painful death
28:22and I almost
28:23think it actually
28:24helped justify
28:25in her mind
28:27the whole process.
28:28Like, oh,
28:29look how sick
28:30he's getting.
28:31He's never going
28:32to be able to recover.
28:33It's like she almost
28:33was talking herself
28:34into the ultimate outcome.
28:40Neil pushed Dowdy
28:42for a motive
28:43for the murders.
28:45She tried
28:45to portray
28:46herself
28:47as a victim.
28:49She had mentioned
28:49to me
28:50about possible
28:52domestic violence
28:53between her
28:54and Mark.
28:55There was never
28:56any evidence
28:57of that located.
28:58I think
28:59that was just
29:00a way of Diane
29:01trying to get
29:01sympathy
29:02and somehow
29:03as crazy
29:03as it sounds
29:04to justify
29:05what she did.
29:08She's basically
29:09playing God.
29:11People are not
29:12supposed to do that.
29:17That's murder.
29:23I wanted to know
29:24if it was more
29:25to that.
29:27Was there
29:27financial motivation?
29:29Diane admitted
29:30to me
29:30that she did
29:31have life insurance
29:32policies
29:33on all
29:34of the family members.
29:36But she was
29:37very adamant
29:38that money
29:38had nothing
29:39to do with it.
29:40I don't know
29:41if that was
29:42the primary reason
29:43in Diane
29:44doing what she did
29:45but with the passing
29:46of each one
29:46she ended up
29:48moving into
29:48a new home.
29:49She got a new car
29:50and then
29:51there was discussion
29:52about her taking
29:53a big vacation
29:54after Sarah died.
30:00I don't know
30:01how there's
30:02any price
30:03on one
30:04of your own
30:05children's
30:06lives.
30:07In what world?
30:09With Sarah
30:11still in a
30:11critical condition
30:12Neil immediately
30:14contacted her
30:15doctors
30:15with the news
30:16that Staudi
30:17had confessed
30:18to poisoning
30:18her own daughter
30:19with antifreeze.
30:21The antifreeze
30:22is ethylene
30:23like coal
30:24and that goes
30:24inside your body
30:25and change
30:26into an acid.
30:28Can you imagine
30:28having acid
30:29in your body
30:30that basically
30:30will just eat
30:31your organs
30:32alive?
30:33Our organs
30:34have to have
30:35a certain pH
30:36when that pH
30:37goes down
30:38the cells
30:38will die.
30:40So we're
30:41treating the
30:42acidosis
30:42to make it
30:43neutral
30:43which helped
30:44a lot.
30:47Back in the
30:48interview room
30:49Neil was
30:50starting to
30:50get the
30:51feeling that
30:51Staudi's
30:52middle daughter
30:5322-year-old
30:54Rachel
30:55may also
30:56be involved.
30:59Their
31:00relationship
31:00had a
31:01total
31:01different
31:02dynamic
31:02than
31:03Diane
31:04and the
31:04rest of
31:04the family.
31:05I confronted
31:06Diane about
31:07that
31:07and she
31:08was very
31:09very adamant
31:09that Rachel
31:10had absolutely
31:11nothing to do
31:11with it.
31:12What did
31:13Rachel say
31:14about all
31:14this?
31:14She really
31:15hasn't said
31:16that much.
31:18What's her
31:19involvement?
31:20She doesn't
31:22know a thing.
31:24On June
31:25the 20th
31:262013
31:26Diane Staudi
31:28was arrested
31:29but officers
31:30searching the
31:31family home
31:32were about
31:32to blow
31:33her story
31:34about Rachel
31:35wide open.
31:37I was
31:38contacted
31:38by crime
31:39scene
31:40processors
31:41and they
31:41told me
31:42that they
31:42wanted to
31:43show me
31:43a journal
31:44that was
31:44found
31:45in
31:45Diane's
31:46room.
31:47The journal
31:48was actually
31:49Rachel's
31:50journal
31:50where she
31:52had written
31:52that she
31:54knew that
31:55both her
31:56father and
31:56Sean
31:57were going
31:58to die.
31:59The journal
32:00really took
32:01another huge
32:03twist in the
32:04case
32:04and so I
32:06knew I
32:06had to get
32:06Rachel in the
32:07interview room
32:08as quickly
32:09as quickly as
32:09possible.
