"The Diane Borchardt Story:"
In 1979, 31-year old Diane Pfister met 25-year old widower Ruben Borchardt, who already had two children, Chuck and Brooke, from his recently deceased wife Susan. They shortly got married and had a daughter named Regan.
Diane was a teacher at the local high school. Even the students liked her, calling her "Mrs. B". This included Joshua Yanke, 16, and Douglas Vest, 17. They shared their troubles with her.
Diane resented her husband's two children. By the 1990s, Diane became more controlling and erratic. In one argument, Diane smashed a flower vase on Ruben's head. She would call the police sometimes and falsely say Ruben was assaulting her. Diane would assault Ruben and turn it around on him to make it look to the police like he hit her.
In 1993, Ruben was pushed to the brink. He realized he couldn't be with her any longer. He found a girl named Judy. Ruben announced he was filing for divorce. He was going to marry Judy. Diane filed for sole custody of the children, claiming constant neglect. Ruben, however, got custody of the children and the house. The court ruled that Diane had to leave the house by April 15, 1994.
Ruben was terrified at what his former wife would do. He lined the stairs with glass jars as an alarm system in case Diane, who had threatened to castrate him, came in the house to hurt him.
Diane, a classic manipulator, told two of her students - Douglas Vest and Joshua Yanke that Ruben had beaten her. They recruited 15-year old Michael Maldonado. With a promise of cash, cars and jewelry, Diane hired the three boys to kill her husband. Vest and Maldonado were to shoot Ruben in his sleep while Yanke was to unhook the phone and make sure Ruben's son, Chuck didn't interfere.
On April 2, 1994, Diane started a fight with Ruben, trying to take a sewing machine that belonged to Ruben's first wife Susan. Diane tried to get Ruben to hit her, but the argument escalated to her jumping on Ruben's back and hitting him. Ruben threw her off him, which did bruise her arm. She called the police, who told her to leave a volatile situation. Diane left with Regan, having official witnesses seeing their departure, establishing an alibi.
The next morning, Ruben awoke early to attend church. As he was coming up the steps, Malando shot him twice, then the three hitmen fled, dumping the shotgun in a vacant lot. Chuck awoke and found his father bleeding on a chair. Ruben managed to say "I can't believe she did this to me." Ruben is rushed to the hospital, but dies later.
Ruben's murder happening two weeks before Diane had to move out made her the prime suspect. No one had doubt, but she had not physically done it. Though Diane thought she had gotten away with it, Ruben's life insurance payout was frozen, since she was a suspect in his murder. Diane was unable to pay the boys, who turned themselves in.
Douglas Vest confessed to the police. He and Malando were convicted of first-degree murder and were sentenced to life. Yanke plead guilty to second-degree intentional murder and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
On August 1, 1995, Diane Borchardt was convicted of first-degree murder & sentenced to life.
In 1979, 31-year old Diane Pfister met 25-year old widower Ruben Borchardt, who already had two children, Chuck and Brooke, from his recently deceased wife Susan. They shortly got married and had a daughter named Regan.
Diane was a teacher at the local high school. Even the students liked her, calling her "Mrs. B". This included Joshua Yanke, 16, and Douglas Vest, 17. They shared their troubles with her.
Diane resented her husband's two children. By the 1990s, Diane became more controlling and erratic. In one argument, Diane smashed a flower vase on Ruben's head. She would call the police sometimes and falsely say Ruben was assaulting her. Diane would assault Ruben and turn it around on him to make it look to the police like he hit her.
In 1993, Ruben was pushed to the brink. He realized he couldn't be with her any longer. He found a girl named Judy. Ruben announced he was filing for divorce. He was going to marry Judy. Diane filed for sole custody of the children, claiming constant neglect. Ruben, however, got custody of the children and the house. The court ruled that Diane had to leave the house by April 15, 1994.
Ruben was terrified at what his former wife would do. He lined the stairs with glass jars as an alarm system in case Diane, who had threatened to castrate him, came in the house to hurt him.
Diane, a classic manipulator, told two of her students - Douglas Vest and Joshua Yanke that Ruben had beaten her. They recruited 15-year old Michael Maldonado. With a promise of cash, cars and jewelry, Diane hired the three boys to kill her husband. Vest and Maldonado were to shoot Ruben in his sleep while Yanke was to unhook the phone and make sure Ruben's son, Chuck didn't interfere.
On April 2, 1994, Diane started a fight with Ruben, trying to take a sewing machine that belonged to Ruben's first wife Susan. Diane tried to get Ruben to hit her, but the argument escalated to her jumping on Ruben's back and hitting him. Ruben threw her off him, which did bruise her arm. She called the police, who told her to leave a volatile situation. Diane left with Regan, having official witnesses seeing their departure, establishing an alibi.
The next morning, Ruben awoke early to attend church. As he was coming up the steps, Malando shot him twice, then the three hitmen fled, dumping the shotgun in a vacant lot. Chuck awoke and found his father bleeding on a chair. Ruben managed to say "I can't believe she did this to me." Ruben is rushed to the hospital, but dies later.
Ruben's murder happening two weeks before Diane had to move out made her the prime suspect. No one had doubt, but she had not physically done it. Though Diane thought she had gotten away with it, Ruben's life insurance payout was frozen, since she was a suspect in his murder. Diane was unable to pay the boys, who turned themselves in.
Douglas Vest confessed to the police. He and Malando were convicted of first-degree murder and were sentenced to life. Yanke plead guilty to second-degree intentional murder and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
On August 1, 1995, Diane Borchardt was convicted of first-degree murder & sentenced to life.
100% happy with it
