Naman Shrestha
On the fateful day of June 8, 2007, an insurance salesman named Robert Louis “Bob” Eidman was found dead inside his office at a small strip mall in Saint Peters, Missouri. Being a beloved figure in the community, all his loved ones and acquaintances were deeply affected by his passing. While the community was rocked to its core, the police launched an investigation that went through several twists and turns. One of the prime suspects in the case was none other than Bob’s longtime wife — Diane Eidman. The entire case and the years-long investigation are explored intricately in the episode titled ‘File ‘M’ for Murder’ of ABC’s ’20/20,’ which also features exclusive interviews with Bob’s family members, who offer new insights into his life and the case as a whole.
Diane Eidman Gave Suspicious Statements During Her Questioning
After Bob Eidman’s mail carrier discovered him lying in a pool of his own blood inside his insurance office, he immediately called 911 and informed the authorities. Given the fact that the cause of death was reportedly a fatal gunshot wound, the police were almost certain that it was a straightforward homicide case. However, upon the discovery of large sums of money in his office drawer and his secret relationship with a man named Drew Smith, the detectives turned their attention to Bob’s wife, Diane. According to reports, she did not have much of a reaction when she found out about her husband’s unexpected death. During the interview, she revealed that the couple had been struggling to get by as the insurance business wasn’t making a lot of profit at the time.
When she was asked about life insurance policies that she was bound to receive, she claimed that she was up for a $5,000 policy after Bob’s demise. Addressing her late husband’s affair, Diane also admitted that she had learned about it by going through an email between him and Drew. However, upon confronting him, she said that he denied having an affair. Asked about any potential enemies, she pointed suspicion towards a business rival named Jack Michaels due to a past altercation he had with Bob. Soon, the authorities realized that Diane had lied about the insurance policy sum during the interview. It was actually approximately $400,000 and not a mere $5,000, as she had mentioned. What turned her into a prime suspect in the eyes of law enforcement was a statement she made about her family history.
She told the detectives that something similar to this happened to her father too. She said, “Somebody broke into the house and shot my dad.” Her mother was charged with the murder of her father, but she was eventually found not guilty. Suspicions were raised towards her, and she was asked to take a polygraph test. She took the test, but the results came back inconclusive. Due to a lack of evidence against her, the case went cold for several months before the police discovered DNA evidence, which belonged to a male, inside the victim’s back pocket. Finally, Diane was cleared as a suspect. After three long years, the detectives found out that the DNA belonged to Paul White, who ended up getting convicted and sentenced to two life terms for being responsible for the killing of Bob Eidman. His accomplice, Cleo Hines, also received two life terms for the crime, but with the possibility of parole.
Read More: Paul White: Where is the Killer Now?
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