“It was a difficult decision, but we did it for my mother, for the kids” - Diane Malone's brother on accepting David Malone's guilty plea

The 2004 murder of Diane Malone at the hands of her husband, David Malone, at their Long Beach home is the focus of the new episode of American Monster. Diane was found stabbed and bludgeoned to death in her bedroom by her neighbors as her eldest daughter, Audrey (6), drew attention to the crime scene.

As David Malone pled guilty to the murder of Diane and apologized for his crimes, the community speculated on how Diane's family made peace with it by accepting the plea deal. The New York Post reported Diane's brother, Joseph Gabrinowitz, reportedly shared,

“It was a difficult decision, but we did it for my mother, for the kids. We did it for them, not for him."

The American Monster episode titled I Saw Dad Kill Mom showcases David Malone's arrest as it aired on Investigation Discovery on June 16, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST. The official synopsis reads,

"The lives of a beautiful young family in Long Beach, New York, rip apart when five-year-old Audrey witnesses her mother, Diane, brutally stabbed to death; to Audrey's horror, her mother's murderer is somebody very close to home."

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How did Audrey call for help for her dead mother?

Diane Malone had stepped out to visit the local supermarket and had left her three children with her mother-in-law, Joan Malone, at their 91 Alabama Street home. David Malone, who had moved out of the house, had paid a surprise visit and had asked his mother to leave him alone with the children.

The New York Daily News reported that the Long Beach authorities believed that David waited around for Diane to return when he attacked her. Diane was allegedly stomped on and stabbed 13 times, including once in the heart. According to the New York Times, David alleged that Diane had asked him to babysit the three children - Audrey (6), Matthew (3), and Nathan (1).

David Malone has been sentenced to 17 years to life in prison (Image via Unsplash)

David fled the scene on foot, leaving the three children at home with their dying mother. The New York Daily News reported the Malones' neighbor, Rawa Lazaar, shared that she spotted Audrey smeared in her mother's blood, asking her,

“Can you come play with me? Mommy’s not moving."

The children have been leading their usual lives as their grandmother, Diane Gabrinowitz, and their aunt Dorothy have been taking care of them as legal guardians. Diane's brother and Audrey's uncle, Joseph Gabrinowitz, shared with the New York Post,

“Kids go up to Audrey at school and say, ‘You know, you’re daddy killed your mommy. They don’t know what they’re saying, but I still think they need to get out. Here, they’ll always be those kids.”

The family has since considered moving out of Long Beach to allow Audrey, Matthew, and Nathan a fresh start in life.

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Did David Malone plead guilty to the charges?

David Malone had initially pled not guilty to the murder of Diane Malone. However, he chose to plead guilty as part of a plea deal to Nassau County Judge William Donnino during his trial in August 2005, per LiHerald. David Malone was sentenced to 17 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 17 years.

As he awaits his parole eligibility date, Diane Malone's family would prefer to keep the children away from their father and lead independent lives, per the New York Post.

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Catch all the details of Diane Malone's murder on the new episode of American Monster as it streams on Discovery Plus and Prime Video.