Dana Stahl

RobertStJames

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Thought I'd open up a thread on her. She's right at the center of the case, but this is all I've ever been able to find out:

Facts:
--16yrs old at the time of the murders
--Working with Darin at Testenec. Was working with him the night of the murders. Came home with him.
--Engaged to a "Kevin" and apparently living with him
in Oct '95 (per Darlie's diary entry)
--Was at the Routier house until approx. 9pm the night
of the murders.
--Has never been interviewed, and did not testify at the
bond hearing, the trial, or the punishment phase, but was on the witness list.

Close to Facts (from DA's cross of Darin):
--Seems to have been spending the last two weeks living at Routier house prior to the murders.
--Seems to have taken a long time to get home that evening, as various stories have Darin taking her home before 9pm, but not arriving back at Routier house until
10:15pm. She lived only 20-30mins away.
--Darin flirted with her. DA suggested this at trial, but never said what he was basing this on. Darin, of course, denied it.

Rumor
--Darin lived with her and her (now) husband after the trial.
--He was having an affair with her before the murders.
--Darin was attempting to get a $5000 loan to buy her a truck. This loan was testified to at trial (Okie Williams) but Dana's name did not come up, nor any story about the truck. Loan was disguised as "vacation" loan. Story is from Darin, uncorroborated by anyone else.


And that's about it. Anybody else have anything else, or a picture of her c. June 1996?


RstJ
 
RobertStJames said:
Thought I'd open up a thread on her. She's right at the center of the case, but this is all I've ever been able to find out:

Facts:
--16yrs old at the time of the murders
--Working with Darin at Testenec. Was working with him the night of the murders. Came home with him.
--Engaged to a "Kevin" and apparently living with him
in Oct '95 (per Darlie's diary entry)
--Was at the Routier house until approx. 9pm the night
of the murders.
--Has never been interviewed, and did not testify at the
bond hearing, the trial, or the punishment phase, but was on the witness list.

Close to Facts (from DA's cross of Darin):
--Seems to have been spending the last two weeks living at Routier house prior to the murders.
--Seems to have taken a long time to get home that evening, as various stories have Darin taking her home before 9pm, but not arriving back at Routier house until
10:15pm. She lived only 20-30mins away.
--Darin flirted with her. DA suggested this at trial, but never said what he was basing this on. Darin, of course, denied it.

Rumor
--Darin lived with her and her (now) husband after the trial.
--He was having an affair with her before the murders.
--Darin was attempting to get a $5000 loan to buy her a truck. This loan was testified to at trial (Okie Williams) but Dana's name did not come up, nor any story about the truck. Loan was disguised as "vacation" loan. Story is from Darin, uncorroborated by anyone else.


And that's about it. Anybody else have anything else, or a picture of her c. June 1996?


RstJ
According to people who attended the trial, Dana was seen rubbing Darin's shoulders in the courtroom and appearing a little too chummy with him. Some viewed some of the interactions between them as flirty. I think Darlie's attys may have put a stop to that because it did not continue throughout the trial.

Also, Darin claimed that Dana was in his front yard with him after the murders, jumping up and down squealing with delight as he pitched the toys off of the dying wreaths into the Pathfinder. The neighbor said it was Darlie. Either way it looks bad for the both Darlie and her family, including Darin.

I don't think there was any big time delay pinpointed regarding how long it took him to take Dana home, but there was some question about how long it took them to come home from work. It didn't go anywhere but Basia mentioned that they left before she did yet she got to Darlie's first. They all worked in the same place. Supporters have said that Darin picked up his Jag from the mechanic and it broke down, causing them to be late, but that was never argued very factually and times were changed serveral times in the process. No one testified to any such thing happening. I think it probably happened, if it did at all, in the days following the murders and had nothing to do with any of the timelines concerning the crime.

It is very strange that Dana has never been interviewed about this case. She didn't testify obviously because she may have had more information that could hurt Darlie than help her. Strange that she won't speak about it at all though. She was on the Leeza Show with her family once and ran off the stage in tears unexpectedly. Personally, I think she knows a big percentage of what happened that night and that is why she isn't talking about it.
 
Goody said:
<...>
It is very strange that Dana has never been interviewed about this case. She didn't testify obviously because she may have had more information that could hurt Darlie than help her. Strange that she won't speak about it at all though. She was on the Leeza Show with her family once and ran off the stage in tears unexpectedly. Personally, I think she knows a big percentage of what happened that night and that is why she isn't talking about it.
Thanks for the info. I was afraid that nobody at all knew anything about her! I've been able to piece together a bit more info. They were driving the Pathfinder that night, both back from work and taking her home, the Jag being in the shop (where I think an irate shop owner was calling Darlie wanting Darin to come pick it up, and one would assume, pay for any repairs). Darin at first tries to claim they were home before 10. He then switches to "around 10:15." Darlie's story says that "around 8:30" the boys came in and she asked Darin to take Dana home. That's always been put at about 9pm, yet Darlie never describes a half hour's worth of activity, so I'm thinking that time was really closer to 8:30. So, the 20-30mins to take Dana home was probably closer to two hours.

