Overview of Diana Ault
Diana Ault was a young mother of two.
The 26 year old paralegal was taken by surprise in the hallway, suggesting she didn't know or couldn't tell an intruder had been in the home. The scene left behind appears to suggest that the killer waited for Diana to return home, cornered her in the kitchen, and shot her at close range in the neck. The bedroom had been ransacked, most likely prior to Diana's murder. The crimescene suggested that the perpetrator knew her husband, Tim Ault, had a pistol in their bedroom, and took the time to find it and use it to kill Diana. Diana's family was perplexed, as she was always described by everyone she knew as as kind and gentel person without any enemies.
"Somebody shot mommy" Diana's son Josh, 4 years old
Diana's killer picked up Josh, who was four years old, and put him in the bedroom closet before leaving the home with Diana's car. He had reportedly tried to call 911, but couldn't figure out how to do so. First responders found him and his younger sister standing next to Diana's body, crying.
A prowler sighted... About 15 minutes before Diana's body was discovered, a call came in about a "prowler" by a church field. The caller claimed that there were two people that drove a car into a church parking lot, abandoned it, and ran through a nearby field on foot. The car was Diana Aults'; it was left running. The car also had a gun and spent shell casing inside.
Carolyn Heckert was named as a chief suspect in this case and in the murder of Sarah Jo DeLeon years prior. Carolyn allegedly worked with an unnamed accomplice to intimidate love rivals. Carolyn reportedly had links to both women's partners. She was the ex-girlfriend of Matt Ulrich, Sarah's boyfriend. Carolyn was also actively having an extramarital affair with Diana's husband Tim. Both victims reported strange, harassing phone calls and threatening comments from Carolyn. Carolyn was acquitted due to a lack of evidence, but family still strongly suspects that she has at least some involvement.
Another unsolved murder... Police also suspect that Carolyn was the assailant in another murder before Sarah or Diana's. On February 13, 1987, a woman was possibly tricked to get into a limousine that took her to an American Inn Motel in the area. Where she was then never seen or heard from again. There is little information on this event, but police speculate that it was part of Carolyn and her partner's MO to remove rival women from the dating pool.