Inmate Name: Diane Metzger
Charge: First-degree murder
Sentence: Life without parole
Prison: Baylor Women?s Correctional Center - Delaware

Diane Hamill was born in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania in 1948. She was a young girl who struggled with self-esteem problems, did not consider herself attractive, was overweight, but was extremely bright. When she graduated high school, she didn't go to college, but did pass the Mensa exam, a national testing program for those with IQ?s of more than 130. She decided to get her own apartment and an office job, where she met Frank Metzger in 1968. He was 12 years her senior and estranged from his wife and three sons. She was a statistician?s assistant; he was a chemist.

At first, they were just friends but from the beginning, Frank pursued her. She says his constant attention was exciting and flattering. A year after they met, they were deep into a relationship. Frank was in the process of getting divorced but lack of money seemed to keep it from being finalized.

In 1969, Frank?s wife, Marti became pregnant for the fourth time. Frank claimed it wasn?t his child but that it had been fathered by one of her boyfriends and Diane believed him. Diane and Frank moved in together in 1969 but they were constantly engulfed in financial difficulties trying to support two households. Most of Frank?s paychecks went to support his wife and boys so they lived on Diane?s meager secretary salary.

In February 1973, they moved to Miami, Florida and in May Diane found out she was pregnant. Frank called Marti to see if their divorce had gone through. Diane claims she said she'd gotten a ?quickie? divorce shortly after Frank ?disappeared?. In August Diane and Frank got married, but hating Florida?s hot weather, they moved north to Syracuse, New York in November. Their son, Jason, was born in February, 1974 and a few months later, Frank was transferred to the Buffalo area. They rented a farmhouse with a lot of land in a place called Farnham near Lake Erie.

In late May of 1974 Frank wanted to see his boys so they drove down to southeast Pennsylvania where they lived. Frank missed his sons and wanted to take full custody of them. In August he decided that he, Diane and the baby would drive to Pennsylvania and get the boys from his ex-wife. At midnight on August 19 they got to the ex-wife?s house. Diane claims Frank went into the house leaving Diane and her baby in the car. He had a large flashlight in his hand. In a half hour, Frank came from the house, opened the trunk to his car and put something in. Diane heard a loud thump and thought it was the boy?s luggage. Diane says when he got into the car, Frank told her his ex-wife was dead, she had to come into the house to help him get the boys, and he had put his ex-wife?s body in the trunk of the car. Diane followed him into the house carrying her son.

They woke the boys and told them to get dressed and took them to the car. When the boys asked where their mother was, Frank said she left with one of her boyfriends and that they would live with him and Diane. When they got home, that night, Frank dug a grave in a field behind the farmhouse and buried Marti?s body.

Frank, Diane and the boys lived in the farmhouse for six weeks until one of her friends called to say that she heard on the news that the police were looking for Frank since his ex-wife and boys were missing.

Diane knew they needed to get out of the house immediately so she and Frank took the boys to a motel in nearby Dunkirk. They stayed for two days trying to decide what to do. After seeing a news story that said Frank might be in the Buffalo area, Diane, Frank and their baby fled for Idaho, leaving the four boys in the motel room alone.

Diane and Frank were arrested in Boise, Idaho on July 11, 1975. They were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life. At Diane?s trial, Frank Metzger took total responsibility for the killing and does to this day.

Diane spent six years in the state correctional Institution in Muncy, Pennsylvania before the state Supreme Court of Pennsylvania overturned her conviction based on the validity of the testimony by a coroner in her first trial. Her parents posted bail and for seven months, she roamed free. In June 1983, Diane was tried again. Again, a jury found her guilty.

Diane has now spent 32 years in prisons in Pennsylvania and Delaware. She is now doing time at the Baylor Women?s Correctional Institute in New Castle, Delaware after serving 20 years at Muncy. She applied and was granted an interstate compact transfer in order to be close to her family.

Diane has used her prison time wisely. In the time she has been behind bars she has obtained an associates degree in business administration, a bachelor?s degree in political science and a master?s degree in history/ humanities. She has worked as a clerk, paralegal and tutor at different times throughout her incarceration. Currently, she is a clerk at the treatment services division at Baylor where she is known as a role model for the younger inmates who enter the prison.

Diane has applied for a hearing to the Pardons Board eight times in Pennsylvania. Her application has been denied every time.