32:14The following
32:15day
32:15Rachel Staudi
32:17agreed to
32:17come down
32:18to the
32:18police station
32:19to be
32:20interviewed.
32:20Get some
32:21water.
32:21You okay?
32:22Do you need
32:22anything else?
32:24She started
32:25to describe her
32:26disbelief at
32:27what had
32:28happened
32:29and how
32:29upset she
32:30was.
32:32Once you
32:32found out
32:33yesterday about
32:34what your
32:35mom did,
32:35what do you
32:36think about
32:36that?
32:38Confusion,
32:39shock.
32:40Nobody expects
32:41to have
32:42somebody that
32:43they know
32:43do that.
32:47A bit scared
32:48of who would
32:48be next.
32:52Rachel was
32:53highly intelligent
32:54but she
32:55really was
32:55not good
32:56at acting.
32:56It was
32:57very obvious
32:58that she
32:58was not
32:59nearly as
33:00upset as
33:00what she
33:01was trying
33:01to portray
33:02herself.
33:03Did you
33:03ever have
33:04any suspicions
33:04about anything
33:05when your
33:06dad and
33:06brother and
33:07sister got
33:07sick?
33:08It makes
33:09sense now
33:10but God
33:10didn't even
33:11think about
33:12that.
33:14I was
33:15of the
33:15firm belief
33:16that she
33:16was involved.
33:19How did
33:20Sarah's
33:21illness come
33:21about?
33:22It was
33:23very,
33:24very sudden.
33:25And what
33:25were you
33:25thinking at
33:26that point?
33:29Oh God,
33:30another one.
33:33Okay.
33:37When Neil
33:38told Rachel
33:39that he'd
33:39read her
33:40diaries,
33:40it didn't
33:41take long
33:41for her
33:42to start
33:43talking.
33:45Do you
33:47recognize
33:48this?
33:51Yeah,
33:51I remember
33:52this.
33:52Okay.
33:52what is
33:53that?
33:54A little
33:55journal thing.
33:56A journal
33:56thing?
33:56Whose
33:57journal?
33:57Mine.
34:00Initially,
34:01Rachel tried
34:02to minimize
34:02her involvement.
34:04I didn't
34:05know when
34:05she bought
34:06the antifreeze,
34:07but I knew
34:07she'd been
34:08doctoring drinks.
34:12I continued
34:13to prod
34:14at her
34:14and confront
34:15her with
34:15additional
34:16details,
34:17and it
34:17was then
34:18that Rachel
34:19admitted to
34:20being an
34:20active and
34:21willing
34:22participant
34:22in the
34:23entire
34:23scheme.
34:28She planned
34:29this with
34:30Diane and
34:30that she
34:31was also
34:32serving drinks
34:33to the
34:33victims right
34:34alongside
34:35Diane.
34:36How often
34:37did you
34:37do that?
34:38Once.
34:40Only once?
34:42How many times
34:43did you do it,
34:44Rachel?
34:44Three or
34:46four times.
34:48It was a
34:49trade-off.
34:50She would
34:50do it,
34:51then I
34:51would.
34:54Detective
34:55Neil
34:55McAvis had
34:56uncovered a
34:57murder plot
34:58so bizarre
34:58it almost
34:59didn't seem
35:00real.
35:01A mother
35:02and daughter
35:02working together
35:03to systematically
35:04eliminate their
35:06family members
35:07one after
35:08another.
35:08But with
35:09their scheme
35:10now exposed
35:11and all
35:11trusts seemingly
35:12gone,
35:13would their
35:13special bond
35:14withstand or
35:16would one
35:16of them
35:16turn on
35:18the other?
35:27In June
35:282013,
35:2951-year-old
35:31Diane Stoudy
35:32had confessed
35:32to killing
35:33her husband
35:33and son
35:34and attempting
35:35to kill
35:35her eldest
35:36daughter by
35:37poisoning
35:38their drinks
35:38with antifreeze.
35:40In a shocking
35:41turn of events,
35:42another of
35:43Stoudy's
35:43daughters,
35:44Rachel,
35:44had admitted
35:45to helping
35:46her mother
35:46with the
35:47murderous plot.
35:54When did
35:54you guys come
35:55up with this
35:55plan?
