A horrifying scheme unfolds as a family starts dying one-by-one | Forensic Files

[Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any
time you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
and for a more detailed list of content warnings please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our
[Music] website 26-year-old Shan Stout's Facebook page was an extension of himself he once shared a post on the
social media website that read I don't know how I would live if I was not on Facebook multiple times a day sha would
post whatever random thoughts popped into his head from asking if platypuses could be kept as pets to musing about
celebrities he quoted his favorite television shows and summarized recently viewed episodes of Malcolm in the
Middle he was also notably introspective writing starting next week I'm going to
act totally normal Shawn had been diagnosed with autism a developmental disorder that
impaired his ability AB ility to communicate and interact he'd also suffered from seizures since birth which
prevented him from Living independently attempts to house sha in an assisted living facility hadn't
panned out and he was unable to work due to being easily overwhelmed as a young adult sha still
lived at home with his parents and three younger sisters in the City of Springfield
Missouri Sha's autism made it difficult for him to understand social cues and other people's
behavior although those who knew Shan thought he was nice and friendly he could come across as impolite or
insensitive to neurotypical strangers he was aware of how his condition impacted others lamenting on
his Facebook page I'm not a bad person I have social problems all I want is to live a normal
life every self often sha posted about his home life anything from how his family's cars were getting their tires
pressure checked to venting about his dirty bedroom carpet then in early April 2012 Sha's
Facebook posts took on a new Focus he began sharing how his father Mark stouty had started acting
strangely as Sha only had several online followers and they rarely engaged with his content these posts Drew little
attention despite this sha continued to provide daily reports about his father's
increasingly odd behavior according to Shawn Mark stouty was suffering mental problems that were
also weakening his body quote my father is slowly starting to have problems with
the driving and accomplishing anything when he drove a car the car swerved a little bit I had to help him keep the
car Direction straight and properly turning in another post he claimed his father was so insane that sha didn't
want to be friends with him anymore on Saturday April 7 sha posted my father is slowly getting
sicker his voice is slurred his walking is wobbly his body is more tired than normal he is sleeping in bed longer than
us he may collapse under his weight at any time the next day sha wrote that his father had spent half the day in bed and
was struggling with basic physical tasks then on Monday April 9 sha announced my father died he lived a full
life the cause of death is a stroke his funeral is this week his belongings now belong to my sisters
[Music] [Music] sha stouty wasn't the only one who had noticed Mark's declining health two days
before Mark's death he'd attended a recording session with his band a blues outfit called messing with
Destiny as the band's lead singer and guitarist Mark had to project excitement and enthusiasm in order to put on a
great show this came naturally to mark because music was his life's passion it had even drawn him to his wife Diane who
was a church organist and the couple endeavored to pass their love of music down to their
children messing with the Destiny was gradually gaining success booking semi-regular gigs in neighboring cities
and making a small amount of money so during their evening recording session on Friday April 6 Mark's
bandmates were dismayed to see him uncharacteristically distracted confused and slurring his
words they didn't think Mark was drunk but wondered if his poor po diet lack of exercise or other unhealthy vices might
have caught up with him Mark also had a bipolar disorder a mental condition hallmarked by drastic
mood swings and manic episodes perhaps he was just going through a rough period mark stayed hydrated and went on
several walks outside hoping to shake whatever ailed him despite losing his appetite becoming
in inre inly lethargic and even vomiting Mark didn't go to the doctor nor did his
family push him to seek medical treatment it seemed like he just had a bad case of the flu nothing that he
wouldn't overcome in time Saturday April 7 was Mark's 61st birthday and he went to a friend's house
to celebrate his friend was troubled by Mark's yellow complexion Diane stouty checked on her
husband throughout the night but he was too fatigued to say much at all by Sunday April 88 Mark was so sick
that he couldn't go to church his absence was surprising as the staties were devout Christians and
prominent members of their Church community the rest of the family went without Mark who stayed behind to
rest sometime after they returned home they found Mark in bed unconscious and unresponsive Diane called emergency
services but there was nothing they could do Mark was [Music] dead a ring of blood had dried around
Mark's mouth other than that he looked normal and had no signs of injury Diane stouty was able to detail
her husband's Final hours which cmin ated in him suffering three seizures on Sunday he had never had a seizure
before the last one occurred 45 minutes before Diane found Mark not breathing she said she'd wanted to call
911 sooner but Mark had insisted that he didn't want to go to hospital Diane explained that Mark had
diabetes and was developing Alzheimer's which was gradually destroying his mental functions
this was in addition to liver problems he' acquired from drinking alcohol in excess Mark was also a longtime
cigarette smoker and would sometimes smoke cannabis upon observing Mark's Body and
taking his lifestyle and health into account the County Medical Examiner concluded that the 61-year-old must have
died of natural causes they didn't think it was necessary to perform any tests or an
autopsy Diane stouty announced Mark's untimely passing on her Facebook page telling the couple's devastated friends
that her husband of 27 years had reached his eternal home she quoted from the Gospel of
