A House Full of Witnesses | The Murder of Ame Deal

0:00 Welcome to True Crime Stories with Crime-Otrorion.

0:20 Amy Dill should have been a thriving and happy 23-year-old, and instead her legacy is one of heartbreak and suffering. Child abuse can take many forms, and the bystander effect may cause us to believe that what happens within another family is not our business. In reality, it is everyone's business to call out abuse and contact authorities whether you are a mandated reporter or not. Amy was treated differently from her siblings by the entrusted adults in her life. culminating in one of the most disturbing instances of child abuse and murder I've ever covered.

1:09 On July 24, 2000, Shirley and David Dill welcomed little Amy into the world in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. Right from the get-go, there were issues within the Dill family. Shirley and David had been married for four years by the time Amy was born, and during her pregnancy with her, Shirley dropped a bombshell. She told David that she had been with another man and couldn't be sure whether he was the father of her unborn child. The couple had given birth to two other children before Amy came along, although the details of their parentage are unknown.

1:47 July 24, 2000 should have been one of the happiest days of their lives as a married couple. But David couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the birth of his potential daughter. Despite their questions about who the birth father was, David was listed on Amy's birth certificate, and the two tried to start afresh as a family unit. Shirley stopped seeing her boyfriend and it seemed things were looking up for a while. In a bid to get away from their old lives, Shirley, David, Amy and her two siblings moved to Wisconsin.

2:28 The joy was short-lived and soon after settling into Wisconsin, Shirley whisked herself and her three children back to Donora, Pennsylvania to live with her mother. According to reports, the man Shirley had been dating while married had played a part in Amy's upbringing. Life settled down for a few years, and Amy flourished under the guidance of her mother and grandmother. But David wasn't ready to give up on his family.

3:00 Shirley received a call from David one day. He begged and pleaded with her to reunite. He wanted nothing more than to have his family back.

3:13 Shirley later told the media that she felt very pressured by David to move back in with him. At that point, David lived in Midland, Texas with his mother, Judith Deal, and his sisters, Cynthia and Amandia Stoltzman. Shirley reluctantly moved into the Midland, Texas home with her children, and as soon as she crossed the threshold into the home, the horrors began. According to her, David and his family treated her like a servant. By Shirley's account, she was forced to do everything around the house in addition to looking after her three children.

3:56 David and his family called her names, abused her, and physically assaulted her. The rest of the family allegedly sat around the house, doing nothing to help Shirley. She does claim, however, that the children were never abused.

4:14 Sometime in the late 2000s, Shirley was kicked out of the Midland, Texas home, and David threatened never to let her see the children again. According to reports, Shirley suffered from undisclosed disabilities, was terrified, and didn't know what to do Shirley would move to Iola, Kansas, where she would continue to try and reunite with her husband and her children Shortly after Shirley was kicked out, the Deals moved to Texas, Utah, Pennsylvania, and Arizona When the Dale family settled down in Ogden, Utah, it wasn't long before DCFS became involved.

4:58 When Amy arrived at James Madison Elementary, her teachers immediately knew something was wrong.

5:07 Juleen Boydston, one of Amy's teachers, stated that she was constantly coming to school dirty. One time she came to school with cat urine in her shoes and it smelled so bad that the counselor came and cleaned her and got some shoes for her. We could tell she was kind of a scapegoat in the family. She was the one that got the brunt of everything. That was pretty obvious.

5:32 According to Jalene, DCFS had already intervened with the deals due to the squalid living conditions. Cynthia Stoltzman, who was listed as Amy's legal guardian, had been sent to parenting classes, but this did little to help Amy. When David and his family learned of DCFS's involvement via Amy's school, Amy and her siblings were withdrawn from the school. This led the family to move to Phoenix, Arizona, where Amy would suffer the most. In 2010, Amy's life would take a turn for the worst. The timeline is murky and some details have not been confirmed.