There was an article published in 2001. It used to be at this link:
http://web.star-telegram.com/content/fortworth/2001/06/03/state/fw010108-0603-XA001-routier.htm
(dead link -- anybody know how to find this article?).
It was a "five years later" article, and although I've never read the article itself, I've read the discussions of its content and it seems Darin was living with Dana and her new husband. His business was down to two customers and he was dead broke. He even mentioned he'd been living in a school bus or something like that for a time.

I could never figure out what the prosecutor was basing his questions on or what he was hoping to get Darin to admit to. I agree, Dana would not take the stand for the defense if her testimony were damaging to Darlie, yet if that was the case, you'd think she'd be a great witness for the prosecution. They didn't call her either. She *was* sworn in, however. I just can't tell whose witness list she was on. Maybe the DA was afraid that anything which cast Darin in a bad light would be damaging to their case. I'm sure Darin didn't want his wife getting a walk at the expense of pointing the finger of suspicion at himself, and there was always Devon's death that could be hung on him. I've always wondered if the backup plan wasn't to go after Darin if they didn't get a conviction on Darlie. A curious fact (I believe from Hush Little Babies) is that Darin did not attend the prosecution's part of the trial. He stayed back at the hotel and pumped family members for details each day. He did show up for the defense segment, and I guess that's when the "back-rubbing" thing happened.

All in all, very strange. A key witness never called by either side. She was there before the murders, she was there that night, she was at the "silly-string" funeral, she was even the one who bought the stilly-string. Yet never testified, never interviewed.

Anybody seen the silly-string video? What does she look like in that?



RstJ
 
http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/crime/criminals/darlie-routier/


Caution -- Not a website for children.

My theory on Dana is that there was probably nothing seriously inappropriate going on between Darin and Dana. I think that Darlie may have thought that there was. My opinion of why the prosecution didn't put her on the stand is because they were pretty sure she'd lie, as Darlie and Darin did, so why bother?
 
Jeana (DP) said:
http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/crime/criminals/darlie-routier/


Caution -- Not a website for children.

My theory on Dana is that there was probably nothing seriously inappropriate going on between Darin and Dana. I think that Darlie may have thought that there was. My opinion of why the prosecution didn't put her on the stand is because they were pretty sure she'd lie, as Darlie and Darin did, so why bother?

I still can't ID Dana in those pictures. Is she the fourth one to the right in the silly-string by the grave picture? The one with no head?

I supposed if you fed her some diet pills, dyed her hair blond, and gave her 5k worth of silicon, she might be Darin's dream girl. I noticed Darin said Darlie's boob job was 5k, and there he was trying to borrow another 5k for reasons unknown, although Darin claims it was for a truck for Dana. He's going to put 5k into a truck for his sister-in-law when his own Jag was 10k? I don't believe that. Nor do I believe Darlie had any vacations to Cancun planned. Well, I guess we'll never know the truth on that one.

I can see why the DA wouldn't bother to put someone on the stand if they figured they were just going to lie. Yet I can't see why a DA wouldn't be able to shred a 16/17yr old if she did lie. And what was she going to lie about?

DA might grill Darin on this point in order to show that Darlie was irrationally jealous. Not sure what he was getting at with bringing up the whole "two weeks" angle.

What do your friends in LE think of Dana?


RstJ


RstJ
 
RobertStJames said:
I still can't ID Dana in those pictures. Is she the fourth one to the right in the silly-string by the grave picture? The one with no head?

I supposed if you fed her some diet pills, dyed her hair blond, and gave her 5k worth of silicon, she might be Darin's dream girl. I noticed Darin said Darlie's boob job was 5k, and there he was trying to borrow another 5k for reasons unknown, although Darin claims it was for a truck for Dana. He's going to put 5k into a truck for his sister-in-law when his own Jag was 10k? I don't believe that. Nor do I believe Darlie had any vacations to Cancun planned. Well, I guess we'll never know the truth on that one.

I can see why the DA wouldn't bother to put someone on the stand if they figured they were just going to lie. Yet I can't see why a DA wouldn't be able to shred a 16/17yr old if she did lie. And what was she going to lie about?

DA might grill Darin on this point in order to show that Darlie was irrationally jealous. Not sure what he was getting at with bringing up the whole "two weeks" angle.

What do your friends in LE think of Dana?