John let not your hearts be troubled believe in God believe also in me Mark was crated and his ashes
scattered at a lake the remaining members of messing with the destiny performed a musical
tribute for Mark at his memorial service and played his favorite song of theirs titled Darkest
Hour Mark's daughter Rachel paid tribute to her father with a poem by influential
German writer Johan Wolfgang vonger over the hilltops is calm in all the Treetops you feel hardly a breath of
a the little birds fall silent in the woods just wait soon you'll also be at rest Mark's death was a huge blow to his
family's Dynamic by all accounts the staties were happy and full of love support and
understanding Mark was a devoted stay-at-home dad as all of the stouty children were reliant on on their
parents in their own way eldest child and only son Shawn lived with them on account of his
health 24-year-old Sarah a University graduate who had accured a large student loan debt was struggling to find a
job 22-year-old Rachel was studying art history at College while pursuing her love of painting and
music the Stout's youngest child an 11-year-old girl case File will refer to as Tia had learning
difficulties Mark and Diane were very proud of their children Diane referred to them as little professors as each was
an expert in their own special interests 51-year-old Diane was the family bread winner she was a Cardiology
nurse who primarily worked from home assessing Insurance Company claims at times her income was not
enough to support the family of six so Mark took on odd jobs for extra cash prior to Mark's passing the staties
lived in a small home in Springfield Suburban West their house needed a lot of work
and the neighborhood had some problems Sean stouty often vented about this on his Facebook page going so far
as to write I need a better ha house to live in his father's modest life insurance
payout of $20,000 helped the family relocate to a larger house in a nicer area Shawn was delighted by the move he
posted about it online writing I am going to move out of a neighborhood of Hell to a neighborhood
that has a low crime rate has good people has good schools and has properly built houses
in late April sha opened a new Facebook account in preparation for his Fresh Start he continued posting near daily
updates about whatever peaked his interest but over the following months his online activity
lessened sha acknowledged this on Saturday August 4 2012 writing that he was sharing fewer posts than he had
previously then then he stopped posting all [Music] together by September 2012 5 months
after the Unexpected death of Mark stouty his family had settled into their new home then on Sunday September 2 the
staties arrived at their weekly church service with another notable absence 26-year-old Shawn was unable to
attend as he was bedridden after suffering flu likee symptoms for weeks he could do little else but rest
and stay hydrated in between long painful bouts of vomiting head and muscle aches and appetite
loss when the staties returned home from church they found sha unconscious on his
bedroom floor a ring of dried blood had formed around his mouth just like his father months
earlier had died unexpectedly after enduring a mysterious illness on this occasion the County
Medical Examiner performed an autopsy it revealed that sha Had A congenital kidney defect signs of brain
damage and a stroke as well as damage to his central nervous system given Sha's history of seizures
and other health issues the medical examiner assumed that the young man had been struck down by a pre-exist in
condition Sha's death was officially ruled as being due to Prior medical issues the sudden deaths of Mark and
Shawn so close together left the local community reeling Friends of the staties were
shocked that a loving Pious family could have such awful luck two days after Sha's death Diane
stouty posted a short tribute to her son on her Facebook page it's been hard for me to come up with
the right words Diane wrote but here goes on Sunday my oldest child Shawn died although he had been sick lately we
thought he was getting better Diane went on to thank those who had been keeping her family in their
prayers quote may we have a portion of the peace Sha now enjoys everyone was devastated for the
now family of four who grew noticably reclusive after Sha's death his remains were crad but unlike
his father there was no funeral or Memorial to honor his life Diane stouty seemed to be taking
the loss of her husband and son in her stride she focused on taking care of her three daughters Sarah Rachel and Tia and
threw herself into her music and church commitments the local community ried around Diane who responded well to the
guidance and support provided by her pastors even Diane's daughter Rachel was struck by how well her mother coped in
the aftermath of Sha's inexplicable death Rachel posted on her Facebook page don't think I've seen Mom so
chilled out like this in a long time but this moment of calm was [Music] shortlived n months after the death of
Shawn the stouty family was hit with more Misfortune 24-year-old Sarah stouty had
been found unconscious in bed after suffering severe flu like symptoms Diane bundled her eldest
daughter into her car and rushed her to the hospital by the time Sarah arrived at
the emergency department her condition was so dire that she was swiftly admitted to the Intensive Care
Unit doctors soon discovered that Sarah wasn't just dealing with the nasty strain of the
flu her kidneys had shut down her pancreas was failing and her brain was hemorrhaging
blood Sarah had suffered a total body collapse she'd had numerous strokes and seizures and most likely wouldn't
survive multiple tests were performed but the cause of Sarah's illness remained a
mystery di an stouty took to Facebook to inform her friends of her family's latest
tragedy she wrote asking for prayers as my daughter Sarah is in critical condition in the ICU tonight
she followed this up with an image that featured the biblical verse rejoice in our confident hope be
patient in trouble and keep on praying as news of Sarah Stout's ordeal spread Springfield police received a
troubling phone call the man on the other line said he wished to remain anonymous but claimed
to be a pastor at the stouty church upon hearing about Sarah's illness he'd become overwhelmed with
[Music] concern through his work he had encountered many people who'd experienced considerable hardship and
