Springfield, Missouri, is an unassuming town of historical significance. Located in the southwest portion of the state, Springfield is home to about 170,000 people. And although the city is no stranger to violent crime, as many might remember the now world-famous 1992 disappearance of the Springfield Three, it's mostly a quiet place to live.

Mark and Diane Staudte resided in Springfield with their four children. Mark played the guitar and sang lead for a local band, and Diane was a nurse and the family's primary money maker.

On Easter Sunday, April 8th, the paramedics and police were called to the Staudte home to find Mark unresponsive and without a pulse. Initial examination by the paramedics concluded that Mark had been dead for several hours. Nothing seemed unusual except a ring of blood around his mouth. The coroner ruled Mark died by natural causes.

Mark and Diane's 26-year-old son Shaun would be found dead five months later. It would take the second oldest child, Sarah, to be admitted to the hospital in critical condition before an anonymous caller would ask the police to investigate. They feared the members of the Staudte family were being murdered one by one.

Join Cam and Jen as they discuss 'There Were Six: The Staudte Family Murders'

Research and writing by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by OctoberpodVHS & OctoberpodAM
Producer Music & Editing by Nico at We Talk of Dreams


Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staudte_Family_Murders
https://www.ozarksfirst.com/crimetraveler/crime-traveler-the-chilling-murders-of-the-staudte-family/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/149506784/?terms=Diane%20Staudte&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/176114263/?terms=Diane%20Staudte&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/118485077/?terms=Diane%20Staudte&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/126626823/?terms=Diane%20Staudte&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/213404200/?terms=Rachel%20Staudte&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/159818284/?terms=Rachel%20Staudte&match=1
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189253566/mark-alan-staudte
https://www.newspapers.com/image/176114263/?terms=Diane%20Staudte&match=1
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/chilling-story-church-going-mum-7772251

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