6:19 According to court records in the summer of 2010 Samantha Allen the daughter of Cynthia Stoltzman her husband John Allen and their four children moved into the home that David was living in at the time located at 3731 West Romley Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona. The adults present were Amy's father, David Deal, David's mother, 62-year-old Judith Deal, David's sister, 44-year-old Cynthia Stoltzman, her daughter, 20-year-old Samantha Allen, Samantha's husband, 23-year-old John Allen, David's daughter, 20-year-old Cassandra Deal, and Cassandra's boyfriend, Travis Naylor, and a woman named Debbie Smith.

7:08 It is believed that Amy's two older siblings lived there as well. The small suburban home in Phoenix, Arizona was not equipped to deal with this many adults and children, and according to reports, tents had been built in the backyard as living quarters. Everyone in the family treated Amy as the black sheep. Due to the questions surrounding her paternity, she was seen as different from everyone else. David did not care for his daughter as displayed by his transfer of guardianship to his sister Other adults in the house treated Amy with complete disregard There was an unwritten rule You could do whatever you wanted to to Amy and nobody would stop you After DCFS intervention in Utah Amy and her siblings were strictly homeschooled The deals had moved several times, not just state to state, but area to area to avoid DCFS.

8:16 Samantha Allen had taken an instant dislike to little Amy under the direction of Cynthia, Amy's legal guardian. Samantha made it her job to punish and discipline Amy, but her methods of punishment were barbaric and brutal.

8:35 Samantha and her husband John would hit Amy with a large wooden paddle they called the butt buster. She would also be hit numerous times with a belt for minor indiscretions. Amy began to turn into a mild and meek child who was scared to put a foot out of place. Samantha and Cynthia would also force Amy to walk barefoot on the pavement in the scorching Arizona heat for 15 minutes. Neighbors watched as little Amy was forced to walk on boiling concrete until she screamed and had large blisters on her feet.

9:13 The Phoenix Times even reported, One neighbor later mentioned that they never contacted authorities because they didn't want to break the family up. The torture for Amy didn't end there. Whenever she misbehaved, she was force-fed hot sauce until her mouth and throat burned. When she got used to the hot sauce, the Dill family shoved dog excrement into her mouth, forcing her to eat that instead. While the numerous children in the deal household were given the naughty step, Amy was forced to hold herself in backbends for hours at a time.

10:03 When her tiny body collapsed due to exhaustion, John Allen would swoop in and put her right back in position, threatening her not to break the position again. The most horrific punishment given to Amy and Amy alone was the box. Whenever Amy had really misbehaved, she was forced into a 31 by 12 by 14 inch plastic box with the lid and latches. Amy would be forced into the box for hours at a time with just a few holes for ventilation. According to David, Amy would sometimes kick her way out of the box or loosen the lid for more air.

10:46 This would become part of his defense later on. The abuse toward Amy continued day after day. Being homeschooled, Amy had nobody to save her. Neighbors continued their lives, disregarding the children living in the tents next door. Whenever someone in the home saw Amy being abused, they ignored it, rationalizing to themselves that she somehow deserved it. By July 2011, Amy stood at just under 48 inches tall. The average height of a healthy 10-year-old is around 50 to 59 inches. She also weighed under 60 pounds.

11:30 The average healthy weight of a 10-year-old girl is 70 pounds and up. Amy was frail, starving, and deprived of love and affection. Despite everything Amy faced, she continued to try to be an ordinary little girl.

11:49 She cautiously navigated life, ensuring not to anger the adults in her home. In actuality, anything that Amy did would trigger the deals. Whenever she mimicked the behavior of the other children who received the naughty step, Amy would instead get the box. This would lead to July 12, 2011, a day that Phoenix, Arizona would never forget.

12:18 July 12, 2011 was a hot day in Phoenix, Arizona. Historical weather data showed highs of 100 degrees and an average temperature of 95 degrees. The children of West Romley Avenue had planned to take to the streets for a water fight. Water guns, water balloons and hoses were armed and ready, but in the mid-morning, a police car crashed through the street. Officer Albert Salais of the Phoenix Police Department received a call from dispatch requesting assistance at the West Romley Avenue home Officer Solays was close to the scene and accepted the call As he drove, he learned the details.

