Diane shot herself in the arm then drove to a hospital. [24] Lane County District Attorney Douglas Harcleroad wrote to the parole board, **"Downs continues to fail to demonstrate any honest insight into her criminal behavioreven after her convictions, she continues to fabricate new versions of events under which the crimes occurred. Downs faced her second parole hearing on December 10, 2010. The court without comment turned aside Downs' appeal that claimed she had been wrongly denied a tentative parole release date and a hearing. Diane Downs, born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1955, is a convicted murderer who is serving life in prison. We went out to go meet this person for the photographs. Diane Downs is shown here being led into the Lane County Courthouse on the first day of her 1984 trial. Previous Post By 1983 Downs was having an affair with Robert Knickerbocker, a married man whom she was "obsessively" in love with, according to Murderpedia. Only three years into her sentence, Downs managed to escape from the prison in Oregon where she was being held. Diane Downs remains in prison in California. Downs was eligible to apply for parole in late 2020. Downs, 48, has made several losing appeals on various grounds since she was convicted of murdering 7-year-old Cheryl and attempting to murder 8-year-old Christie and 3-year-old Danny. Down's Parole Hearing: Downs declared her innocence in her first parole application in 2008. Either it got pushed off again, or more likely, she was denied parole once again. At her 2008 parole hearing, Downs blamed the shootings on Haynes and suggested he had . Around 1981, Diane met Robert Nick Knickerbocker and the two began a torrid love affair. Downs is serving a life sentence plus 50 years in prison for her crime. SALEM -- Elizabeth Diane Downs, Oregon's notorious child killer, was denied parole today. "[24] Downs participated in the hearing from the Valley State Prison for Women. Diane Downs. She was denied parole and, under a new law . Early Parole Hearing. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The Oregonian's continuing coverage of Diane Downs. Downs feared the coronavirus would cause many deaths in her prison. How climate change and forest management make wildfires harder to contain, Disparity in police response: Black Lives Matter protests and Capitol riot. Downs participated in the hearing from the Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, California. Your IP: Thirty-five years ago, Diane Downs, now 64, was convicted of shooting her three children- Danny . Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Cops said they found no gunshot residue that would point to Downs' version of events, as well as blood splatters which were inconsistent with the theory. SALEM, Ore. -- The Oregon Parole Board will consider granting Diane Downs freedom on Friday, Dec. 10 - with or without Downs. Felton asks if she still maintains her innocence. Share Tweet Share. How old is Diane Downs? ET. "In her first application for parole in 2008, Downs reaffirmed her innocence. Downs escaped from the Oregon Women's Correctional Center on July 11, 1987, and was recaptured in Salem, Oregon, on July 21, after going on the run. She was denied parole in December 2008 and again in December 2010. But even when she couldnt find a sitter, Diane still went to work, leaving her six-year-old daughter Christie in charge. Sara enjoys any weird & wonderful films that come her way, particularly serious comedies & humorous dramas. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). While her children were still in the hospital, Downs began giving media interviews, telling strange stories and explaining her innocence. Christie suffered permanent partial paralysis on one side of her body. Psychiatrists also diagnosed her with a raft of mental health issues. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Author: KGW Staff. Any article that makes you shiver with fear or disgust. Upon entering high school, Diane began to dress more maturely, date older boys, and was expelled from school for promiscuity. Downs was found guilty and sentenced to life plus fifty years. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The two had a tumultuous marriage, frequently fighting about money and alleged infidelities. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. She says, "No I will not. After being recaptured, she was transferred to a more secure facility. Receive our top stories in your inbox each morning. I have never changed my story. Prison records in New Jersey provide the following information about the inmate: Elizabeth Downs SBI Number: 000443335B The most recent Diane Downs parole hearing was in 2021, but her efforts did not bear fruit. Diane Downs gave birth to a girl named Amy Elizabeth on June 27 that same year. Sample Page; ; The Parole Board took less than half an hour to deny her parole and also extended her next hearing for another ten years saying she lacks remorse and remains a danger to society. Not quite clear on why her two children ended up adopted by the prosecutor And not with their father, her ex-husband. Christie Ann, born in 1974, is the eldest of the Downs children, and Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, born in 1979, is the youngest. Diane Downs quick facts. All the conspiracies about this financier, Diane Downs: The most famous murderous mother of all time, True crime: Unpack this case filled with murder and frozen fries, The murder of Daniel Pearl: Learn about the horrendous case. Error! "[24] Her first parole hearing was on December 9, 2008. Use the 'Report' link on Downs tried to win him back, but Nick refused her flat-out, telling Diane he wanted no part in being a daddy to her children. Why dont the Electoral College and popular vote always match up? He claimed to be an FBI agent. Her first three children with her husband Steve are Stephen "Danny" Daniel (born 1979), Cheryl Lynn (born 1976), and Christie Ann (born 1974). Over the years, Diane has maintained her innocence, though she constantly changes the perpetrators in her story from hijackers to corrupt cops, to drug dealers. Prepare to be disturbed! Officers launched an investigation into her strange behaviour - which included phoning her lover once she arrived at the hospital, her children citing they were scared of their mother, and Christie Ann reacting in a terrified manner when her mother visited her in hospital. Be Truthful. . Downs, who still maintains her innocence, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, plus 50 years. Diane is alive and kicking and is currently 67 years old. In a past parole hearing Diane Downs, true to form, burned the ears off the parole board with lies and nonsense. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Diane Downs at her Salem parole hearing today, via live video feed. We can offer advertising partnerships for every type of brand including: guest posts, newsletter features, social media stories and full campaigns. That's where she is right now, behind bars, but this year, in 2020, there is a possibility of her being released on parole. Her next parole hearing was scheduled for 2021, but I couldn't find any information about it. Dianes story was turned into made-for-TV movie Small Sacrifices, starring Farrah Fawcett. Steve Downs, their father, actually left Diane in 1980 because he thought that Danny was the result of an . In her application for parole, Downs reaffirmed her innocence, saying, "Over the years, I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my . Within three weeks, Diane had lost custody of her remaining wounded children and had become the number one . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Convicted child killer Diane Downs is seen on a video as the Oregon parole board unanimously rules that she remains dangerous and must stay in prison during a hearing at Chemeketa Community . Her three children, Christie, 8, Cheryl, 7, and Danny, 3, were in the back seat covered in blood: they had been shot point blank. He asks Downs if she would like We're excited to work with you on your story. by Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, She then drove at a pace of between 5-7 mph to the local hospital, according to witnesses, where she then claimed to hospital staff she had been car-jacked by a stranger who shot herself and her children. "She will always maintain her innocence," Welch says. After Diane was convicted, Christie, Danny, and newborn Amy (later called Becky) were adopted by different families. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. She is a vile person. The parole board denied her request and scheduled her next parole hearing for 2021. Sirhan's younger brother, Munir Sirhan, has said his brother can live with him in Pasadena, California, if he is . What's next for abortion rights in America? Authorities became suspicous of Downs almost immediately, describing how she was strangely calm when she arrived at the hospital. She remains in prison today, in California, at a higher security facility. She said. Downs was found guilty on June 17, 1984, of killing her 7-year-old Two weeks later, she was discovered just blocks from the prison, in the home of another inmates husband. SALEM - The state Court of Appeals rejected a request for an early parole hearing Wednesday from Elizabeth Diane Downs, who fatally shot one of her children and wounded two others in 1983 in one . small yellow piece of paper. Downs was incarcerated at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. Keep it Clean. Downs remains in prison at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, along with several other high-profile criminals like Helen Golay, Olga Rutterschmidt, Omaima Nelson, and, until her death in 2011, Dorothea Puente. That's it. Take a look below for 26 more bizarre and interesting facts about Diane Downs. Shell die in prison. All the conspiracies surrounding Nicola Bulleys disappearance and death, Who killed Jeffrey Epstein? . Shortly after her death, Zadie's mother, Stephanie Diane Smith, mourned her daughter's death on Instagram. She wrote to Downs in her younger years and has stated that she regrets it, regarding her mother as "a monster."