Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Mommy’s Little Helper’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Mother, May I Murder?,’ the primary focus is on the Staudte family and how the tragic and sudden deaths of Mark and Shaun Staudte shook the entire community to its core. When the detectives dug deeper into the seemingly natural deaths, they uncovered some sinister family secrets that led them to the perpetrator/s responsible for the murders. The documentary also features insightful and emotional interviews with the victims’ loved ones and the officials directly or indirectly linked to the investigation.
Mark Staudte’s Life Revolved Around His Wife, Kids, and Music
The beloved son of Henry and Dorothy (Yarbrough) Staudte, Mark Alan Staudte was born on April 7, 1951, in Saint Louis, City of St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in a nurturing household under the care of his loving parents as well as the supportive company of his siblings — Pat O’Neill, Gerald Staudte, Michael Staudte, and Janice Reese. Mark had an innate talent for music and loved to express himself by filling their home with his favorite tunes. While he was a student at St. John’s College in Winfield, Kansas, his path crossed with Diane Elaine, and the two eventually became a couple. When he was in his mid-30s, Mark and Diane tied the knot on December 28, 1985, in the presence of their loved ones.
Over the years, Mark and Diane expanded their family by becoming parents to four children — Shaun, Sarah, Rachel, and Brianna Staudte. By the time the early 2010s rolled around, the pair had built a decent life for their family in Springfield, in southwestern Missouri. The two were dedicated to giving all their kids all their love as well as the means to lead a fulfilling life, especially since two of them required special care. According to reports, Shaun was on the autism spectrum with a seizure disorder, and their youngest, Brianna, was diagnosed with learning disabilities. Additionally, their eldest daughter, Sarah, was still living with them, despite having graduated from university, as she had student loan debt.
On the professional front, Mark had transformed his passion for music into a career. He was part of a local band called Messing With Destiny, serving as both the lead singer and guitarist. Although his musical endeavors with the blues band didn’t provide enough to meet the family’s needs, he tried his best to take on extended side gigs as a source of additional income. Diane shared his passion for music and thoroughly enjoyed operating as a church organist. Primarily, she was a trained nurse and reportedly shouldered the majority of the family’s financial responsibilities.
Mark and Shaun Died Under Mysterious Circumstances in the Gap of Five Months
With each other’s support, the pair were navigating life’s challenges until tragedy struck the household on April 8, 2012, when Diane called 911 and informed the officers of her husband’s demise. The cause of Mark’s death was officially determined to be natural causes. Unfortunately, the Staudtes had to endure a devastating loss again in just five months after Mark’s passing when Shaun passed away after demonstrating symptoms similar to the flu. Per his autopsy reports, traces of blood were observed around his mouth. However, his cause of death was classified to have stemmed from his underlying medical condition, reportedly a seizure disorder.
Several months later, on June 9, 2013, Sarah was rushed to the hospital, where she was admitted to the ICU after enduring a brain bleed and organ failure. That’s when the doctors suspected that poisoning was involved. After further testing the recovered samples from Shaun and Mark’s autopsies, it was determined that ethylene glycol, one of the raw components of antifreeze, was present in their systems. Since the cause of their deaths was now antifreeze poisoning, the authorities launched a homicide investigation. Fortunately, Sarah managed to recover from the illness but sustained physical and neurological damage.
The Killers Added Antifreeze to Mark and Shaun Staudte’s Favorite Drinks
When Sarah Staudte was also taken to the hospital in a critical condition, the police began investigating the deaths of Mark and Shaun Staudte. They found out that Diane and Rachel were continuing to reside in the same residence where their family members had died and fallen severely ill. Upon learning that Diane had made plans for a vacation in Florida despite the deaths in the family, the authorities brought her in for questioning on June 20, 2013. Showcasing no signs of remorse or grief, the suspect admitted to poisoning her husband and her children with antifreeze by adding it to their favorite beverages.
Talking about her late husband, Mark, Diane told the detectives, “I hated his guts– I guess I’d just had enough.” As per her accounts, Mark allegedly used to throw objects when angry. When asked about her reasons for poisoning Shaun, she said, “Shaun would be interfering with whatever I would do. He was more than a bother… more than a pest.” She was arrested right after the interview for the murders of Mark and Shaun and the attempted murder of Sarah. The following day, Rachel was interviewed by the investigators. Although she denied having anything to do with the poisoning of her family members, her journal proved that she was not only aware of her mother’s deadly plot but also helped her plan the killings.
Thus, when she was confronted with her journal, Rachel also admitted to helping her mother. She was also arrested and charged with the two murders. According to reports, Diane and Rachel had purchased antifreeze online that lacked the bittering agent, so it would not alter the taste of the beverages when added. The police also found a note inside Rachel’s purse that read, “Only the quiet ones will be left, my mother, my little sister and me.” However, the mother and daughter duo also confessed that they planned to poison the youngest daughter in the end.
Diane and Rachel Staudte Are Currently Incarcerated at Separate Missouri Prison Facilities
In May 2015, Rachel Staudte took a guilty plea. In exchange for giving testimony against her mother during her trial, she pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault and avoided trial. In the same year, Diane stood trial for killing her husband, Mark Staudte, and her son, Shaun Staudte. As per the plea deal, Rachel testified against her. In January 2016, Diane eventually took an Alford plea, acknowledging that there was enough evidence to get her convicted for two counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault. Thus, she was sentenced to three life terms in prison without the possibility of parole.
On the other hand, in March 2016, Rachel received two life sentences for the two killings, with the possibility of parole after serving 42 and a half years in prison. A few years later, Diane began recanting her confession and claimed that she was innocent. As of today, Diane Elaine Staudte is serving her sentence at Chillicothe Correctional Center in Chillicothe, Missouri, while her daughter, Rachel Staudte, is incarcerated at Women’s Eastern Reception Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Vandalia, Missouri.
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