Psychopath Mother Fed Family Anti-Freeze | The Interrogation Room hosted by Vivica A. Fox | Forensic Files

- [Vivica] Observing the signs. - When did all this come about? - She started feeling sick Saturday.
- The voice plays a massive part in giving us clues. - [Vivica] Detecting changing stories.
- Walk into an investigation with an open mind. - She was as close to death as you can get.
- [Vivica] Spotting when to hold back. - You are potentially dealing with somebody
who has suffered tremendous loss in her life. - I 110% understand that you're scared.
- [Vivica] And when to close in. - I think we have a murder suspect on our hands.
You're not gonna believe who it is. - I'm Vivica A. Fox. And I'm about to give you exclusive access
into the secrets of the interrogation room. See how the world's finest detectives,
armed with only their wits, hone in on their suspects, break down their lies, and expose the shocking truth.
We'll examine the signs a suspect is lying, and reveal the expert techniques that result in an all-important confession
while getting justice for the victims and their families. (dramatic music) - [Vivica] Springfield, Missouri.
Concerned mother Diane Staudte is helping police with their investigation about her 24-year-old daughter, Sarah.
- In 2012, 49-year-old Diane, a qualified nurse and devout Christian, was living with her husband Mark and their four children
in a quiet suburb of Springfield, when in April of that year, Mark passed away suddenly.
Diane was left to bring up her children alone. Just a few months later, in September,
tragedy struck again, when Diane's son, Shaun, just 26-years-old and autistic, died without warning.
And now, a mere eight months later, Diane faces more tragedy, as her daughter, Sarah, is rushed to the emergency room,
suffering brain and kidney failure. Hospital staff are troubled by Sarah's deteriorating condition.
The staff at the hospital were not the only ones troubled by this particular patient.
An anonymous caller has contacted the police, claiming that Sarah's sickness is suspicious
and should be investigated. Diane turns up voluntarily at the local police station
to help police with their investigation. What unfolds next will shock the community to its core.
- [Diane] I'm looking at the lab reports, and it's like, you can't be living. I mean, her kidneys were shot.
She had a brain bleed. Her pancreas was acting up. And... I don't know what all else was.
- You have a tip off from a person who believes that a crime has occurred. You have doctors who are confused
as to what is happening with their patient who is young, and dying in the hospital.
- She was as close to death as you could get. - Wow. - Yeah, and it's like, I thought she's gone.
- But at the same time, you are potentially dealing with somebody who has suffered tremendous loss in her life
and is on the verge of suffering again. - Don't know what I can tell you. - Well, okay.
Well, that's what we're gonna try and get figured out. - It is a difficult investigation to walk into
for the investigators. And I think, correctly, and as is always right, you walk into an investigation with an open mind.
- An investigator's doing interviews or interrogations. It's really the meat and potatoes of any case.
What you suspect may have happened, what you think happened, you have to get it from
the person you're interviewing or interrogating. - When did all this come about?
- She started feeling sick Saturday. Yeah, just mild headache. - This past Saturday?
- Yeah, this... Well, it's been a whole week. - [Vivica] Detective McAmis's search for the truth has begun,
but with no direct proof of a crime, he needs to tread carefully. - Her stomach was upset and she threw up a couple of times.
And that was it. - Then what happened? - Me and the other girls went to church, and we left her sleeping. - [McAmis] Okay.
- And then I came home and she was still sleeping. And then, maybe a couple hours later,
I went to check on her and we just couldn't get her to respond or answer anything.
- The interview starts in a very conversational manner. - So you brought her to the ER? - Yeah.
- And that was Sunday? - That was Sunday... - Night? - I wanna say afternoon. - Afternoon. - It was still daylight.
- Okay. - He's really just asking for and absorbing information. He's using open questions.
Why, where, what, how, who, that encouraged a wider response. - And what did they say at the hospital?
- Basically, she was as sick as sick could get. - [McAmis] But no idea what it was?
- [Diane] We had no clue. Still don't really have a clue. - As we look at the interrogation of Diane
by the detectives, one trait in her that is really apparent is that she appears very coy.
She don't appear to take seriously the questioning or the severity of the questions
that the detectives are posing for her. - [Diane] With her medical background, she's bipolar.
