Diane Staudte
Diane Staudte's Facebook page
Rachel Staudte
Rachel Staudte's Facebook page
Daughter of woman charged in homicides of husband, son is also charged
A daughter of the Springfield [Missouri] woman who was charged Friday with killing her husband and son by poisoning them with antifreeze has now been charged with murder, as well, according to a news release from the Greene County prosecuting attorney’s office.
Rachel E. Staudte, 22, of Springfield, was charged Saturday with first-degree murder in the death of Mark Staudte and first-degree murder in the death of Shawn Staudte. She is also charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with serious injuries suffered by Sarah Staudte. These events occurred between April 8, 2012, and June 12, 2013, the news release said.
Rachel Staudte’s mother, 50-year-old Diane Staudte, was charged Friday in the case. According to a probable cause statement, police received an anonymous call June 11 that Diane Staudte was possibly responsible for “two or three homicides.” The caller talked about the deaths of Staudte’s husband, Mark, and son, Shawn, and the recent hospitalization of her daughter, Sarah.
According to the probable-cause statement regarding charges against Rachel Staudte, Diane Staudte originally told police she was the only one involved and no one else else had knowledge of the events. As the investigation continued, the detective obtained information that another of Diane Staudte’s daughters, Rachel Staudte, was possibly involved, the document said.
Rachel Staudte was interviewed Friday at police headquarters and denied involvement in the case, the statement said, but after being confronted with evidence she then reportedly admitted she was involved in the deaths and assault.
During a subsequent interview, Diane Staudte then admitted that she and Rachel Staudte had planned, researched and committed the crimes together, the statement said.
Police say Sarah Staudte is expected to live, though “she may have permanent damage from the poison,” according to the statement.
In the case against Diane Staudte, the probable cause statement said that “eventually, she admitted that she used antifreeze to poison them all. She admitted that she researched the use of antifreeze as a poison on the Internet.”
She said she put antifreeze in her husband’s Gatorade, and had killed him because she hated him; she said she put antifreeze in her son’s Coke because he was “worse than a pest,” and she said she poisoned her daughter because the daughter did not have a job and had student loans that had to be paid, according to the statement.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney T. Myers. It is being investigated by the Springfield Police Department.
http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...field?gcheck=1
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