35:56I'd had a lot
35:57of really bad
35:58dreams about
35:59them dying.
36:00I talked to
36:00mom about it
36:02and she
36:03mentioned
36:05she was
36:05thinking of
36:07hurting them.
36:10over several
36:11months they
36:12researched and
36:13talked and
36:14discussed and
36:15planned on how
36:16to carry out
36:17their ideas.
36:21Basically went
36:22through different
36:23options.
36:24I was trying to
36:25find things that
36:26wouldn't be traceable
36:27or at least would
36:28be hard to trace
36:29if you didn't know
36:30what you were
36:31looking for.
36:32why was
36:33antifreeze
36:34decided?
36:34Because in
36:35general you
36:35could put it
36:36in something
36:36and couldn't
36:37taste it.
36:39She was
36:39detailing how
36:40the ultimate
36:41goal for her
36:42and Diane
36:42was to just
36:43ride off
36:44together.
36:45Rachel was
36:46without a doubt
36:47a willing
36:48participant in
36:49this and
36:51was just as
36:52evil as
36:53what Diane
36:54was.
36:54on June
36:5621st 2013
36:58just a day
36:59after her
37:00mother Rachel
37:01Stoudy was
37:02also placed
37:02under arrest
37:03and taken
37:04into custody.
37:06After I
37:07arrested Rachel
37:08her belongings
37:09were searched
37:10and she had a
37:11purse with her
37:11and inside that
37:12purse was
37:13another one
37:15of her
37:15journals.
37:18She had
37:19written a
37:20poem and
37:20it said
37:21once upon a
37:22time there
37:22were six
37:23now there
37:24are only
37:25three only
37:26the quiet
37:27ones will
37:27be left
37:28my mom
37:29my little
37:29sister and
37:30me.
37:33With
37:33Rachel
37:34Stoudy's
37:35confession
37:35fresh in
37:36his mind
37:37Neil went
37:37back to
37:38talk with
37:38her mother
37:39behind bars.
37:42When I
37:43told Diane
37:44that Rachel
37:44had confessed
37:45and was
37:46arrested that
37:47was when
37:47Diane finally
37:48started to
37:49tell me bits
37:49and pieces
37:50about Rachel's
37:51involvement
37:51and how
37:52they did
37:53conspire
37:53together
37:54to commit
37:55the murders.
37:56There was
37:56one detail
37:57that was
37:58bothering
37:59Neil.
38:00I asked
38:01Diane why
38:01did you let
38:02the others
38:02die in
38:03the house
38:03but you
38:03took Sarah
38:04to the
38:04hospital
38:04and she
38:06just matter
38:06of factly
38:07told me
38:07that I
38:08didn't want
38:08to have
38:08another
38:09person that
38:10died in
38:10the house
38:10that it
38:11was you
38:11know kind
38:12of a
38:12weird vibe.
38:13Diane
38:14and Rachel
38:14carried
38:15Sarah to
38:16the car
38:16and drove
38:18Sarah there
38:19to the
38:19hospital
38:19and dropped
38:20her off
38:21believing
38:22that she
38:22was going
38:22to die
38:23at the
38:23hospital.
38:24But the
38:25Stoudis
38:26underestimated
38:27what a
38:27fighter
38:28Sarah was
38:29and against
38:30all the odds
38:31the 24-year-old's
38:32condition
38:33started to
38:34improve.
38:35She was in a
38:35coma for
38:36three days
38:36and then
38:37day four
38:38we start
38:39waking her
38:39up
38:40stopping
38:40the
38:40sedation
38:41and I
38:43was so
38:43excited to
38:44see her
38:44opening her
38:45eyes
38:45and looking
38:46at us
38:46that was
38:47the best
38:47moment.
38:49To remember
38:50I couldn't
38:51move
38:52I felt
38:52like I
38:53was paralyzed
38:53and I
38:54thought that
38:55I went
38:55to heaven
38:56but then
38:57I realized
38:57angels
38:58don't wear
38:58scrubs.
39:02She was
39:03extremely weak
39:03and there
39:04was some
39:04damage to
39:05the brain
39:05and the
39:06brain cells
39:06when they
39:06are damaged
39:07they don't
39:08recover
39:08completely
39:09and I
39:10figured that
39:10this is
39:11going to be
39:11a very
39:12long
39:12journey.
