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Diane Downs | |
|---|---|
 Downs in 1984 | |
| Born | Elizabeth Diane Frederickson August 7, 1955 |
| Occupation | Postal worker |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated; earliest possible release 2025 |
| Spouse |
Steve Downs
(m. 1973; div. 1980) |
| Children | 5[a] |
| Conviction(s) |
|
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 25 years |
| Escaped | July 11–21, 1987 |
| Details | |
| Date | May 19, 1983 |
| Location(s) | Springfield, Oregon |
| Killed | 1 |
| Injured | 2 |
Date apprehended | February 28, 1984 |
Elizabeth Diane Downs (née Frederickson; born August 7, 1955) is an American woman who murdered her daughter and attempted to murder her other two children near Springfield, Oregon, on May 19, 1983. Following the crimes, she made claims to police that a man had attempted to carjack her and had shot the children. She was convicted in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. She briefly escaped in 1987, but was quickly recaptured. Downs has been repeatedly denied parole and psychiatrists have diagnosed her with narcissistic, histrionic, and antisocial personality disorders, with one labelling her as a "deviant sociopath".[1][2]
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