loss however he had never come across a family who had endured so much indiscriminate death in such a short
time span as the starties he brought up the close timing of Mark and Sha's deaths which had been
excused on account of their respective histories of poor health but now the otherwise healthy
Sarah was fighting for her life in a similar scenario the pastor had been counseling
Diane sty and was struck by her lack of emotion in relation to it all he had come to believe something was
seriously a mess in the stouty home [Music] police went to speak with the Physicians
treating Sarah stouty they had performed multiple tests to identify what was impacting her but everything medical or
genetic was ruled out although there was no trace of alcohol elicit drugs or poisons in
Sarah's system a doctor remarked that her condition was very suspicious a nurse had more to add Sarah
was barely clinging to life but her mother Diane had only visited her a couple of times moreover Diane's
Behavior was described as inappropriate she joked and laughed with Hospital staff about her daughter's
condition and said that she planned to go on a vacation to Florida soon regardless of Sarah's
status police came to learn that Diane had also acted strangely after her husband and son
deaths according to friends of the starties Diane treated Mark's memorial service like a party she displayed no
outward expressions of grief and seemed more concerned about being the perfect host and making sure guests were catered
to when a neighbor saw the coroner's van outside the stouty home after Sha's death she rushed over to check on the
family Diane answered the door and the neighbor asked asked if everything was all right Diane responded casually oh
yeah my son died online Diane barely mentioned her husband and son Beyond brief obligatory
death notices within days she was back to posting positive Bible quotes and silly
memes as detectives began reexamining the deaths of Mark and Shan stouty Diane agreed to be interviewed unaware that
any investigations were taking place she was first asked about Sarah Diane explained how a week earlier
Sarah had complained of a mild headache and stomach upset which resulted in her vomiting a few times to Diane Sarah's
illness didn't seem that bad as she had seen worst cases of the flu Sarah spent most of her time in bed
only emerging to vomit into the toilet she had no appetite but was able to take fluids Diane said Sarah's usual schedule
consisted of her staying up all night with friends and sleeping during the day so she hadn't noticed anything was
seriously off until Sunday that morning Sarah was bedridden and unable to attend
church the rest of the family went without her when they returned home at around to 12:30 p.m. Sarah was still in
bed seemingly resting hours passed before Diane went to check on her again by then Sarah was
unresponsive Diane carried Sarah out to the car and rushed her to the hospital despite being a trained nurse
Diane was mystified as to what had caused Sarah's illness all she could say was that it had done a number on her
when asked if Sarah might have harmed herself Diane said that was a possibility Sarah had bipolar disorder
like her father and had threatened self harm in the past but Diane asserted that her
daughter's Behavior had been fine lately she'd also checked Sarah's medication and it appeared normal ruling
out the possibility that she had overdosed on it Diane suggested that Sarah might have
quote gotten into the cleaners meaning that she could have intentionally consumed poisonous household cleaning
products Diane was asked to be more specific she responded with a laugh what do I have I can't see her
taking soap yuck Diane was then asked what she thought happened to Sarah she fell silent for a moment
before replying with an exasperated sigh I really don't know I've been trying to Rack my brain to figure out
what happened I really can't think of anything I don't know it just doesn't make
sense Diane was told that further tests would be carried out to establish what exactly happened to
Sarah when asked if she thought anything suspicious might be s Diane responded I have no clue I don't even
know what to look for I mean if they're looking for some kind of chemical that she may have taken I can't think of what
it would be and if the tests did come back confirming the presence of a chemical
how would Diane explain that she Shrugged her shoulders and answered I don't know Mark and sha stouty were both both
cremated but sha was autopsied beforehand as part of that process the medical examiner had taken samples of
Sha's tissue blood and hair the samples were stored for a certain amount of time postmortem
allowing for additional testing to take place if necessary although Mark wasn't autopsied
samples of the dried blood around his mouth had been collected and similarly stored
the interviewing detective asked Diane is there any reason that from samples taken that there might be some
sort of correlation some kind of Link something that might be similar between them Diane gently shook her head and
replied I don't know the detective pressed on and if there was what would your explanation be
Diane repeated I don't know the detective then abruptly asked what was Mark's life insurance
policy like Diane divulged that Mark's $20,000 life insurance payout had helped pay for
a nicer home Diane intended to use Sha's $115,000 payout for bills Sarah's policy wouldn't at Diana
further 15 ,000 her other two daughters amounts were the same Diane was asked what she would
spend to Sarah's life insurance payout on I have no clue she replied by now Diane's mood had
shifted she'd become solemn and contemplative allowing for long moments of Silence before answering
questions when asked if there was anyone that would want want to harm her family
Diane claimed that Mark had a lot of weird acquaintances who were into drugs as for her kids she said I can't
imagine anybody trying to harm them Diane was encouraged to open up about her marriage with Mark she
eventually admitted that it wasn't good saying that Mark had a binge drinking problem a cannabis habit and had been
unfaithful to her her Diane could never bring herself to kick him out as she feared he would take
his own life when Mark died it was actually a relief I just don't tell people that
Diane admitted before adding despite all his faults I still loved him suspecting Diane was holding back