13:07 There was an injured child. He said, all of the natural instincts of a veteran cop kicked in. Solaes ran to the front door of the deal home and was greeted by a large Rottweiler. A female voice shouted, Don't shoot the dog! The dog eventually backed down and Solaes was able to make his way to the garage.

13:34 When he finally reached the garage, he saw Amy's lifeless body on a blue carpet. The carpet was marked with a pool of urine and it was clear that Amy was dead. Solace described her body as being curled into the fetal position with claw-like hands. Her lips and skin were blue. CPR was attempted, but by the time officers arrived, rigor mortis had already set in and Amy's body was stiff. Her clothes were filthy and soiled, and her tiny body was covered in marks and bruises.

14:14 Soleil said that the entire deal home was filthy. There was an abundance of cockroaches, soiled menstrual products, and feces. There was a sea of litter and rubbish, and it was hard to see the floor in some parts. It was clear to officers that this home was not fit for children or adults. They focused back on the task at hand, mentally noting the conditions for later.

14:42 Amy's tiny body was transported to the hospital, while Officer Solace and other officers from the Phoenix Police Department took statements. According to Solace, when he approached John Allen to take his account, he was sitting on a swing as if nothing had happened. In his first statement, John said that at around 1 a.m., He and Samantha went to bed, while Amy, his 12-year-old child, and a 3-year-old child were still awake, playing hide-and-seek. When he awoke the next morning, he found Amy's body in the box.

15:21 Salais knew John was lying, so he spoke to John's 12-year-old daughter. Salais said, the 12-year-old had the look of a scolded child who didn't want to be there and really didn't want to talk. The 12-year-old had been coached on what to say, but she let slip one significant detail. She went to bed at 9 p.m., not 1 a.m.

15:47 Cynthia Stolsman, the legal guardian of Amy, was telling everyone that Amy was dead only minutes after she had been pronounced dead at the scene. The news hadn't yet made its way to the family, so how did she know? Nobody at the scene showed any emotion and there was no crying, wailing, sobbing, or screaming that one would expect with losing a child. Phoenix police officers described seeing a sea of blank faces as if it was a regular summer morning at West Romley Avenue. A week later, John and Samantha were arrested and brought in for formal questioning after officers had had time to examine the crime scene and available evidence.

16:34 The evidence of Amy's autopsy will be covered later in the episode. At first, John Ellen stuck to his original story. Then he said that his three-year-old daughter might have put Amy in the box as a prank. Over time, John was worn down by Solaes, who was determined to get to the truth. Finally, after hours of intense interrogation, John snapped. During a break, which neither Samantha nor John realized was recorded, John said, We should have come up with something very solid, all together as a family, and nobody would have to take the fall.

17:14 When the interview continued, John confessed putting Amy in the box on the night of July 11th as part of her punishment. Amy's punishment started on the evening of July 11th. As detailed by court records, that evening, Amy was forced to do wall stands for several hours until around 7.30 p.m. Following hours of excruciating pain, Amy was forced to do backbends for another few hours. Court records indicate that Amy's sibling, CJ, witnessed John and Samantha torturing Amy. Amy was forced to stay in backbends well into the night.

18:02 CJ and likely others in the deal home heard Amy crying out in pain. each time she cried out John would pick her up and place her back in position sometime that evening before John and Samantha went to bed they forced Amy into the box she was already sweating and overheating from being forced to do back bends and wall sits

18:29 Samantha told John that Amy would likely escape from the box as she had done many times before Before they went to bed, John grabbed a padlock and sealed Amy into the box before leaving her to die in the garage, which was around 100 degrees. John and Samantha went to bed and had apparently intended to check on Amy after an hour. John told officers, I just didn't get up. And Amy was forced to endure an evening in the plastic box with a few holes for ventilation. John revealed the reason for Amy's punishment.