39:13I
39:14seriously
39:15admire the
39:16nurses in
39:16that room
39:17the doctor
39:17in that
39:18room
39:18the pastor
39:19who was
39:19willing to
39:20call police
39:21and say
39:21something isn't
39:22right
39:22because Sarah
39:24would be
39:24dead.
39:25There's no
39:26question about
39:26it.
39:27She would
39:27not have
39:27survived
39:28to tell
39:28about it.
39:29Despite
39:30the Stoudy's
39:31confessions
39:32Neil knew
39:32he still
39:33had to
39:33find more
39:34evidence
39:34of their
39:35crimes.
39:36He hoped
39:37Sarah's
39:37medical
39:38tests
39:38for
39:38antifreeze
39:39would
39:40yield
39:40some
39:40results.
39:42The results
39:43came back
39:43negative.
39:44When we
39:45send the
39:45blood for
39:45antifreeze
39:46it was
39:47already
39:47metabolized
39:48and not
39:49in her
39:49blood
39:49anymore.
39:50It was
39:50undetected.
39:51But there
39:52was still
39:52one more
39:53avenue
39:54Neil could
39:54explore.
39:56During
39:56Sean's
39:57autopsy
39:57samples
39:58were taken
39:59from his
39:59brain and
40:00those samples
40:01had been
40:02retained by
40:03the medical
40:04examiner.
40:05It was
40:06discovered that
40:07Sean did
40:08in fact have
40:09antifreeze
40:10crystals on
40:10his brain.
40:11It was
40:12obviously huge.
40:13It was hard
40:14evidence for
40:15us.
40:16The news
40:16of Diane
40:17and Rachel
40:18Stoudy's
40:19arrests
40:19shook the
40:20community of
40:21Springfield,
40:21Missouri to
40:22its core.
40:24At the time
40:24I was with
40:25KYTV News,
40:27this was just
40:28the craziest
40:28story to be
40:30a reporter
40:30on because
40:32it kept
40:32getting more
40:33and more
40:34unbelievable
40:34by the day
40:36and this
40:38community was
40:39not prepared
40:40cared for
40:40that level
40:42of evil
40:43in a
40:44murder.
40:46Despite
40:47her initial
40:48prognosis,
40:49Sarah's
40:50recovery
40:50continued at
40:51the hospital.
40:54Weeks later
40:55I was piecing
40:56things together
40:56of what
40:57happened and
40:59I found out
40:59I was
41:00poisoned.
41:04It was so
41:06awful.
41:12On June
41:1324th,
41:142013,
41:15both Diane
41:16and Rachel
41:17Stoudy were
41:18arraigned at
41:19the Greene
41:20County Circuit
41:20Court in
41:21Springfield,
41:22Missouri.
41:23They were
41:24charged with
41:25two counts
41:26of first-degree
41:26murder,
41:27one count
41:28of first-degree
41:29assault,
41:30and armed
41:31criminal action.
41:32I mean,
41:33the prosecutor
41:33in the case
41:34talked about
41:34the level
41:35of premeditation
41:36and I think
41:37that you see
41:37that level
41:38of premeditation
41:39long before
41:40they were even
41:41doing internet
41:42searches on
41:43antifreeze.
41:44I think the
41:45premeditation
41:46started with
41:46planting in
41:47Rachel's head
41:48that the rest
41:49of the family
41:50members were
41:50just burdens.
41:52These people
41:53aren't contributing
41:54anything.
41:55These people
41:55are just
41:56dragging us
41:57down.
41:58Our life
41:58would be
41:59better off
41:59without them.
42:02On May 5th,
42:042015,
42:05Rachel Stoudy
42:06pled guilty
42:07to second-degree
42:08murder,
42:09first-degree
42:09assault,
42:10and armed
42:11criminal action.
42:12In return
42:13for the lesser
42:14charge of
42:15second-degree
42:15murder,
42:16Rachel agreed
42:17to testify
42:18against her
42:19mother.
42:23The deal
42:24that she was
42:24offered based
42:25on that would
42:26give Rachel
42:27the chance
42:28after many
42:28decades of
42:29being eligible
42:31for parole.
42:32Perhaps
42:33she's realizing
42:33this woman
42:34has not
42:35protected me.
