Original subtitles

I felt like if I would give him some attention,

maybe he wouldn't do this to me.

Aah!

If I could be his friend, maybe he wouldn't kill me.

I hear a continuous gunshot.

The witnesses described the devil,

someone who was not going to stop no matter what,

like he was focused and he was determined to end ro's life.

When desire overtakes reason,

the human mind can unleash deadly obsession.

These are true stories told by the victims.

In the summer of 2015, I was 39 years old,

working at a hospital as a cook, very happy,

living alone with my daughter.

I lived in fort Wayne, Indiana.

What are you drawing?

Just like you!

I was a single mom to my daughter, Brooklyn.

She was 9 at the time.

My sister, christa, lives in Louisiana

and was in the air force

ro's my older sister.

We are 17 months apart in age.

We're really more like twins.

We're super tight and close.

We had a wonderful childhood, raised in a Christian family.

We were very close-knit.

We were always doing things together,

whether it's going to grandparents' house,

cousin, aunt and uncle's houses.

She wants to take care of everybody besides herself,

and she always seeks the good in everyone,

and I just think that's because, you know,

she's a Christian woman, and that's how we were raised.

In 2016, I was stationed at barksdale air force base

in Louisiana.

I was working in the aerospace ground equipment

as a master sergeant in charge of the swing shift operations.

Even though I was working away from home,

our bond never separated.

We talked every day, multiple times a day.

York: The summers in fort Wayne are sometimes very hot.

That day was a hot day,

and I got a friend request from some guy named Willie.

He was around 40 years old at the time, big guy,

nice eyes, looked friendly, smiled in all his pictures.

He looked like a very friendly person.

We had a lot of mutual friends,

and people that I went to school with.

So I thought it would be okay to accept him as a friend.

Willie's message on Facebook said that he thought

I was very beautiful and would like to be my friend.

I was single for a while, so it was very nice

to have a message like that from a guy.

It made me feel very excited, beautiful.

I was working at a hospital as a cook,

and we bonded over food.

I love to cook, and he loved to cook.

After a few weeks, Willie asked for my phone number

so we could talk to each other.

Hey. Is that Willie?

Yeah.

It's been killing me not knowing what you sound like, ro.

First impression of Willie was very friendly and very exciting

to talk to someone new.

It felt like being a teenager again.

He wanted to open up his own restaurant.

It used to be something I was going to open up with my ex,

but, well, that's over with now.

Willie had a partner.

They had broken up at the time,

but they had a daughter together.

I decided not to ask him about his relationships.

This was the first time that I felt chemistry

with someone in a long time.

I'd love to talk to you later.

I couldn't call him. He could only call me.

I did think it was kind of weird at the time.

Why can't I see your number?

It's better if I call you, ro.

Things are crazy busy.

Hey, ro.

I don't get it.

Why can't I call you?

I'm incarcerated.

On our second phone call,

Willie revealed that he was in prison.

Willie told me that he acquired a phone while he was in there.

So that is how he messaged me and called me.

Okay.

Willie told me he was in there for drugs.

He was caught dealing.

Okay.

And he told me he would be coming home in the next year.

I'm a very free spirit, not judgmental person.

I didn't stop talking to Willie just because he was in prison.

Everybody deserves a second chance.

Hey. Is that Willie?

Hey, ro.

I haven't been truthful about why I'm inside.

I wanted you to get to know me first.

What are you saying?

I went to my ex-partner's house.

There was an argument between her cousin and me,

and I lost it.

He was really in prison for trying to kill someone.

I -- I was 17 at the time.

I'm not the same person now.

You should have told me.

How do I know you're not hiding something else?

He was sentenced to 45 years,

but was serving 21 years because at the time, Indiana,

you only had to do 60% of your time.

I try not to judge people on their past,

and people do change.

I wish you'd told me earlier.

And all I could judge him on was how he was with me,

very kind,

respectful and friendly.

I was talking to Willie in secret

until I knew I wanted to be with him.

So what you think?

As time passed, we started talking about US

being in a relationship,

and I wanted a loyal, respectful friend

as a relationship.

I have to be sure.

My family comes first.

I did tell him about Brooklyn.

I want to do right by you and Brooklyn.

Being a single mother, it is hard sometimes,

and he was offering me help raising her the right way.

I didn't tell my sister because I didn't want anyone

to prejudge him until they get to know him.

It was 8 months after the friend request

that Willie was released from prison.

I felt very excited and happy to meet him

in person for the first time.

He looked better in real life than in the pictures.

He seemed very happy, very relaxed.

He just would not stop smiling and talking and hugging me.