[16]. 'The Staircase': Is it the most bizarre murder case ever. Don't Threaten. in 2008 during Downs' first hearing. She seemed more interested in contacting Knickerbocker than she did getting a hold of their father, Steven Downs. The results of McAnulty's appeal beg the question of whether Downs . Under Oregon law, as a dangerous offender she will be eligible for a parole consideration hearing every two years until she is released or dies in prison. The case against the "mommy murderess" went to trial following clues and evidence which contrasted her story that claimed she was innocent. [13], Prior to her arrest, Downs became pregnant with a fourth child and gave birth to a girl, whom she named Amy Elizabeth, a month after her 1984 trial. On the night of May 19, 1983, Diane Downs entered an emergency room bay in Springfield, Oregon. Her next parole hearing is scheduled for 2021. However, Downs had a plan to gain sympathy from the jury. She was denied parole in 2008 and again in 2010. Downs escaped from the Oregon Women's Correctional Center on July 11, 1987, and was recaptured in Salem, Oregon, on July 21, after going on the run. Diane Downs did a famous interview which we often see clips of but I've never seen the uncut version. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Her story did not involve seeing a shaggy-haired man. Prison for Women in Chowchilla, Calif. She's against a light green I got out of the car. Diane tried to get work as a surrogate but failed psychiatric tests that showed her to be intelligent but psychotic. Without grief. She has been denied parole twice during her time in prison; her next hearing is scheduled for 2020. Get the latest breaking news, sports, entertainment and obituaries in Eugene, OR from The Register Guard. "It's always an adventure.". The action you just performed triggered the security solution. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. In this video, I break down a portion of the. She alternately refers to her assailants as a "bushy-haired stranger", two men wearing ski masks or drug dealers and corrupt law enforcement officials. It was that fast. A split decision occurs when the members of a two-person parole hearing panel do not agree on (1) whether a person is suitable for parole, or (2) the length of a denial period (15, 10, 10, 7, 5, or 3 years) for a person who is unsuitable for parole. She was denied parole in December 2008 and again in December 2010; however, she is eligible to try again in 2021, at age 65. to participate in the hearing. When questioned about the events that occurred, Downs explained the story of a man who flagged her down off the side of a dirt road, while her three children were sleeping in the backseat. She received a life term plus 50 years and is in a women's prison in Chowchilla, Calif. "I wish you'd taken me with . When she arrived, Cheryl was dead, Danny was paralyzed from the waist down, and Christie had suffered a stroke that impaired her speech. I read this book due to curiousity and having read Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule and wanted another perspective on the case. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a180490cb3825e9 The case won national notoriety when Seattle crime author Ann Rule published a book about the subject, "Small Sacrifices.". Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. . The case of Diane Downs is one such narrative that shocks us with its gruesome content. Posted More Than Ten Years Ago by julia2. I still worry about them and love them, though theyll never know it., https://heavy.com/entertainment/2020/07/diane-downs-today-where-prison/, Imagine being so awful that your children regret reaching out to you. On a warm May night in 1983, Downs drove to the emergency room in Springfield, Ore. This was Downs' first parole hearing. background. No parole board is going to let her go. She was arrested the following February and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years. Police found her answers and reactions to her childrens condition to be off-putting. "Over the years," she said, "I have told you and the rest of the world that a man shot me and my children. Downs was sent out of state after she escaped from the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem in 1987. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism l"%33Vl w%=^i7+-d&0A6l4L60#S She was found guilty of murder and two counts each of attempted murder and criminal assault after her daughter, Christie, gave evidence at her trial. 2008, Diane Downs was denied parole. Elizabeth Diane Downs (ne Frederickson; born August 7, 1955) is an American criminal who murdered her daughter and attempted to murder her other two children near Springfield, . The emergency room staff declared Cheryl dead at the scene and placed the other two in the hospital with life threatening injuries. 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