- [McAmis] Okay. - My first thing is did she get into something? When I got home from the ER,
I checked her medicine and she had plenty of pills left. So I don't think she OD'ed her medicine,
but I have no clue. - Okay, if she wouldn't have overdosed on pills, do you know what else she might have done?
- She's talked about, in the past, about cutting her wrist, but as far as other ways, I have no clue.
- Okay, obviously... - She's never said anything. - But, obviously, she didn't cut her wrist.
- No, no. - So you don't know how else she might have done it? - No. - Okay. - I mean... - You don't think
she's the type of person that would try to harm herself or...? - I really don't know.
I'm... I don't know. - When I first looked at the interview with Diane, I think she came over a little bit eccentric,
a little bit kooky, but, but nothing that would point to the fact that anything untoward had happened.
She adopted body posture that was just natural, felt congruent with what she was saying.
So the verbal content matched the nonverbal content. The manner in which she was presenting herself
was not displaying any signs of anxiety or deceptive behavior. - [Vivica] Detective McAmis has been trying to
build rapport with Diane using a healthy dose of flattering. He now takes the strategy to the next level,
appealing to her own medical background and expertise. - From what I understand, you're in the medical field.
- I'm a nurse. - You're a nurse, okay. - But I'm a cardiology nurse. I know hearts, but...
- Yeah. Okay. I know you said you deal with the heart and stuff, but from your knowledge, is there anything that
you could think of that it could have been? 'Cause obviously, from what we understand,
you're pretty intelligent. - I mean, this is... - I try. - Yeah. - But I really can't think of anything.
- The use of the flattery here, and in particular where the officer's saying "I absolutely know nothing about this,"
he's almost encouraging Diane to explain things to him. - Basically, she had a total-body collapse.
- Okay. - All her organs were trying to fail, and it's, like, I don't know of anything
that would do all of that. Maybe one thing, but not all of it. It just don't make sense.
- Okay. - [Vivica] Diane Staudte can't shed any light on the cause of her daughter's illness.
Where can Detective McAmis go from here? - [Ciolino] What skills are required when you're a good investigator, a good detective?
First and foremost, patience. Second is intelligence. And right up with the other two
is the ability to read and formulate information, 'cause you need to get a strategic advantage
anywhere you can get it, because a lot of people are very cagey. They're very good at concealing the truth.
- And I'll be back here in just a second, okay? - Detective McAmis leaves the room
to consult with his team and consider his next move. It's a critical moment for the Springfield Police Department.
Either they uncover concrete evidence that someone has done something to hurt Diane's daughter,
or they must accept that there's no crime to investigate. Coming up, the anonymous caller is identified.
- What makes the case really blow up is a suspicious pastor at the church. - [Vivica] And two earlier deaths
are called into question. - So your husband was a heart attack, and then Shaun's was from seizure disorders, okay.
If his stuff were to come back, something similar, maybe, to what Sarah is, how would you explain that?
- This must be setting off some alarm signals in Diane's mind. - [Vivica] Nurse Diane Staudte's eldest daughter
has been rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Could it be the result of foul play?
Following an anonymous tip, Detective Neil McAmis of the Springfield Police Department
is trying to find out. - [Daniel] So, Diane is being interviewed 'cause her daughter's in hospital.
And up until this point, that's been the sole subject of the interview. - What makes the case really blow up in everyone's face
is a suspicious pastor at the church, who's observing this from afar and says,
"There's something wrong with this picture." So he puts in a secret call to police and said,
"You know what? I think we have a murder suspect on our hands. "You're not gonna believe who it is.
"It's the church organist." - Police had now established that the anonymous tip came from the pastor at the local church
whose suspicions had been raised by the untimely deaths the previous year of Diane's husband Mark and her son Shaun.
He was now pointing the finger at his own church organist, none other than Diane herself.
- [McAmis] Do you have a son as well? - No, not anymore. He died. - He died? - He had a seizure disorder.
- When did he die? - That was last fall. - How old was he? - [Diane] He was 26.
- [McAmis] Okay. - [Diane] He'd had several strokes. - [McAmis] And where was it that he died?
- [Diane] He died at home. - You said your husband died at home also. - Mm-hm. - The same house you're in now?
- No, it's a different house. We moved. - So your husband was a heart attack,
and then Shaun's was from seizure disorders, okay. - For me, that is subtly introducing
these subject headings into the interview. This must be setting off some alarm signals
in Diane's mind 'cause the officer's very, very specific about that. - For the first time,
Detective McAmis has put Diane on notice that she's under investigation, and it's not just for her daughter's ill health,
but also for the deaths of her husband and son. Next, he increases the pressure by explaining how he plans to prove it.