19:09 On July 11th, the Deal children, bar Amy, were given a popsicle to help them cool down in the sweltering heat Exhausted hungry and thirsty Amy snuck into the kitchen and grabbed herself a popsicle from the freezer This enraged John Samantha and Cynthia Amy Deal died confined in a tiny plastic box because she stole a popsicle. Samantha would later say, Amy Lydon stole, therefore she deserved to be punished by them. Dr. Philip Keene of the Maricopa Medical Examiner's Office carried out Amy's autopsy.

19:57 He concluded that Amy died of asphyxiation after suffering heat exhaustion and dehydration.

20:05 Amy Dale's death was officially ruled a homicide. Officer Seles told the Phoenix News Times that he had been called to the West Romney Avenue home one to two weeks before Amy's death. This call had been concerning children throwing rocks. He questioned how he failed to spot the signs at the deal home and how other agencies also failed Amy. DCFS and other states had concerns over the care of Amy Dale and her siblings, so why had this not transferred to the relevant office?

20:48 24 people were crammed into the small West Romney Avenue home, yet nobody noticed what was happening to Amy. Neighbors recalled seeing Amy being forced to walk on scorching concrete, yet nobody called it in.

21:04 On July 27, 2011, Samantha and John Allen were formally charged with Amy Dill's murder. Cynthia Stoltzman and Judith Dill were arrested and charged with child abuse and kidnapping shortly after. Amy Dill's case hit the headlines and the community was outraged. DCFS and other services received significant backlash and pressure in the wake of Amy's death. Amy Dill's death, abuse and torture were preventable had the proper authorities taken action. There was also outrage over the fact that David Dill hadn't been charged.

21:50 His arrest would come on June 16, 2013 for attempted child abuse. Social services in Phoenix made several statements and promised reforms, but it was too late for Amy. David Dill was sentenced to just 10 years for his charge of attempted child abuse. Cynthia Stoltzman received 24 years for child abuse, and her mother, Judith Dill, received 10 years on the same charges. The trials of John and Samantha Allen would come in 2017. There was significant media presence, with the community also turning out.

22:34 People found it hard to believe that two people could inflict such cruelty upon a 10-year-old girl who had done nothing to them. During the trial, Samantha would state that Amy was more difficult than the other children. Similarly, John noted that Amy lied and stole, which led to severe punishment for her.

22:57 In August 2017, Samantha Allen was sentenced to death for the murder of Amy Dill. John Allen's trial began in November 2017.

23:11 Final statements were read in December, and the jury was sent to deliberate. The jury was shown transcripts, videos of John and Samantha's interviews, and horrific crime scene photographs. The prosecution stated that John had known Amy had suffocated to death weeks before her autopsy was finalized. The jury filed into the Maricopa County Court days later, and the verdict was read, Guilty. His sentence? Death.

23:52 After being read the verdict, John Allen broke down blubbering. He told Amy's family that he was sorry and that her death had been an accident. I want to say that I'm sorry. What happened was an accident. I'm an idiot. I'm a jerk. It was an accident. I'm sorry to Amy. I'm sorry to her family. I think that's all.

24:19 At the trial, Shirley Deal, Amy's mother, said, The death penalty is too good and too easy for you. I want you to suffer till death. The only thing you deserve is where you are going when you leave this earth.

24:37 Appeals by John Allen have been filed, but none have been successful as of yet. There is no execution date set for John or Samantha as there is a moratorium in effect in Arizona. This is also exasperated due to a supply issue with the drugs used for lethal injection.

25:00 Judith Dill's case is listed as absolute discharge, which means she is now out of prison. Cynthia Stoltzman is set to be released in 2036.

25:19 Thank you for listening to Crimatorium. Please join me each week for more true crime episodes that are most often lesser known cases. If you like the show, please consider reviewing the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podchaser. Until next time, take care everyone.