A high school teacher and co-founder of Robbins Academy.

What happened to Diane Tilly?

She was kidnapped and murdered by Ronnie Neal and Pearl.

What is Robbins Academy?

A school for students with academic or behavioral issues.

Suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Diane Tilly.

His fingerprint matched a partial print on a liquor bottle.

Diane Tilly, a co-founder of Robbins Academy, known as "The Miracle Worker," disappeared under mysterious circumstances, with her home ransacked, leading to suspicions of robbery, and clues like an empty condom wrapper and missing shoelace hinting at potential trouble.
Ronnie Neal, a suspect with a criminal history, was linked to Tilly through evidence like matching fingerprints, cellphone records, and his daughter Pearl's involvement, eventually leading to the discovery of Tilly's body in a deserted field, confirming a planned robbery turned kidnapping and murder.

Who is Diane Tilly?
A high school teacher and co-founder of Robbins Academy.
What happened to Diane Tilly?
She was kidnapped and murdered by Ronnie Neal and Pearl.
What is Robbins Academy?
A school for students with academic or behavioral issues.
Who are Ronnie Neal and Pearl Cruz?
Suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Diane Tilly.
What evidence linked Ronnie Neal to Diane Tilly?
His fingerprint matched a partial print on a liquor bottle.

00:00

Diane Tilly, a high school teacher, mysteriously disappeared, leading to questions about her whereabouts.
Robbins Academy in San Antonio, Texas, caters to students struggling in traditional school settings due to academic or behavioral issues.
Diane Tilly, a co-founder of Robbins Academy, was known for her success with troubled students, earning her the nickname "The Miracle Worker."
Diane Tilly's home was found ransacked, indicating a possible robbery, with electronic equipment and her pistol missing.
Police found no foreign fingerprints in Diane's home, and her car was also missing, suggesting she might not have been present during the crime.
Clues in Diane's home, like an empty condom wrapper and missing shoelace, hinted at potential trouble, along with unsuccessful ATM withdrawals.
Investigators set a trap using Diane's ATM card, leading to surveillance footage of a man and a young girl attempting to withdraw money.
The man and girl were later identified as Pearl Cruz and her father Ronnie Neal, who admitted to stealing Diane's car but denied involvement in her disappearance.
Ronnie Neal claimed to have found Diane's ATM card and PIN in her car, but investigators doubted his story, considering him a prime suspect.
The search for Diane Tilly continued, with investigators relying on evidence like a partial fingerprint on a liquor bottle to track down the suspects.

11:05

Ronnie Neal had multiple convictions for robbery and was recently released from prison for a weapons violation.
Diane Tilly and Ronnie Neal were linked, with Neal's fingerprint matching a partial print on a liquor bottle in Tilly's home.
Neal met Tilly through his lawn-mowing business, where Tilly had hired him for yard work.
Neal's cellphone records showed he called his ex-wife on the night of Tilly's abduction from an area 15 miles from her home.
Elisa Stanley confirmed the call but denied knowledge of Tilly's abduction, claiming Neal asked her to go shopping after coming into money.
Neal refused to cooperate with the police, leading them to focus on his daughter, Pearl, who eventually led them to Tilly's body in a deserted field.
Tilly's body showed signs of being shot multiple times, with her hands bound with a dark-blue polyester shoelace matching one from her tennis shoes.
Dental records confirmed the body as Tilly's, and investigators found her handgun, luggage, and electronic equipment in Neal's motel room.
Neal and Pearl were arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder after planning to rob Tilly, with Pearl confessing to the entire story of the crime.