- From talking with the hospital, it sounds like they're doing a bunch of tests,
and they're even sending some tests off to labs elsewhere. Do you think there's gonna be anything suspicious
that they find in all these tests that they're gonna be doing? - I have no clue.
- Okay. - 'Cause I don't even... I don't even know what to look for. - What do you mean?
- Well, I mean, if they're looking for some kind of a chemical that she may have taken,
I can't think of what it would be. Even know what tests they're doing. - [Daniel] Her response, I find quite interesting,
particularly as a parent, 'cause the accusation is clear in that question. And she replies, "Well, no, I don't really know.
"I'm not really sure." Any reasonable person that is accused of something as horrendous as
poisoning a family member would be, "Of course not. "Of course there won't be anything in those samples."
- [Vivica] Now, Detective McAmis reveals how he plans to revisit the death of Diane's son.
- [McAmis] Do you know much about the autopsy process? - Mmm... A little bit. - Okay.
What did they tell you about Shaun's autopsy? - That he had a congenital kidney defect.
But they found quite a bit of brain damage. - 'Cause we've spoken with the medical examiner about that,
and I guess when they first did it, they really didn't look too much into if there was any types of chemicals or anything at all
in his system, or anything else like that. Fortunately, they still have a bunch of his stuff.
And so if his stuff were to come back with anything... like that, something similar maybe to what Sarah's might come back with,
how would you explain that? - (faintly) I don't know. I really don't know. Again, it depends on what shows up.
- What do you think it might be? - I don't know. I really don't know. - There could be anything maybe malicious or suspicious
involved with that? - I can't think of that. - Would you be surprised if something like that came back?
- Yeah, I think so. - When people tend to get stressed, certainly, in a criminal situation,
they'll kind of hug themselves, they'll fold their arms. It is almost like a self-reassurance.
And what she's really unconsciously saying is that I perceive there's a big threat here
and I want to create this barrier between myself and the police officer who represents that threat.
- [Vivica] Sensing her vulnerability, Detective McAmis changes tech once again.
He goes back to building rapport and trying to develop a deeper connection. - [McAmis] And you said you go to Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Are you pretty active in church? Are you? - I'm their organist. - Oh, okay, wow.
How long have you been doing that? - Oh, gosh, 30-plus years. - Oh, wow. - Long time. - Wow.
I know that you are very, very dedicated to church. You're somebody that knows, you know, about the right thing and about God's way.
I'm a believer myself, so I understand where you're coming from on that. - You have to find a common ground with somebody
to befriend them. That's the start of any friendship, and interrogation and interviews with subjects,
that's no different. You're trying to befriend this person and get them to open up to you about their life.
- When the detective is interviewing Diane, he references the church, and he references his involvement in the church.
He himself identifies as a churchgoing member because it makes him more relatable.
It makes him a real person. It makes Diane feel as though she's not talking to a detective anymore.
It strips away that rank, and now makes him a person in her eyes. - Sometimes in life, there's things that happen
or things that go on that good people don't normally always do. But there's reasons for...
sometimes people to slip up a little bit. Make a mistake every now and then. You would agree with that, right? - Mm-hmm.
- [Ciolino] I'm your friend. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for what happened here,
and together, you and I are gonna get to the truth, all right? We're gonna go down this path,
and I am gonna show you the way to light in goodness, and you're gonna feel... be a much better person
and feel better when we're done, because you're gonna get it all off your chest.
- And I think you're a very good lady with the right intentions, right? - I try. - You try.
- I try. - But sometimes, everybody kind of reaches a tipping point or a breaking point
and it's always good to ask for forgiveness, you know that. And, oftentimes, the best way to ask for forgiveness
is to talk about it, and give an explanation as to why things happen. - He appeals to her values,
specifically in relation to forgiveness, which we know is an important part of her religion.
That everyone does wrongs, but you should seek forgiveness. And part of forgiveness is to be honest.
- [Ciolino] Often, you'll see in an interrogation, you'll see the interrogator scoot their chair closer,
closer, closer. They're closing the distance between the person they're trying to get the confession from
and themselves. And now, they've broken the spell. Hey, I am really in this with you.