information the interviewing Detective appealed to her religious beliefs referring to her as a
God-fearing woman he asserted that the right thing to do was to speak honestly and ask for
forgiveness he told her I think you're a very good lady with the right intentions
everybody reaches a Tipping Point or a breaking point maybe certain decisions are made
that normally wouldn't be made often times the best best way to ask for forgiveness is to talk about it
and give an explanation Diane expressed fear of going to jail she was told to put that thought
aside and to just focus on showing remorse and seeking forgiveness finally after 2 hours of
questioning Diane flatly admitted to put it really short and sweet I knew they were drinking anti
freeze antifreeze is an additive that lowers the freezing point of a water-based liquid it is used in
vehicles to stop the water in the engine cooling system from freezing during winter
months commonly known as engine coolant antifreeze can be purchased at motoring supply shops and gas stations and is a
common item found in residential garages it is extremely hazardous when ingested it only takes a small amount of
antifreeze to poison the human body with symptoms appearing gradually over several
hours the impacted person can feel or appear inebriated and suffer from headaches fatigue lack of coordination
grogginess slurred speech nausea and vomiting as the body breaks down the antifreeze the chemical can interfere
with kidney lung brain and nervous system function with organ damage occurring 24 to 72 hours after
ingestion it results in Rapid breathing erasing heartbeat and convulsions concluding with loss of consciousness
and death Diane stouty was asked how she knew her family members were drinking antifreeze she
replied because I saw them drinking it I didn't know what else to do I really didn't
Diana admitted that she had reached a Breaking Point she claimed she didn't want to hurt her family she was just mad
she was tired of working hard to provide for them while they took advantage of her and showed little
appreciation in Diane's words Mark was a dead beat who stayed home drinking smoking and enjoying his
music Diane had grown to hate her husband and said he lashed out violently her and their
kids she couldn't stand being with him any longer so she killed him she did the same to Shawn because
she was fed up with caring for him she described sha as more than a bother more than a pest who was always interfering
in everything she did Sha's autism prevented him from holding down a job Diane felt he was
being will fully disobedient in his inability to contribute to the household she felt the same towards
Sarah they often argued about how Sarah didn't try hard enough to get a job Diane killed Sarah because she
didn't want to wind up paying off her student loan debt she felt very differently about her
two youngest children Rachel and tia they treated her well and caused no grief so Diane hadn't poisoned
them she put it bluntly I'm not a Perpetual killer I'm just stupid I regret doing it I really
do I've screwed up everybody I've screwed up my whole family Diane had researched online and
learned about the harmful qualities of antifreeze it was easy to acquire and because of its sweet taste and a lack of
odor easy to disguise no one would suspect Mark sha or Sarah had been poisoned with
antifreeze unless medical personnel knew to look for it as its symptoms were similar to many normal
ailments furthermore the chemicals raw components were easily missed in an autopsy because they weren't part of
normal toxicology screenings and required Advanced testing to detect Diane ordered bottles of
antifreeze online and poured a couple of teaspoons into Gatorade for Mark and cocacola for her
children she served the lethal concoction to her unsuspecting victims over a period of several
weeks the poison took effect within days but often just resulted in mild flu like
symptoms when Diane's Target didn't die quick enough she increased the dosage of
antifreeze until it had its desired effect [Music] following Diane's shocking confession
detectives arrested her and began seeking more information about the stouty family
Dynamic Sarah was still in hospital and 11-year-old Tia was traumatized by her family's ongoing
suffering yet there was still one other sibling who could provide some insight 22-year-old Rachel stouty agreed
to speak with police she was unaware that her mother had admitted to poisoning her father brother
and older sister in contrast to Diane's account Rachel said that Mark was a nice Dad who
fostered his children's Independence she admitted that her parents argued a little bit over money
but no more than any other married couple sometimes Diane took issue with Mark's friends as they drank and
smoked Rachel recalled her parents breaking a table during one disagreement but overall they were close and had a
pretty good relationship she saw no abuse and the only bad thing she had to say about her
father had come from her mother as for Shawn Rachel said he was extremely low maintenance all he needed
was a puzzle or comic book and he was quote a happy camper sha was independent and content
being alone hardly the imposing past Diane had made him out to be Rachel didn't consider him to be a
burden at all he had a good relationship with his siblings especially Sarah Rachel said that when Shawn was
sick everyone took turns looking after him though their mother primarily cared for him during the day while she worked
from home Diane gave him Coca-Cola as it was one of the a few things he could stomach when asked about her mother's
reaction to Sha's passing Rachel said Diane wished they could have done more for him she felt like a failure as a mom
because it was one thing to lose your husband but far worse to lose a child Rachel remembered when Sarah fell
ill too the toilet was right across from her bedroom and at night she could hear
Sarah going into vomit Rachel tried to convince Sarah to eat but she had no appetite she could managed to drink
though so Rachel and Diane would bring her fluids things eventually deteriorated to
the point where Sarah couldn't get up off the floor when she lost Consciousness Rachel
helped carry her out to the car and take her to the hospital according to Rachel Diane
expressed guilt over Sarah's predicament too lamenting that she should have taken
her to the hospital sooner Rachel also recalled the time Sarah had threatened to self harm it was