I think if they thought it was necessary in order to get a conviction, they would have put her on the stand. I don't think it was necessary and obviously they didn't either. Shook shred Darlie on the stand. I doubt it would have taken even half of his efforts to shred Dana, but for what? To hear more lies? Cloud an already bizarre situation? No. I think the prosecution did an awesome job of showing that the center of Darlie's world was Darlie. The entire world already knew Darlie was irrationally jealous and it was made worse by the fact that she was (in her mind) fat and undesirable. Darin's business was failing and I think he was working his *advertiser censored* off to try and bring it back. However, I think Darlie probably thought he was seeing someone else. She asked for that separation (or something equally bizarre (suicide)) every time things didn't go her way. Its my theory that Darin was sick and tired of catering to her b.s. insecurities, etc. and may have said he wanted a separation/divorce too and she blew a gasket.

I don't speak for anyone who was involved in this case, but its my feeling they pretty much think the family is "trash."
 
Jeana (DP) said:
<...> Darin's business was failing and I think he was working his *advertiser censored* off to try and bring it back. However, I think Darlie probably thought he was seeing someone else. She asked for that separation (or something equally bizarre (suicide)) every time things didn't go her way. Its my theory that Darin was sick and tired of catering to her b.s. insecurities, etc. and may have said he wanted a separation/divorce too and she blew a gask

But the situation you're describing sounds like it would be more likely to blow Darin's gasket, not hers. I heard a rumor that one of Darin's major clients had dropped him because too many boards were failing after Testenec had certified them. This certainly fits with the drop-off in revenues for 1996. They'd had a big year in 1995. Then, in the five months of 1996, they aren't even bringing in enough to cover their bills. 77k in outgoing checks, 72k in deposits. I think those are the numbers. Financial stress combined with a spendthrift wife with a big mouth that's always threatening divorce--that's a recipe for murder.

I don't speak for anyone who was involved in this case, but its my feeling they pretty much think the family is "trash."

I can understand their frustration. Two dead children and a couple of parents who can't tell a coherent story. Odds point to the husband, but the wife is swearing up and down he didn't do it even though her description of the attacker sure sounds like Darin (jeans, t-shirt, black cap, long hair, tallish). And she was a direct eyewitness, right at the scene. LE probably wondered just what the hell was going on, why she'd cover for him. Not to hard to go from there to thinking maybe it's him covering for her, and she just lost it.

And that would be believable except she's just got too many wounds on her in too many classic defense wound locations. Stabbing herself in her right arm when she's right handed? Huh?

RstJ
 
RobertStJames said:
And that would be believable except she's just got too many wounds on her in too many classic defense wound locations. Stabbing herself in her right arm when she's right handed? Huh?

RstJ

That's crap Robert!!! LOL No defense wounds!!!!!! Besides, she didn't stab herself in the right arm on purpose. It was an accident. :p :p :p

Explain to me how it would have been SOOOOOOOO difficult for Darin to walk up to the couch Darlie was sound asleep on and put a knife in her chest.
 
Jeana (DP) said:
That's crap Robert!!! LOL No defense wounds!!!!!! Besides, she didn't stab herself in the right arm on purpose. It was an accident. :p :p :p

Explain to me how it would have been SOOOOOOOO difficult for Darin to walk up to the couch Darlie was sound asleep on and put a knife in her chest.

We'l have to disagree on that one and I don't want to turn this into a "Darlie's Wounds" thread.

Do we have any idea why Dana was staying at the Routiers? Darin refused to answer the DAs question about this, saying Dana was there "off and on" for two weeks. The DA told him point blank that Dana had been there for two weeks solid and the night of the murder was the first night she'd spent away from the house.

"off and on" is a favorite Darin phrase when he doesn't want to answer a question. His Jag is broken down "off and on." The garage door is open "off and on." Darlie sleeps on the couch, "off and on." Dana stays at the house "off and on."

What do you make of his blurriness?


RstJ
 
RobertStJames said:
We'l have to disagree on that one and I don't want to turn this into a "Darlie's Wounds" thread.

Do we have any idea why Dana was staying at the Routiers? Darin refused to answer the DAs question about this, saying Dana was there "off and on" for two weeks. The DA told him point blank that Dana had been there for two weeks solid and the night of the murder was the first night she'd spent away from the house.

"off and on" is a favorite Darin phrase when he doesn't want to answer a question. His Jag is broken down "off and on." The garage door is open "off and on." Darlie sleeps on the couch, "off and on." Dana stays at the house "off and on."

What do you make of his blurriness?


