By:Chris Munzing
Responding to an unknown problem, police arrived at the Malone home, at 91 Alabama St., at 9:30 p.m. Monday, where they also found the couple's three young children who were unharmed, according to Nassau County Police Lt. Detective Kevin Smith, who briefed reporters at a Tuesday-afternoon press conference. Smith said that police had not determined whether any of the children, ages 6, 3 and 1, witnessed the murder.
Few details were offered at the press conference, but Smith said that Diane Malone had been "stabbed and/or bludgeoned" to death in her home. No weapon had been recovered, and Long Beach public-works employees could be seen searching the sewers on surrounding streets under the supervision of Long Beach police.
Smith gave no details on how many times the victim had been stabbed or struck.
According to Smith, Malone had filed for an order of protection against her husband in July, and it was set to expire in January, but the couple had worked out a visitation schedule for David Malone and the children.
Smith said that David Malone was being sought for questioning, and that the investigation was continuing.
Sgt. Bruce Meyer of the Long Beach Police Department explained that Long Beach does not have a homicide division, and that once it was determined that police were dealing with a homicide, the county was called in.
One neighbor on Alabama Street, who declined to be identified, said that police cars could often be seen outside the Malone house, and that the couple's arguments could be heard throughout the neighborhood. "[David] was a regular guy, and a nice guy," he said. "But when it came to her, he was totally different. He would get very jealous.
"To see them walking around the neighborhood with the kids, you'd never think anything, but they used to fight all the time," the neighbor continued. But I never thought he'd have this in him."
Police described David Malone as 6 feet 1 and weighing 200 pounds, with a muscular build and short blond hair. The police are asking for anyone with information about his whereabouts to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at (800) 244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.