42:36Why should
42:36I protect
42:37her?
42:39She was
42:39essentially
42:39given a
42:40life sentence,
42:41but she will
42:41be eligible
42:43for parole
42:43when she
42:44turns 65.
42:46The following
42:47year,
42:48on January
42:4921st,
42:502016,
42:51it was Diane
42:52Stoudy's turn
42:53in court.
42:54Diane's case
42:55was a death
42:56penalty case.
42:57It was going
42:58to go to trial
42:59until Diane
43:00decided to
43:01take a plea
43:02deal that
43:02would take
43:03the death
43:03penalty off
43:03the table
43:04and she
43:05agreed to
43:06plead guilty
43:07and face
43:08life in prison
43:09without parole.
43:11So she
43:11takes the
43:12Ulford plea,
43:13which is to
43:14say,
43:14I recognize
43:16that there's
43:16enough evidence
43:17to say that
43:18I did this
43:19thing,
43:19but yet I'm
43:21not going to
43:21admit it,
43:22I'm not going
43:23to take
43:23responsibility
43:23for it,
43:25I'm not
43:25going to
43:25apologize
43:26for it,
43:27I'm just
43:28going to
43:28concede
43:29that you
43:30have enough
43:30to charge
43:31me.
43:32Diane's
43:33guilty plea
43:33meant that
43:34Rachel was
43:35no longer
43:36required to
43:37testify against
43:38her mother
43:38in court.
43:39I don't think
43:41Diane suffered
43:42a day's guilt,
43:44shame,
43:45or remorse
43:46for what she
43:47did.
43:48It's always
43:48been about
43:50her and it
43:51will still
43:52be all about
43:53her.
43:54Judge Holden
43:56did not hold
43:56any punches
43:57when he was
43:58saying this
43:58was cold,
43:59this was
43:59calculated,
44:01this was
44:01betrayal at
44:02the deepest
44:02level.
44:03This is a
44:04mother,
44:05a mother
44:06betraying her
44:07children like
44:08this.
44:11Against
44:12all the odds,
44:14Sarah Stoudy
44:15survived the
44:15attempt on
44:16her life and
44:17in a move
44:18that surprised
44:19everyone,
44:20chose to
44:21forgive her
44:21mother and
44:22sister.
44:23I forgive
44:24them.
44:25I just
44:26don't want
44:27them in my
44:28life right
44:28now.
44:30Sarah's
44:30condition,
44:31what she
44:31sustained from
44:32the poisoning
44:33and the
44:34brain damage,
44:35she will
44:35unfortunately
44:36have to
44:36live in an
44:38assisted living
44:39facility for
44:40the rest of
44:40her life.
44:41I miss
44:42being independent.
44:43I wish I
44:44could get my
44:44independence
44:45back.
44:47Sarah is
44:48serving her
44:49own life
44:49sentence.
44:50She's no
44:51longer able
44:51to pursue
44:52all of the
44:53hopes and
44:54dreams that
44:55she had in
44:55front of her
44:56because of
44:56the damage
44:57that this
44:58poison did
44:59to her
44:59brain.
45:01I hope
45:02she's happy.
45:02I think
45:03life is life.
45:04I am glad
45:04that her life
45:05was saved.
45:07I was
45:08angry at first,
45:09but now I'm at
45:10peace.
45:11I'm not going to
45:12let them stop me
45:13from following
45:14my dreams.
45:15I am a
45:16strong person.
45:19I'm glad to
45:20be alive.
45:25Diane and
45:26Rachel Stoudy
45:27murdered two of
45:28their family
45:29members in the
45:29space of just
45:30five months,
45:31and had it not
45:32been for the
45:33brave intervention
45:34of doctors and
45:35the family's own
45:36church pastor,
45:37Sarah Stoudy,
45:39would also
45:39surely have
45:40died.
45:41This mother and
45:42daughter murder
45:43team's crimes
45:44will go down
45:45in history,
45:45and seals Diane
45:47and Rachel
45:47Stoudy's place
45:48as two of the
45:50world's most
45:50evil killers.
46:17of the
46:17world's most
46:17we love
46:17to
46:17live
46:17the
46:17world's most
46:18ever
46:18of the
46:23world's most
46:23ever
46:23ever
46:23in history.
46:23You
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