during middle school and Rachel was certain it was only a cry for help since then Sarah hadn't expressed
any Suicidal Thoughts she had been a high achiever at college and was otherwise doing
well Rachel admitted that sah wasn't trying very hard to find work though her options were
limited she had degrees in French and history and her interests lay in teaching or translating French but there
weren't many opportunities in Missouri as most students learned Spanish it was normal for Sarah to spend
the day on her computer watching videos online instead of helping out around the
house Rachel was more frustrated with Sarah than her mother seemed to be although Diane was disappointed by
Sarah's lack of effort she was patient with her Rachel had never seen them arguing Diane would bring up Sarah's
unemployment during normal conversations but it was never in a heated way more so
a gentle nudging Rachel admitted that she'd found the situation with her father brother
and sister weird she worried that their terminal condition was hereditary and she would
catch it next Diane had reassured her saying that Mark had a heart problem Sha's death was
due to his seizures and Sarah's illness was out of the blue Diane LED Rachel to believe that
she would be fine after Rachel had revealed all of this a detective told her her
kindly what has happened is your mom has admitted to killing your dad and your brother and trying to kill your sister
with poison I know it's hard to process and a hard thing to even think about but she
basically spelled it out to us how she did this and the reasons for doing it Rachel sat in shock as the truth set
in she then began to sob as the detective asked did you have any suspicions that mom was
doing anything Rachel tearfully explained that she knew her mother was frustrated but
she had no idea that she wanted to harm their family meanwhile a search of the stouty
home uncovered evidence pertaining to Diane's crimes including a bottle of prone brand antifreeze engine coolant in
the garage next to it was a six-pack of Coke Cola examination of a laptop revealed
that between searches for Christian Sheep music and funny cap videos were many others relating to fatal essential
oils poisons used in suicides herbs that cause stroke and where to purchase rat poison the same laptop was used the days
after Mark Stout's death to determine lethal doses of over-the-counter pain relief medication for adults weighing 48
kg this was Shan Stout's weight officers searched a bedroom and noticed a purple notebook sitting on top
of a shelf the word Journal was printed across the front cover and the pages inside were full of handwritten musings
about the day-to-day happenings of the stouty family an entry dated Monday June 11
2011 stood out it read sometimes I wish I could avoid the future and keep looking to the Past it's
sad when I realize how my father will pass on in the next 2 months and how sha my brother will move on shortly
after and yet it's really helpful I'm being warned so I have more time to prepare and
cope also I get to have Dad's car when he's gone it'll be tough getting used to the changes but everything will work
[Music] out on her Facebook page Diane stouty once posted the quote never miss an
opportunity to tell your child I love you despite this only one stouty child received the bulk of her
affection Diane's third oldest Rachel was her perfect Golden Child unlike sha Sarah and tea
22-year-old Rachel was uncomplicated she didn't face the same struggles as her siblings and was a
successful overachiever she exceled in school spoke four languages and played multiple
musical instruments she loved maths chemistry art and poetry Diane plastered her Facebook page
with praise directed at Rachel while her other children barely raided a mension it was clear Rachel was Diane's
favorite and the pair shared a remarkably close best friend type Bond they understood one another and
confided in each other Rachel also confided in her Personal Diary a journal with a purple
cover that she kept on a shelf in her bedroom Mark and sha were killed nearly year after the entry Rachel made
predicting their deaths well over the two-month deadline she had anticipated yet the fact she even knew
about them beforehand was surprising and a search of Rachel's purse uncovered a poem she had written
after Sarah was hospitalized it read once upon a time there were six and now there are only three only The Quiet
Ones are left my mom my little sister and me in Diane's police interview she had
insisted that no one else knew what she'd done during Rachel's interview she was asked directly if she had any
involvement in her mother's scheme Rachel had shook her head no and cried following the discovery of
Rachel's diary police conducted another interview with with her they kept a word
of the find to themselves and instead just asked how she felt about what her mother had done Rachel said she was
confused and shocked explaining no one expects to have somebody that they know do that I mean
who judges who can live detectives then asked did your mother ever say anything to you about any of your family members
being in bad health and that were going to die in the near future Rachel said that her mother had
spoken about Mark smoking and drinking she said if he kept it up then he wasn't going to make it to the age of
80 Rachel claimed that Diane had never mentioned anything about sha or Sarah's future Rachel was shown a benow entry
from the purple Journal found in the stouty home she confirmed the diary was hers and that she had written the
entries within she was then shown the entry where she predicted Mark and Sha's deaths Rachel thought for a moment
before explaining that she had a dream around that time that Mark and Shawn would die she claimed she told her
mother about the dream what did you tell your mother the police asked Rachel started to sob tearless as
she replied that it would be quick and easy that they'd be in heaven soon and we
could move on Rachel continued to open up stating matter of factly I didn't know when my mother
bought the antifreeze but I knew she'd been doctoring drinks with that although the interviewing detective
was stunned by Rachel's admission he remained cool and kept asking questions Rachel admitted that her mother had
confided in her about her intention to kill the others she offered more insight as to
how the plan came to fruition after Diane settled on antifreeze as her murder weapon she