We're pals. I just wanna get at the truth. You're not a bad person. And that's just another psychological lever they're pulling.
- [Vivica] Encouraged by Detective McAmis's reassurance and empathy, Diane begins to open up
about her true feelings towards some of her family. - Sarah's a difficult child to deal with.
- I understand. - And I've been kind of putting pressure on her to... You need to get out and get a job.
Your college bills are coming due. I don't wanna pay for them. After all, you get tired of
doing everything for your kids, and it's like, "You need to step up and do it."
- And as well as her harsh words for Sarah, then fighting for her life in the hospital,
Diane doesn't hold back when talking about her deceased husband, Mark. - He was running around
and he would drink and smoke pot. It was not what you'd call a good marriage. - [Vivica] For Detective McAmis, this is a golden opportunity.
If Diane is guilty, encouraging her to feel justified in her actions might pave the way to a confession.
- You're a good lady, you're a good person. And like we say, good people just get to a point
and make a mistake. Something that they normally wouldn't do. They've been pushed and pushed and pushed,
and sometimes, there's just no other way. - I understand, Diane, the burdens and the weight that you've been carrying around
for all these years. You have to let me help you. - [Vivica] It's at this point that Diane says something truly extraordinary.
- An interview can turn into an interrogation when the person being interviewed says something
that all of a sudden makes the detective feel like this person just went from witness to defendant.
- [Vivica] Antifreeze is a highly toxic chemical used to clear frozen pipes and car engines.
It's at this point that Detective McAmis makes his move. - Diane, I 110% understand that you're scared.
But Diane, right now is not the time to tell me... ...things that aren't true. You and I both know why
you knew they were drinking antifreeze, and you need to tell me about that. And lying about it, Diane, will not help you.
You know that. You don't need me to tell you that. You need to... I know... how you knew they were drinking antifreeze.
And you need to tell me. - [Darren] The voice plays a massive part in giving us clues.
The person tends to withdraw inwards, and Diane's voice going lower in volume and tone
again became a massive red flag in what I saw, in terms of her ability to maintain the lie unravelling.
- [Ciolino] You're in big trouble, and you're getting ready to say something, but the person that's gonna say it is someone different.
It's not actually me talking. 'Cause sometimes, it's like an out-of-body experience.
So, often, you'll see that big change in tenor of the voice, in loudness, et cetera.
It's textbook, what happened here with her. - You knew, Diane, that they were drinking antifreeze...
...because you were giving it to them. Were you just at the breaking point? - Yeah.
- Detective McAmis is stunned. Diane has just confessed to poisoning her husband and son with antifreeze,
and trying to do the same to her eldest daughter, who may yet survive. But as this case as open-and-shut as it now seems?
Coming up, the brutality of death by poisoning. - You have a mother poisoning a loved one
and actually watching them suffer. - [Vivica] Did Diane act alone? - And what were you thinking at that point?
- Oh God, another one. - 49-year-old cardiology nurse Diane Staudte has confessed to poisoning her husband, son,
and eldest daughter with antifreeze. But Detective McAmis of the Springfield Police Department
needs more detail to make sure he has the whole truth. The interview continues. - I mean, why did you decide
that you were gonna use antifreeze to do it? Why not some other means? - So you did the Google search and then you ordered it.
And then after you got it, did you pretty much immediately start giving it to Mark?
- Okay. What did you put it in for him? - Okay, so you put it in Mark's Gatorade.
And was it Cokes for both Shaun and Sarah? - [Diane] Mm-hmm. - Okay. - And then Shaun, how did stuff get started with Shaun?
- [Vivica] At 26, Shaun Staudte was still living at home. He suffered from seizures, had been diagnosed with autism,
which made it difficult for him to interact with people. - [McAmis] Shaun's driving you crazy. He's a pest.
He's interfering in everything. You're trying to do work and he's right... right there,
he's bothering you. At one point, you just finally say, "Enough is enough. "Can't take it anymore."
And how many days was it that you started giving him the antifreeze before he died?
- Just a couple days? With Sarah, you said it was same with her. Like, four days, it took four days you were giving it
before she started getting sick. Why didn't you just leave her at home to die, like the others?
- This type of crime is incredibly heinous. You have a mother and a wife poisoning a loved one
and actually watching them suffer. It's torture, and they actually see the person
slowly, slowly deteriorating in front of their eyes. So poisoning is a really brutal way to kill somebody.
