When Mark and Shaun Staudte died in 2012, police and their loved ones believed it was of natural causes. However, a shocking piece of information from an unlikely source led authorities to believe something was afoot. ABC’s ’20/20: Home Sweet Murder’ chronicles the deaths and shows how an investigation ultimately led to the arrest of Mark’s wife, Diane Staudte. Let’s explore how the police identified the attacker and find out where Diane is now, shall we?
Who is Diane Staudte?
Diane and Mark were high school sweethearts who married and settled in the town of Springfield, Missouri. Diane mainly worked as a nurse, but also played the organ at Redeemer Lutheran Church, while Mark was the lead singer of a local band. Naturally, Mark’s career did not guarantee him a fixed income, and soon Diane found the entire weight of the household on her shoulders. Over time, the couple had four children, Brianna, Shaun, Sarah and Rachel. While Rachel was seen as the star child who was good at everything, the show mentioned that Briana had a learning disability and Shaun lived with autism. On the other hand, their sister Sarah was a college graduate but did not have a job at that time.
Things changed drastically in the Staudte household when Mark passed away suddenly in April. His death was ruled natural, and Diane used her insurance money to move herself and her children to a better home. However, much to everyone’s surprise, the family faced another death when 26-year-old Shaun died suddenly in September 2012. According to reports, Shaun had been suffering from body aches, nausea and diarrhea for at least less than three weeks before. his death, and therefore, it was classified as a death due to natural causes. For months, life went on and investigators gave no thought to the deaths of Mark and Shaun. However, things changed completely when authorities received an anonymous tip in early 2013 claiming there were more deaths than seen. The tipster even claimed that Sarah was not well and seemed to hint at a possible homicide.
Police immediately contacted the doctor treating Sarah and learned that they suspected she was the victim of slow poisoning. So, with a clear indication of a possible double murder, authorities decided to have a conversation with Diane Staudte. Initially, Diane seemed entirely oblivious to the matter and insisted she knew nothing of the poisoning. However, as the police continued to question her, she began to contradict herself and, according to the show, claimed that her husband and son were drinking antifreeze because they wanted to kill themselves. Still, the cops weren’t happy, and it wasn’t until they pushed her further that Diane confessed to putting antifreeze in her husband and son’s drinks.
With Diane under arrest, the police executed a search warrant at her home and found Rachel’s diary. Inside, they discovered that she had written the dates of her father’s and brother’s murder. It was clear she was in the plan, and so, investigators brought her in for questioning. Once at the station, Rachel also underwent a tough interrogation and confessed to helping her mother commit the crimes. She even mentioned that although they researched various methods, including poisonous plants, they chose antifreeze because it was tasteless and undetectable. So, with a full confession on their hands, the police arrested the two and charged them with murder.
Where is Diane Staudte now?
When shown in court, Diane and Rachel pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder. As a result, in 2016, Diane was sentenced to life in prison without parole, while Rachel was sentenced to 42½ years to life. So, with no parole on the cards, Diane Staudte is now convicted of a single count of second degree murder, first degree murder and first degree assault and is incarcerated at Chillicothe Correctional Center in Chillicothe, Mo.
Read more: Where is Rachel Staudte now?