purchased it online this was because antifreeze sold in stores has an added bittering agent
to prevent accidental ingestion Diane kept a small amount of antifreeze hidden in a container under
the kitchen sink she would tip out 2 Ines or so of whatever drink she'd poured for Mark sha
or Sarah and then refill it with the Poison by this point in Rachel's interview she had admitted to knowing
that her mother was intending to kill family members but maintained that she'd acted
alone yet when explaining how Diane researched by reading a book about poisonous plants Rachel initially said
we would before quickly correcting her answer to she would detectives suspected they weren't
getting the full story they told Rachel that they'd seized the laptop she and Diane shed and
asked what they'd find on it Rachel admitted that she had once searched how to kill
someone the interviewing detective then asked a risky question not expecting to receive the answer he was looking for
your mother would pour some of the drink out and then she would put the antifreeze in the drink and then give it
to your father how often did you do that after thinking for a moment Rachel replied
cooly once the detective was stunned when he pressed Rachel to be honest she clarified her
answer three four times this gradual drip feed of information formed the basis of Rachel's
confession she would initially give a broad uncertain or deceptive answer before being grilled with follow-up
questions eventually she gave detailed consistent answers that aligned with the facts of the
case she was first interrogated about her father's death it was a trade-off Rachel said casually
mom would do it then I would Rachel mixed the drinks for her father twice a day once in the morning
and once in the evening for several weeks she didn't have a clear schedule with her mother who typically
administered her poisonings in the afternoon so they often overlapped and served many poisoned drinks to Mark a
day as Rachel's story unraveled it was clear she'd participated in the poisonings more more than just the three
or four times she had initially admitted to Mar didn't fall sick at first Diane reassured Rachel telling her
it will take time it was several weeks before Mark finally became ill the women continued to poison him
with higher doses by the end Mark's drinks consisted of half soda or Gatorade and half anti
freeze Diane and Rachel went through upwards of five bottles of antifreeze in their efforts to kill
him despite having previously praised her father Rachel now claimed that Mark was killed because he was turbulent and
abusive this was at odds with her own diary where Rachel had written that her father would quote rather cut off his
own arm then hurt us nevertheless she went on to write that her father was still more of a
hindrance alive Rachel said she mixed the drink a day for Shan and one every so often for
Sarah but mostly used bottles of Coca-Cola orw Gatorade that Diane had premixed in
advance when asked why did you guys want to kill them Rachel replied indifferently Shan I accepted that mom
wanted him gone but I really didn't think he was necessary after further pressing Rachel
admitted that she found sha annoying as for Sarah Rachel said I really actually wasn't aware that Mom
was getting Sarah I knew about sha I knew about Dad but I didn't know she was going to go ahead with
Sarah as usual Rachel's lies didn't hold up under further scrutiny she soon admitted that she had known
about the plan to kill Sarah a month beforehand as to why they wanted Sarah Dead Rachel
explained other than the fact that she basically lived in the back bedroom and didn't have any gumption to get a job
I'm not certain mom probably has her own issues with her the detective asked what about
you Rachel took a deeper breath before replying she's annoying yes but I don't know Rachel eventually admitted that she
found Sarah very nosy and they fought all the time she added bluntly back in middle school Sarah
would touch me I mean she grew out of it later when she got on the medicine but she still argues she still has really
inappropriate jokes she really had no [Music] purpose Rachel clarified that the touching she was referring to was both
physical and sexual but Sarah rected like she couldn't remember it despite the seriousness of these
allegations and the fact that Rachel was implying deep prolonged trauma had motivated her to kill Sarah she never
referred to it again investigators thought it was convenient that Rachel said Sarah had no
recollection of it either as Rachel was a proven liar they believed she'd made up the shocking
accusation to make Sarah's murder appear understandable it still didn't provide any justification as to why she'd
participated in killing Mark and Shawn beforehand Rachel made yet another Revelation she claimed Sarah was in on
the murder plot too police were incredulous if Sarah was aware of and involved in the plan to poison Mark and
sha then she would know not to accept any drinks herself especially once she started developing
symptoms Rachel said that when Sarah fell ill she asked them am I going to die or will I die
soon Rachel and Diane would reply I don't know Sarah didn't ask or accuse them of
poisoning her despite allegedly knowing that they had done it twice before nor did she reach out to anyone
else or seek help on her own valtion in Rachel's own words Sarah was very afraid of death and often talked
about not wanting to die detectives felt that these actions didn't align with the narrative that
Sarah knew what her mother and sister were up to then there was the question as to why
Diane and Rachel had taken Sarah to the hospital for treatment Rachel revealed this wasn't
done due to any sense of care Compassion or a desire to save Sarah's life it was
Rachel's idea because she quote didn't want another one to die in the house cuz houses are nasty after somebody's died
in it after sha died Rachel moved into his room and was plagued by nightmares she said it was awful that
she kept sensing a ghostly presence in the space and she didn't want to experience that again when Sarah
passed Rachel's fear seemed genuine she was uncharacteristically nervous and shaky when discussing The Haunting in
Sha's room she had also written about it in her diary immediately following Sha's
death quote yet I feel your gaze lingering over me I close my eyes and try not to
think of the ghosts of copper and bleach on my tongue I try not to think of shuddery breaths or how easily a soul