- [Vivica] Diane Staudte had found it pretty easy to poison her husband and son,
as she later confessed. She had come to hate them both. Sarah appeared to be an altogether tougher proposition.
And her other two daughters, Brianna, age nine, and Rachel, 22, had so far been spared.
Rachel, in particular, was the child that Diane was closest to. - What did Rachel say about all this?
- [McAmis] What's her involvement? - All right, Diane. This is my partner, Detective Hill.
Right now, you're gonna be under arrest, and we have to take you to the jail now, okay?
You've been very decent with me, and I greatly appreciate that. Okay? - [Vivica] With the investigation ongoing,
the police invite Diane's daughter Rachel in to be interviewed. She's now fully aware of her mom's shocking confessions.
- [McAmis] Did you ever have any suspicions about anything when your dad and brother and sister got sick?
- In hindsight now, yeah. I mean... Now that I think on it, yes. But, God... It's hard to even imagine something like that.
Mm. - When Detective Shipley told you yesterday about what your mom did, what do you think about that?
- Confusion, shock. I mean... (shaky breathing) Nobody expects to have somebody that they know do that.
A bit scared of who would be next. - [McAmis] So when he died, were you surprised?
- [Rachel] Extremely. - [McAmis] Extremely. - He wasn't even, like... 60-something,
not even up there at an age where it would be something that would be expected. - [McAmis] How about your brother?
- He's trickier, because in the fall, he always gets whatever flu happens to go about.
He just naturally gets them. But even then, that one was weird too. - Rachel is winning Academy Award for her acting.
"I can't believe this has happened. "My mother wouldn't..." She is just appalled
at the things going on around her, swirling around in her own family, with her dead brother, her dead sister -
almost dead sister, and dead father. - Then tell me about Sarah. How did Sarah's illness come about?
- Well, the bathroom in our new house is, like, right across from my room. So anytime she was up at night to go throw up,
I could hear it, and it's, like, that's when I had found out that she was sick.
'Cause, like, it was very, very sudden too. All of a sudden throwing up. And then...
- And what were you thinking at that point? - Oh, God, another one. (laughs) (shaky breathing) - Okay.
- [Darren] Every human being has got their own different level of functioning.
In Rachel's behavior, a very unusual person, really. She's speaking about someone dying, about the father dying
and all the deaths, just like it's nothing. Like, "In hindsight, "I probably should have seen something was untoward,
"but I didn't see anything." So I just found that absolutely staggering. The fact that she's expecting the police officers
to kind of buy the fact that she's not seen anything that points to the least bit suspicious.
- Do you recognize this? - [Vivica] During a recent search of the family home,
cops discovered Rachel's own personal journal, a detailed account of the very unusual dynamics
in the Staudte home. This alters the trajectory of the interview entirely. - [Daniel] When Rachel is confronted with the journal,
her reaction is quite literally like... I think she just literally doesn't know where to go.
You can see her overly focus on the diary, and she knows what's in the diary, because she wrote it. It's her diary.
So this overly focus is thinking time. But she's not reading that. She's thinking,
"Oh, my God, this is game over." - This is your journal? - Yeah. - You wrote this? - Mm.
- And you remember writing it? - Yeah. - Okay. Did you get to read it all? - Mm.
- I've got some questions for you, Rachel. Some questions that you need to be honest with me about.
- [Darren] So, when the officer presented the diary, what he was doing is he was producing that
as part of a staged disclosure strategy. So by admitting that it was her diary and her entry,
then, obviously, a little bit later into the interrogation, she couldn't then go back on herself.
It's almost like walking down a hotel corridor and closing doors as you walk down.
And therefore, we want to take the door where we're looking for that confession.
- It says, "It's sad when I realize "how my father will pass on in the next two months,
"and how Shaun, my brother, "will move on shortly after." What is this? - I'd had a lot of really bad dreams
about them dying. I talked to mom about it. And she mentioned... she was thinking of... hurting them.
- Okay. So the plan was already in place? You guys were gonna kill your dad first,
and you were gonna wait a while and then it was Shaun's turn. - So Rachel, when confronted with all this evidence, what does she do?
Well, she does what every mope who's ever been confronted with good hard evidence does.
She confesses. - [Vivica] Rachel confesses. But like all sociopaths, does so selectively.
