Why Is Elizabeth Diane Downs Wrong

May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs tried to shot and kill her three children on a lonely road in Springfield, Oregon. Downs drove her bloodied children to an emergency room, and went on to tell police the children were shot by a bushy haired stranger. Doctors worked hard to save the children, and the 8-year-old daughter, Christie Ann, and 3-year-old son, Stephen Daniel, survived; although, badly disabled. The 7-year-old daughter, Cheryl Lynn, tragically passed away (Link 3). When informed of her child’s death, Downs asked if the car had bullet holes in it (Link 3). As the story fell apart, the police soon zeroed in on Downs as the main suspect.

A compulsive journal-writer and talker, police discovered Downs’ tragic past. Her father molested her, her first husband was abusive, and she tried to kill herself multiple times (Link 3). Bouncing from job-to-job, and man-to-man Downs soon fell obsessively for Lew Lewiston. However, Lewiston did not want to have children, so Downs tried to simply her life, by eliminating her children (Link 4).
After thirty-six hours of deliberation, the jury found Elizabeth Diane Downs guilt of murder, attempted murder, and first-degree assault. Downs found herself sentenced to life in prison plus 50 Years (Link