evaporates leaving nothing behind but a hollow husk curled up on the floor eyes vacant and dull arms extended but what
were you reaching for as for the youngest stouty child Tia Rachel admitted that she and Diane had
planned to kill her after Sarah the motive was similar to sha Tia's learning disabilities were a
burden and they didn't want to look after her Rachel remarked I know there's no way in hell
I'd be able to take care of Tia I can't take care of me so how could I ever take
care of her following Rachel's harrowing confession police reinterviewed Diane upon learning that her daughter
had confessed Diane made full admissions that she and Rachel had planned researched and committed the crimes
together neither woman expressed a genuine remorse or regret nor did Diane show any hint of sadness for sacrificing
Rachel's promising future in favor of grooming her to be her her partner in [Music]
crime by the time Diane and Rachel's deadly plot was exposed Sarah Stout's condition had changed
dramatically although Hospital staff had given her a 0% chance of survival when she was first admitted in a miraculous
turn of events she was slowly recovering both Diane and Rachel were surprised to learn of Sarah's survival
though not relieved Rachel had even nodded her head and said yes when asked if she still
wanted Sarah to die but Sarah's ordeal wasn't over The Strokes and seizures she'd
endured left her with severe neurological damage she had to relearn to walk and talk when Sarah was well enough she
agreed to a police interview she hadn't yet been informed that her mother and sister had confessed to
poisoning her investigators wanted to get to the bottom of Rachel's claim that Sarah had
known about their crimes Sarah was told that police had been investigating why she had fallen
sick what do you think we found out detectives asked Sarah replied I don't know when asked if she thought anyone
would try to hurt her Sarah said no all I know is that I got sick Sarah was then informed that her
mother and sister had admitted to making her unwell Sarah went on to recount an experience she'd had after Mark and sha
died one day she found her mother's Personal Diary Sarah opened it and found an entry Diane had written about Mark
and Sha's death to Sarah's shock the entry also referred to her own death unnerved Sarah confronted her
mother but her concerns were dismissed and she was warned not to go looking in the diary
again Sarah said this hadn't alerted her to the fact that her mother or sister were responsible for making Mark sha or
herself sick Sarah flat out denied being involved in any part of the scheme and nothing that was uncovered suggested
she'd known what was going on detectives believed Sarah but in any case her brain had been seriously
damaged by the antifreeze it was obvious from their conversations that her mind was foggy
and she didn't fully comprehend what was being asked given Sarah's condition and the
lack of evidence pertaining to her guilt detectives ended these inquiries with the belief that she was an innocent
victim Diane stouty was ultimately charged with two counts of first-degree murder for Mark and sha as well as one
count of first-degree assault and one of armed criminal action for the crimes against
Sarah Rachel stouty was charged with the same offenses in May 2015 3 years after the
poisonings began Rachel Ed guilty as part of a deal in exchange for testifying against
her mother at trial Rachel would be eligible for parole one day at her sentencing Rachel read an
apology she had penned to her sister Sarah in it she claimed she was haunted by the reality of loss and grieved
knowing that her guilt wasn't a passing phase quote your suffering could have been
prevented Ed and I hate myself for not being there for you things will never be the same but I can try to change to
become a better person I want you to know that you are an inspiration to me thank you for showing me what I can
be Rachel stouty who was now 25 years old was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of Parole in 42
years in January 2016 Diane stouty also accepted a plea deal she agreed to plead
guilty to all but the armed criminal action charge in order to avoid potentially receiving the death penalty
if the case went to trial she was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without
parole since her incarceration Diane has changed her story yet again in a 2022 interview with AB BC's 2020 Diane
claimed that she was completely innocent she said that her husband was associated with dangerous people who had
put out a hit on him someone from within that Circle was responsible for poisoning
him she even went on to claim that she had been poisoned at one point though she offered no explanation as to how sha
and Sarah came to be victims as well a case detective clarified there is nothing whatsoever to show that
anybody was involved in this case other than those mentioned already if Rachel stouty hadn't
incriminated herself in her diary there was a very real possibility that her involvement in the poisonings would have
never been uncovered a clinical and forensic psychologist told A&D that the diary
entries were ever evidence of how much control Diane exerted over Rachel it had reached the point where
Rachel was fully convinced of her mother's scheme believing it was quote just the way it has to
be therefore she journaled about it as if it were any other mundane experience she was dealing with in her
life as a result of Sarah Stout's permanent neurological damage she now lives in an assisted care facility and
has a state Appo Ed Guardian Sarah was unable to care for her youngest sibling Tia who was
consequently placed in foster care in a statement read aloud in court Sarah said I prefer to be a Survivor
than a victim she intends to fulfill her dream of traveling to France and becoming a
translator in the meantime Sarah campaigns to raise awareness of antifreeze poisoning
following Sarah's ordeal she struggled the most with how much she missed her father and brother she lives her life
believing their Spirits protect her quote Mark and Shawn are like angels watching over me and every once in a
while I have dreams that they visit me although Sarah was angry when she found out her mother and sister had
poisoned her she has since moved past this feeling I forgive them for what they did because
forgiveness is the right thing to [Music] [Music] do e