- So you're saying that at the old house, you knew she kept it in a Turkey baster under the sink.
When she was doctoring the drinks, she would pour some of the drink out and then she would put the antifreeze in the drink
and then give it to your father? - Mm-hmm. - How often did YOU do that? - Um... - Once.
- Only once? - She minimizes her involvement. I'm gonna minimize my participation
in this horrid crime. I may be guilty of something, but maybe not everything you think I'm guilty of,
and this is what happened and I really didn't have that... What the problem is, of course,
is goofy Rachel is a wonderful diarist, and it's all written down in black and white, in her handwriting.
- How many times did you do it, Rachel? - Three, four times. It was a trade off.
She would do it, then I would. - So you have a dream about this. You discuss it with your mother,
and then that's when the talks get started. Am I correct? Is that when the talks get started
of finding some way to poison them? - Yeah. - Okay. And by poisoning them, the intent was to kill them, is that correct?
Okay. Why did you guys want to kill them? - [Lee] But here's the deal that we really don't know.
Rachel may have witnessed something very abusive in the relationship between Diane and the father.
No kid wants to see their mother abused or attacked or mistreated. How do you get rid of someone who's hurting my mom?
Well, mom, what do you think? And being impressionable, I guess, economically and socially dependent upon her mother,
she was easily led or swayed in that direction. - [Vivica] Was the need to satisfy her mom
the reason Rachel went along with the murders and attempted murder of her family members?
- Shaun... I accepted that she wanted him gone, but I really didn't... ...think he was necessary.
- So when did the plan to kill Sarah come about? - [Rachel] May, June. - May or June?
And so why was it decided to kill Sarah? - Hmm. Other than the fact that she basically lived in the back bedroom
and didn't, like... ...have any gumption to get a job, I'm not certain. Mom probably has her own...
...issues with her. - [McAmis] What about you? - [Rachel] She's annoying, yes, but...
I don't know. - [McAmis] Did you guys fight a lot? - Yeah. - Your mother told me
you guys fought all the time. Is that true? - Yeah. Is that why you wanted Sarah gone?
- Mm. - What did you tell your mother? - (sniffles) (sniffles) (sobbing) - [Vivica] Although quick to confess,
Rachel's level of involvement remains unclear. Was she the planner and manipulator,
or the reluctant accomplice, as she's trying to make out? - Soon as she's confronted, without question,
she admits the offence. And she seems to want to please the authority figure in the interview.
Now, this could be dangerous in the interview because if the officer leads her and gives her the information,
and then, "This is what we think, did you do it?" "Yes, I did." And then that could be quite dangerous
because she could be admitting to things that she didn't do. - Until now, Diane has protected Rachel,
denying she had any direct involvement in her murderous crimes. But if justice is to be served,
the police need to get to the truth. Coming up, Diane is grilled again. - You guys all got together, obviously, and discussed this.
So tell me about that. - [Vivica] Will mother and daughter remain loyal to each other?
- You're the mom here. You're Rachel's mother. It's your turn. Let's go, let's get on to the truth.
- Armed with Rachel Staudte's confession about her mom's murderous activities,
the police bring Diane Staudte back into the interrogation room one final time. It's important that she corroborates
her daughter's account of how the killings of her husband Mark and son Shaun and the attempted murder of her daughter Sarah
were planned and carried out. - [Daniel] In a case like this, where you cannot put the poison in a person's hand,
it's extremely vital to get that confession and to corroborate it and confirm it.
- ...about my suspicions of Rachel being involved. And you've told me that that's not the case.
However, I wanna know the whole story, how everything got started. And if you decide that
maybe you wanna start telling me the truth, and maybe I'll start telling you some of the stuff
that I've already found out. - Hey Diane, you tell me what you know and I'll tell you what I know.
We'll compare notes, okay? And let's see where the truth is in this thing. All he's doing is manipulating her.
He's trying to get to the bottom, bottom line. What happened here? Why did it happen? How did it happen?
- Rachel told me everything today. 'Cause I know you've talked about how much you love Rachel,
and I told you, this morning when we talked, how I thought you were trying to protect her.
I know that. I understand that, okay? And I appreciate that. But that gig's up. Rachel and I had an extremely long discussion
after I left here. Rachel decided she wanted to get everything off of her chest and tell it all, and she told me.
