How did Bob Eidman die? Details explored in front of 20/20 on ABC

On February 8, 2025By Littum

On June 8, 2007, Bob Eidman, an insurance seller in St. Charles, Missouri, shot and killed in his office in daylight. His death shocked the quiet society where violent crimes were rare.

First, investigators suspected that his wife, Diane, especially after learning that her mother had once been accused of killing Diane’s father. But years later, DNA evidence brought them to an unexpected suspect.

Bob Eidman ran an insurance business that helped people with bad credit get coverage. Since many customers paid in cash, his office often had large amounts of money, which made it a possible target for robbery.

When police arrived at the crime scene, they quickly collected information about Bob. He was 48 years old, married for many years and had no children. As the news of his death spread, friends and colleagues rushed to his office in the hope that it was not true.

Suspicious car

While reviewing security footage from a nearby grocer, police noticed a white Ford focus driving past Bob’s office twice. The second time the car slowed down, as if the driver was looking for something.

Tracking this car became a priority, but it was difficult as there were about 5,000 white Ford focus cars registered in Missouri.

Police thought they caught a break when they found an abandoned white car near the stage, with Bob’s business card inside. The car belonged to Travis Endsley, who had destroyed it the night before. When asked, police noticed a blood space on his shirt.

Endsley explained that he had been drinking the night before, crashing his car and going home. He had no memory of what happened after that. The blood on his shirt was from a nasal bleeding caused by the crash. Police controlled Hans Alibi, found it true and cleared him as a suspect.

When Endsley excluded, police turned their attention to Bob’s wife, Diane. During the question she mentioned something strange:

“Don’t take this as a confession, but … this also happened to my father.”

Diane explained that her father, Jerome Boelling, was a police officer in St. Louis, who had been shot and killed in their home when she was 26. Her mother, Lenore Boelling, was charged with the murder but was found not guilty of 1985.

Bob’s family revealed that he had been uncomfortable with having Lenore live in their home after her trial. He was so scared that he locked his bedroom door at night.

Hidden life insurance policies

Diane initially told police that she had only a small life insurance policy of $ 5,000 through work. But further investigation revealed that Bob had more policies and Diane was set to receive more than $ 300,000 after his death.

At this point, Diane took a polygraft test. The results were indispensable, not a failure, but not a passport that kept her as a person of interest. However, no concrete evidence connected her to the murder.

While checking Bob’s phone registers, police found repeated calls to an unknown number. It belonged to a man from another city, three hours away.

It turned out that Bob had been secretly dated with this man. They often met in motels. Bob’s secret lover delivered an alibi, took a polygraft test and passed. He was cleared as a suspect.

Months went without new leads and the case got cold. Then, three years later, a shocking discovery was made.

Early in the investigation, police had swabbed Bob’s Pants Pocket, where his lack of wallet had been. The DNA results finally came in and matched a man named Paul White.

White had never been to the police radar. At the time of discovery, he was already in prison for a non -related counterfeit crime. Investigators dug in his background and found a connection with the case.

A few weeks after Bob’s murder, White had stopped by police while driving in a white Ford focus. The driver of that car was Cleo Hines.

The police asked Hines and asked him. He quickly admitted that he had driven White to Bob’s office, but claimed he was staying outside while White was going in. According to Hines, White planned Rob Bob but ended up shooting him.

Despite being confronted with DNA certificate, White refused involvement. In 2012, however, he was found guilty of first -time murder and robbery. He was sentenced to two conditions of life in prison without any chance of probation.

Hines took an alford-pleasing (where an defendant does not admit to guilt but accepts the penalty) and was convicted of the second degree of killing and robbery. He was also sentenced to two living conditions, but with the possibility of probation.

After White and Hines were convicted, police met with Diane to officially clear her as a suspect. Detective Don Stepp described her reaction:

“She shaking and crying. She was very glad this was over.”

In the end, Bob’s murder was not associated with his wife, his secret relationship or his mother -in -law dark past. It was a robbery that was deadly, resolved years later through DNA certificate.

Keep an eye on SOAP central for multiple updates.