McAmis, "Shaun we argued on a lot because I still think we could have put him in assisted living, but [Diane] wanted him out." Heres what you need to know: Jim Pex, a former criminalist with the Oregon State Police Crime Detection Lab, explains how he used dolls & strings to help the 1983 investigation into whether Diane Downs herself shot her three children. There was just a little part of me that felt like I was searching for something else. She is currently lodged at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, California. Local police alerted the public to be on the lookout for a dangerous man with a gun as the toll of the attack on Downs and her children became clear: seven-year-old Cheryl was dead; three-year-old Danny was permanently paralyzed from the waist down; and eight-year-old Christie was clinging to life, having suffered a stroke because her blood pressure was so low. She attended the 'Moon Valley High School' in Phoenix. You know Jim, I've faith in God. Do you believe Chris Watts motive was to start a new life, (child free) with NK? Seifer said the woman introduced herself later, not as Downs but as a girl with no clothes on. He said the two had a sexual relationship while she stayed at the home. Soon, she began thinking of launching a surrogacy clinic, but the venture failed. When it came my time to burn, I was just going to tell the truth and get it over with, he said. Just ask him to forgive you and he and told her who I wanted to talk to. I hate what you did and you The test reports suggested that she was intelligent but also psychotic. was, "You told Jim Haynes you love him." Let's say that you know there was a ANTIMONY AND BARIUM was, "Like cocaine man." today. However, her constant nagging, that he should leave his wife, suffocated Nick. I shouldve turned her in, but I didnt, Seifer said. but before I ever met him, Fran was sure he wanted to talk to me about the According to Diane, she was afraid that if she asked Mark to leave, he would kill himself. The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. Well that stopped me right there, because I What came next kind of surprised me, but the first one to provide the information that gets Diane out of prison is the Inside Edition writes, [Christie] said that her mom stopped the car, walked to the trunk, got something out, and then reached inside the window and shot her and her siblings. In the final moments of Diane's confession, she says she regrets doing what she did. said you would disappear for several days at a time. It just doesn't make sense to me for someone to confess that they shot someone Soon they turned their sights onto Rachel's 26-year-old autistic brother Shaun, killing him as well. The gun owned by Diane Downs turned up in a drug raid in Perris, California where a detective involved in the case, Dick Tracy, had been employed prior to his move to Oregon. After high school, she joined the Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College. Cheryl Lynn Downs was seven years old so why would he brag that he did such a horrendous thing? The first thing Det. Yes his friends said he bragged about it On May 19, 1983, Downs shot her three children: Stephen, Cheryl, and Christie. In the final moments of Diane's confession, she says she regrets doing what she did. friends, Jim Haynes is proud of what he did. said it was like someone operated on you and took your backbone out. you had run someone off the road. Investigators later found that Downs had called Nick from the hospital. Post Office. The children stayed with her, her parents, Steve, and Dannys father, in rotation. justice system put the right person in prison. After a 20-second silence, Diane softly utters, "I didn't know what else to do.". of a mistake or maybe it wasn't, but one of the things she pointed out to me Why did either. You need to sign nightmares? With no source of income, Downs decided to become a surrogate mother but failed two qualifying psychiatric exams. old so why would he brag that he did such a horrendous thing? The first question I have is: If you didn't shoot my daughter Downs escaped the Oregon Womens Correctional Center on July 11, 1987 after scaling the fence while guards were not looking. $100.000.00. She had a bullet wound in the arm, and the three kids in the back of the blood-soaked car had all been shot at close range. and her children, why did you confess to your friends and family that you did? ballistic. Downs was convicted of shooting her three children: Danny, Cheryl, and Christie in Springfield, Oregon 37 years ago. ten years to talk to someone about this." Downs, too, was shot in her forearm. each child. ', Downs was eligible for parole after spending 25 years in prison. Rachel was sentenced to two life prison terms plus 20 years, but will be eligible for parole after 42 years. And so, on June 17, 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of all charges against her and was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years. The Oregon Parole Board. name is Wesley Frederickson and I am offering a The paper was blank, but FBI lab tests revealed the indentation of the address of the house that someone had written on a piece of paper on top of the blank sheet, according to the Associated Press. of your guilt. She was just emotionally flat and preoccupied with something else.. Ryan Ferguson, Who Was Wrongfully Convicted of Murder, Is Competing on 'The Amazing Race' Season 33, What Happened to Casino Magnate Ted Binion? Clayton told me you were a 7th degree "I'm sorry for what she went through," Diane says. wasn't till I read her affidavit that I learned that Clayton had murdered "Animal", because it kind of fits the way animals behave toward other animals. Psychiatric tests revealed that Downs was narcissistic and histrionic and had antisocial personality disorders. BALLISTICS She then drove them to the 'McKenzie-Willamette Hospital,' where Cheryl was pronounced dead. However, after that, she became a rebellious child. had said, but I began to wonder what I meant when I told you I don't hate you. how many people you have told about it. The outlet reports that Steven accepted the child even though he was not the biological father. too. Why did she do it? Downs was obsessed with her former lover, who had broken up due to her unethical demands. The eldest of four children, Downs was raised with conservative values. like an idol to him. In a clip from tonights episode obtained by People, Babcock shares, I knew my entire life that I was adopted I cant remember a specific time when my mom or dad said youre adopted. But when I was about eight years old, I started asking questions about the adoption. and set her free from prison. I got your address in Springfield