- Rachel did tell us this. I'm not lying. She did tell us this bit. You fill in the rest.
Now I could tell you everything, but I want you to fill it in for me. He's confirming that what Rachel said was true.
And it's a clever line of inquiry. - Get back to when you guys started to discuss this
and how you guys came up with this plan. - Verbally? - Physically? - You're the mom here. You're Rachel's mother.
It's your turn to do what she did, and do the right thing and tell me. Again, I've already said this a couple times,
I understand you wanting to protect Rachel, but that part, again, it's done. It's done. Let's go, let's get on the truth.
How did Rachel get involved? - Rachel continued to give him the drinks? Doctored drinks, doctored with antifreeze.
What was your...? You guys all got together, obviously, and discussed this. So tell me about that.
- Okay. So after you guys killed Mark and Shaun, obviously, Sarah doesn't know that she's next.
So how did that come about? - So why did you just not let her die? - Why not? - Let me know what you think about this.
- [Vivica] In their confessions, Diane and her daughter Rachel attempted to explain
their motivations for murder. Mark could be rude and abusive when drunk. Shaun was autistic, unpredictable,
and socially awkward. Sarah refused to pull her weight and get employment to pay off her student loans.
In essence, they stood in the way of the life Diane and Rachel envisioned for themselves.
- To think that a mother and daughter can conspire to eliminate, again, those that they want
suggests to me that the mother has something of a God complex. Then if she's also in charge of one's life,
then she can do with life what she wants to. - [Robyn] Diane has a very interesting relationship
with her daughter Rachel. Rachel is almost the epitome of her. She's a church-going person.
She sings beautifully. She's an artist. She places a lot of value on that. And therefore, her relationship with Rachel
is so important to her. She looks at Rachel and she sees herself, in Rachel's eyes.
- [Vivica] Together, mother and daughter were charged with first-degree murder.
But, in the end, Rachel would betray Diane. In exchange for testifying against her mom,
she accepted a plea deal for second-degree murder. Rachel Staudte pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison
with the possibility of parole after 42 and a half years. To avoid a possible death sentence,
Diane also cut a deal with prosecutors. She entered an Alford plea, which acknowledges that
prosecutors have enough evidence to convict her without directly acknowledging the full scale of her culpability.
She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Despite being poisoned,
Sarah Staudte lived. Because of severe physical and neurological damage caused by the poison,
she will spend the rest of her days in assisted living. With the help of the tip from the pastor,
the decision by police to investigate her illness, followed by the skill and perseverance
demonstrated in their interrogations, they have at least delivered some measure of justice to her,
and the rest of her family. (dramatic music)

When Diane Staudte is questioned about her daughter Sarah Staudte’s sudden illness, police uncover a strange coincidence – Diane’s husband Mark Staudte and son Shaun Staudte recently passed away under mysterious circumstances. Information provided by Diane’s second daughter Rachel Staudte leaves police floored. Hosted by Vivica A. Fox, THE INTERROGATION ROOM is a brand new true crime series that brings viewers behind the scenes, where real-life murderers and detectives play cat and mouse. Behind every shocking crime is a detective racing to uncover the truth, and it all comes down to the wire inside the interrogation room.

=============== Like, comment and subscribe if you’re ready for more true crime. Your favorite shows like World’s Most Evil Killers, Meet Marry Murder, Forensic Files, Unsolved Mysteries, Murdered At First Sight and Bloodline Detectives are all available to stream 24/7 for free via the FilmRise Streaming Network. You can access The FilmRise Streaming Network through most free App Platforms and Smart TV portals such as Amazon Fire TV, The Roku Channel, Android, iOS and many more.

Brief Summary

Diane Staudte confesses to poisoning her family, leading to shocking revelations about her daughter's involvement.

Key points

Diane's Tragic Losses. Diane Staudte faces multiple tragedies, losing her husband and son in quick succession.
The Shocking Confession. Diane confesses to poisoning her family with antifreeze, shocking the detective.
Rachel's Confession. Rachel confesses her involvement in the murders but minimizes her role.
Mother and Daughter Conspiracy. Diane and Rachel Staudte conspired to murder family members, revealing chilling motivations.
Diane's Alford Plea. Diane Staudte enters an Alford plea to avoid a death sentence, acknowledging evidence against her.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

You're not gonna believe who it is.

0:38WatchJun 29, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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