Case 304: The Staudte Family

When 60-year-old Mark Staudte of Springfield, Missouri, fell ill in early April of 2012, he suspected he just had a bad case of the flu. But the situation quickly turned critical, and Mark was soon found dead in his bed. A medical examiner concluded Mark had died from “natural causes”. Yet, when other members of the Staudte family started experiencing the same symptoms as Mark had, it was clear something was seriously amiss…

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Milly Raso Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

Website https://www.casefilepodcast.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casefile Twitter https://twitter.com/case_file Instagram https://www.instagram.com/casefilepodcast Patreon https://www.patreon.com/casefile Casefile Presents https://casefilepresents.com

RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-304-the-staudte-family

Brief Summary

The Stouty family faces tragedy as Diane and Rachel poison Mark and Shawn, leading to shocking confessions and Sarah's survival.

Key points

Shan's Facebook Reflections. Shan Stout's Facebook posts reveal his introspective nature and struggles with autism.
Mark Stouty's Declining Health. Mark's health deteriorates rapidly, leading to his unexpected death.
Tragic Loss of Two Family Members. The Stout family faces the devastating loss of both Mark and Shawn in quick succession.
Diane's Heartfelt Tribute. Diane struggles to find the right words to express her grief after losing her son.
Diane's Confession. After hours of questioning, Diane admits to poisoning her family members with antifreeze.
The Dark Family Dynamic. Rachel describes her family's relationships, contradicting Diane's portrayal of them.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

My father died. He lived a full life.

Shan's heartbreaking announcement of his father's death.

4:17WatchNov 16, 2024

Tension

85/ 100High tension

More from Casefile

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.