RstJ

Well if you don't want to discuss defense wounds, don't read my other response to you on the other thread. :D :D

I think she was staying over there because she had a hell of a lot more freedom at Darlie's house than at her mothers. I don't know Darlie Kee personally, but did correspond with her a number of times. Its my feeling that while she was more "lenient" with her children than I am, Darlie's house had more of a "party" atmosphere than her mother's house. There was talk of marajuana, cocaine and plenty of alcohol. In fact, one of the crime scene photographs appears to show a vodka bottle with the top still off in the hot tub house.

Secondarily, I think that since Darlie wasn't working, Dana hung out with her and kept her company.

Define Darin's "blurriness"?????
 
Jeana (DP) said:
Well if you don't want to discuss defense wounds, don't read my other response to you on the other thread. :D :D

I think she was staying over there because she had a hell of a lot more freedom at Darlie's house than at her mothers. I don't know Darlie Kee personally, but did correspond with her a number of times. Its my feeling that while she was more "lenient" with her children than I am, Darlie's house had more of a "party" atmosphere than her mother's house. There was talk of marajuana, cocaine and plenty of alcohol. In fact, one of the crime scene photographs appears to show a vodka bottle with the top still off in the hot tub house.

Secondarily, I think that since Darlie wasn't working, Dana hung out with her and kept her company.

Define Darin's "blurriness"?????

Yes, I could see how things would have been more fun at the Routiers. Hot tub, booze, some ganga (I think the coke was just a rumor, wasn't it?) and no bed time (pun intended). I recall that Darin was giving the kids hell for "emptying out the hot tub." No idea if that was true or not.

Dari's bluriness comes up anytime certain issues are discussed. DA says he was broke. Darin says he had plenty of $$$. Jag was broken, but was it a $3000 fix, an $800 fix, or a "3 dollar tube." Darin can't seem to recall if he had pants on or not when he came downstairs. He won't give a straight answer about how long Dana was staying at the Routiers. Nor about how often Darlie slept downstairs. Did he fix the fence or not? He says yes, crime scene says no (or he did a poor job of it). Was he in the house when Waddell arrived? He says he was, Waddell says he was already outside.

It's a long, loooong list of things Darin can't quite seem to give the right answer to. And that loan is one of them, and the loan supposedly has to do with some truck he was helping Dana buy. 5k buys plenty of truck, more than a 16yr old, who's living at the Routiers where she has a ride to and from work, is going to need. And a lot more money than I see Darin tossing away on his sister-in-law when he's so broke he can't even get his Jag fixed.


RstJ
 
I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to add my thoughts to this. Maybe the defense didn't want Dana to testify because what she'd said could've been damaging for Darlie's defense, sure... For example, if Darin and Darlie had a fight that night, or if Darlie had to ground the boys or anything of that kind... it would have been turned against Darlie.

But also... maybe they didn't want her to testify because it could have been damaging to Darin. As I said in the other paragraph... let's say Dana witnessed a fight between the two, that night or maybe some other time... and she heard Darin threaten Darlie. Well then... yes, it could've helped Darlie, but it would have been damaging to Darin and I'm sure he was not ready to let that happen.

I don't know... but to me, she should've been interviewed in court, by both sides. She was the last person to see them all before the tragedy happen. She saw things. Heard things. And... since she had been sleeping there quite often (off and on... haha) well... she had the opportunity to witness just how things really were in the family and between Darlie and Darin over the last weeks.
 
Yes this is a really old thread, but I‘ve always thought the fact that Dana wasn’t interviewed totally amazing. And I think the thread is relevant now for a lot of reasons.

Now that the last ditch DNA analysis really is debunking the intruder idea (since there is literally no evidence of one), supporters are starting to turn on Darin. We’ve seen it here, buried in other threads.

Darin incredulously arrived on the scene for the first time during the 911 call, as heard in the background, and was in the background until officers arrived (not running down the ally with a sock). But some supporters claim he was the intruder Darlie described. Some supporters have approached both Darlie R and Darlie K to get their buy-in on this theory. Tellingly, neither one will cooperate. Darlie Routier won’t blame Darin for fear the real truth will come out if he gets pushed into defending himself.

So why did Darin lie for her repeatedly and claim she’s innocent? He failed a lie detector test when asked if he knew who did it. I’ve always puzzled about his support.

Was he feeling guilty? Dana was 16. Was he afraid his involvement with Dana pushed Darlie’s already-fragile psyche to the edge? Or that it would put him behind bars if his relationship with a minor was revealed? It’s all just speculation, of course, but a whole lot doesn’t add up. Darin and Darlie argued fiercely about something that night and she was sleeping on the couch because of it. Why did Dana go “home” to her boyfriend’s house that very night after 2 weeks at the Routier’s? And why was Dana so obviously absent later - when she was a key witness?

As an underage victim (if she was one) she needed protection; I get that and support it. But lots of questions have answers that could help explain motive and reasons for complicity.
 
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