at 468 N. 17th Avenue, but I've been told BLOOD SPATTER If you were angry with their mother, why didn't you shoot her and leave the Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. She made it angry enough to throw dishes or chairs or anything and no one punched anyone in Christie, her 8-year-old daughter, lost so much blood that she had a stroke,and her 3-year-old son, Danny, was paralyzed. Wayne Seifer, the man who hid Diane Downs, the mother who was convicted of murdering her daughter, after she escaped the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in 1987, said he "should've turned . Let's do the right thing and set Diane Downs free from prison and let the confessing to murder of children. strange thing that I didn't even know that Clayton had been married. Clayton told me you were the only person he The only eight-ball I ever knew about was on a pool table. Downs briefly attended Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in Orange, California but was forced to leave after just one year for "promiscuous behaviour". She became pregnant, and in 1979, gave birth to Stephen Daniel Danny Downs. She reveals to Det. Not retired detective Doug Welsh . The first time I met Clayton he told me, "I've been waiting for HOME Developed by William Estler in the 1940s, this tomato is known for its large size, sweet flavor, and disease resistance. After Downs was convicted, Danny and Christie were adopted by the prosecutor dealing with the case. Downs was pregnant when she was arrested. results in her being set free, I will pay the reward for that too Once again, There is a way to correct that. Downs was sentenced in 1984 to prison for life plus 50 years for shooting her three children and killing one in 1983, ABC News reported. (AP). of God are yes and I believe that. https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. Estler's Mortgage Lifter tomato is one of the most popular heirloom varieties that is perfect for home gardeners. The same rules apply. The cop, identified as Vishal, was seen coughing second before collapsing Hooper was a language teacher at Howard Middle School in Orlando. How can you stand to live with yourself? He told me you told black belt in karate and he respected your skills. Clayton told me when he went to see you the day after the shooting you were The cops said the shooter held the gun from 0 to 6 inches from Downs began a relationship with Steve Downs, whom she had met in high school. After everything was said and done, psychiatrists diagnosed Diane . She was 9 at this time. At this point, the details come tumbling out of Diane. Clayton told me you were angry with Diane, but I would need to make peace with God and get away from devil worship. made sense to me that he was indicating you ran someone off the road there. At this point, Diane made it sound as if Mark, Shaun, and Sarah were willingly consuming antifreeze, until Det. Diane Downs shot her three sleeping children in 1983 and later told police a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids. Notice how she says "for what she went through" and not "for what I did." grandchildren. I asked '20/20's' coverage of Diane Downs and the actions that led her to be sentenced to life in prison is a good portrayal of what really happened. DIANE DOWNS: MURDERER OR VICTIM. prison totally exonerated of all charges. The day Diane walks free from She's been called "evil" and "the . I left!! If you have the information the money is sitting in a bank waiting for you. She was sentenced to life plus 50 years for the crimes. Every time I talk to one of your Elizabeth Diane Downs talks about her conviction for killing her 7 year old daughter and wounding two of her other children in Springfield, Ore., during an interview at the Correctional Institute . reward for information which will prove Contact me at No one." Same rules apply. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. However, the most crucial statement that led to her arrest was that of her daughter Christie, who identified Downs as the culprit. Tonight, June 21, convicted killer Diane Downs daughter will appear in an encore airing of My Mothers Sins on ABC News 20/20. You would go off into Downs had affairs with a few of her colleagues, which resulted in the birth of Stephen Daniel "Danny" Downs in December 1979. Jim, he really had a hard time of Cheryl Downs. In 2012, over a five-month period in Springfield, Mo., Diane Staudte, along with her daughter Rachel, systematically poisoned members of her own family using antifreeze. McAmis that she was putting the antifreeze into Shaun and Sarah's sodas over the course of two days. I have some things I need to say to you and some [email protected] and I will instruct you who to send the information to. McAmis asked Diane if Rachel was involved in the murders. Ruger #14-76187; Diane's gun, was not the murder weapon. The man who hid convicted child killer Diane Downs after she escaped from prison in 1987 said he shouldve turned her in to police. Diane Downs claimed that her car had been hijacked near Springfield, Oregon, and a stranger had shot them. Her second parole application was rejected on December 10, 2010. Meanwhile, Christie Downs was slowly beginning to tell what she remembered of the shootings. pointed to a room where the door was closed. Since she was 16, Downs was in a relationship with Steven Downs, whom she promised to stay loyal to while at Bible College. She gave birth to their first child, Christie Ann, in 1974. She then made pleas on the news for the safe return or her children before finally tearfully confessing to the murders. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. No, I don't. "I showered, slept for 4 hours, woke up and drank water, then went back to sleep for 16 more hours. Diane Downs, the woman who had shot her three children, killing one is trending as she has opened up about her life in jail during the coronavirus pandemic. Tomatoes are a great choice for beginners as they're easy to care for and c, Tips for Successful Tomato Farming in Hot and Humid Climates, Tomato farming in hot and humid climates can be a challenge, but with the right preparation and care, you can still have a successful harvest. Until the age of 14, Diane Downs followed the conservative values of her family. Clayton then told me you stopped her and said, "It's 1981- February- Diane meets with a psychiatrist in Phoenix, AZ. Okay, Jim, According to a witness's statement, Downs was driving slowly that night, which contradicted what Downs had stated earlier. But in 1984, her second daughter Christie was brought to the court as a witness and she identified Downs as the person who had shot at them. 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