Shivangi Sinha
In June 2007, a mail carrier arrived at Bob Eidman’s insurance office in Saint Peters, Missouri, and found him shot to death. He immediately contacted the police, and an investigation was prompted. Although authorities pursued several leads, none were supported by sufficient evidence, and no suspects were charged at the time. It wasn’t until three years later that forensic evidence provided a fresh perspective on the case, and it led to new breakthroughs. ABC’s episode of ’20/20′ titled ‘File ‘M’ For Murder’ explores the crucial evidence that ultimately helped police identify and apprehend the killer and brought the case to a close.
Bob Eidman Was Attacked and Killed at His Workplace
On July 18, 1958, Robert Louis “Bob” Eidman was born to Virginia and Richard Eidman. He grew up alongside his brother, Glenn Eidman, with whom he shared a close and loving relationship. He was known for his jovial and humorous nature and always brought laughter to those around him. Outgoing and charismatic, he had a natural ability to understand people’s emotions from a young age. Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Bob eventually built a career in the insurance industry and settled in Saint Peters, Missouri. He was well-liked in the community and had earned the trust of his clients, which helped him establish a strong reputation for his reliability and hard work.
By 2007, Bob had established his own business, Brooke Auto Insurance Company, and was in a long and happy marriage with Diane Eidman. He primarily served clients with lower financial resources and those with less-than-perfect credit, and it appeared that his business was thriving. On June 8, 2007, his mail carrier arrived at his office and discovered him lying in a pool of blood. He immediately called for help, and the police responded to the scene. When they arrived, they determined that Bob had been shot three times and had died from his injuries.
The Police Chased Various Cold Leads in Connection to Bob Eidman’s Murder Case
Given the nature of Bob Eidman’s business, where he kept a large amount of cash in his office, the police initially suspected the murder might have been an attempted robbery. They found spent casings and live ammunition at the scene. While there was no forced entry, it was possible that the gates to the business were left open, and anyone could walk in. The police reviewed surveillance footage from nearby locations and observed a white Ford Focus driving past the building several times before stopping right outside shortly before the shooting occurred.
The only item missing from Bob’s office was his wallet, so the police took the DNA from his pocket and sent it for analysis. Meanwhile, they began examining his life for potential clues about his enemies. Their first focus was on his wife, Diane Eidman. It was alleged that she did not appear shocked or saddened by her husband’s death, which raised suspicion. When questioned, she directed the police toward a man named Jack Michaels, with whom Bob had a business rivalry. Due to some struggles in Bob’s business, the two had argued over potential clients, but this lead did not provide any solid evidence.
The police uncovered additional information about Diane, which revealed that she was the beneficiary of a $400,000 life insurance policy taken out in her husband’s name. She had downplayed the amount when speaking to investigators and had also failed to disclose that Bob had been having an affair. He was secretly involved with a man named Drew Smith, and Diane had discovered the relationship just days before the murder. Phone records showed that Bob had asked Drew to avoid meeting for a while for this reason. However, when the police looked into the latter, he had a solid alibi. They also administered a polygraph test to Diane, but the results were inconclusive.
DNA Evidence From the Crime Scene Helped Police Find Bob Eidman’s Killers
By then, the police had received the results from the touch DNA analysis, which confirmed that the DNA belonged to a male. This ruled Diane Eidman out as a suspect, and the case reached a dead end. There were no further leads until March 2010, when the FBI database identified a match to a man named Paul White. He had been a client of Bob’s and had known him for some time. Paul also had an extensive criminal record, and just months before the murder, he had been stopped for a traffic violation while driving a white Ford Focus along with a man named Cleo Hines.
At the time, Paul was already serving a sentence for a forgery charge. When questioned about Bob’s murder, he immediately denied any involvement. Even when confronted with the fact that his DNA had been found at the crime scene, he claimed he had no idea how it got there. The police then brought in Hines for questioning. When investigators revealed that his car had been seen near the crime scene, the man confessed. He explained that the night before the murder, Paul had lost money at a casino and came up with the idea of committing a robbery. After attempting to rob a few other locations without success, Paul mentioned that he knew someone who might have a huge amount of cash—Bob Eidman. Ultimately, the former also gave a similar account. Both Paul and Hines were convicted of their crimes and sentenced to life in prison.
Read More: Paul White: Where is the Killer Now?
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