He was released to a halfway house.

I felt like what he did didn't matter to me.

I was in too deep.

I knew his dad was a pastor, and that made me at ease.

After 3 weeks of being out, Willie got a job right away.

So I really thought he was on the right path.

Ro and Willie together,

they were in that early stage of love.

They were happy.

Yes, I was totally thinking, "this is the one for her."

A month later, Willie moved in to my house.

Ro didn't tell me Willie had been in prison

until after I met him.

I felt very cautious.

My guard was still up, but at the same time,

I felt comfortable that my sister was in

a relationship with him.

I didn't really worry too much,

even being that far away from her.

Willie and my dad's relationship, it was very good.

I mean, my dad liked him.

He respected him, and Willie respected my dad.

York: My father started to get sick.

Willie said that he would support me

and my daughter while I took care of my dad.

Willie was extremely great with Brooklyn.

Did you have a good time today?

We going to get some ice cream later?

Alright. That's what I want to hear.

He treated Brooklyn like his own daughter, really.

Well, you know, your mama's going to be late.

She's looking after your grandpa.

I really felt that my dad genuinely loved him.

Yeah. Alright. Give me some skin.

Boom! That's right.

I remember when ro told me that, you know,

Willie said, "you can quit your job."

And I just instantly thought, "wow.

What a great person to do this."

Willie made a huge emotional commitment to our family,

and I felt that maybe he put his feelings to the side

and just let ro be devoted to my dad

which I thought was also genuinely great.

York: He took care of Brooklyn while I was gone.

He was everything that I needed in a partner and more.

I started to hear some rumors about him.

Friends would come and tell me things

that they heard about Willie.

They said what Willie has done

was a bit more serious than what he told me.

Why can't you just be open with me?

Just tell me the truth!

Okay.

I'll tell you.

Willie tells me he shot his ex-partner's new boyfriend

nine times while he lays in bed, asleep.

I was in the room with someone that had the intent

to kill someone.

York: I got a friend request from some guy named Willie.

Hey, ro. -I don't get it.

Why can't I call you? -I'm incarcerated.

Willie said that he would support me and my daughter

while I took care of my dad.

Just tell me the truth!

Willie tells me he shot his ex-partner's new boyfriend

nine times while he lays in bed.

I was in the room with someone that had the intent

to kill someone.

It made me sick to my stomach to realize

that Willie was telling me a lie this whole time...

...and that was the first time I seen him cry.

I don't want to lose you.

I think that he lied to me

because he wanted US to stay together

and didn't want to lose his family.

I'm sorry.

I was his family now.

I don't want to lose you.

He was 17 when it happened,

so I didn't see him as a danger anymore.

I wasn't afraid of him being around Brooklyn.

I didn't think he would hurt her.

You're not going to lose me.

After she found out,

I believe she tried to hide it from me for a while.

She didn't want me to think negatively on him

and his actions.

Initially, I was really kind of mad that she lied to me

because we're very close.

I think I remember saying, "why?

Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

You know?

And then that's how the conversation came out.

She didn't want me to judge him.

She's a very protective person, and she was protecting him,

and I believe she was protecting me as well,

and I wanted her to be happy, also Brooklyn.

York: My dad passed away April 7, 2016.

After my dad passed away, things changed.

A week after my dad's funeral,

I was sitting in my bedroom crying,

and Willie came in there.

I was in mourning for my dad.

Pull yourself together.

He's gone.

He's not coming back.

Why are you being like this?

I was seeing a different side to him.

Deal with it!

I think that he felt like he was the man in my life now

that my dad was gone,

and that he could control anything

and everything that I did.

Don't you dare speak to me like that!

Sullinger: Once our dad passed, I felt like

Willie was really taking control of her and her actions.

All she needed was just some space.

She really needed time to grieve

and just kind of decompress from what just happened.

I mean, our dad was one

of the most important people in our lives.

Willie was trying to take control of every situation

and every aspect of ro's life at the time.

And I decided at that time, it's time for me to end it.

I couldn't go on with him being this aggressive towards me.

Ro called me and said, "hey, I'm done with Willie."

You know, "it's over. I don't want anything to do with him.

He won't leave me alone."

I think that I just saw how angry he was.

In his eyes, he just looked like a monster...

...and I think that he's going to hit me.

He gets in my face.

Don't do this.

I'm sorry.

I'm done at this point. I couldn't do anymore.

Sullinger: I think ro was trying to be a protective mother.

You know, she didn't want

Brooklyn to hear all these things, like,

"you can't grieve over, you know, your dad."

Once Willie and ro broke up,

I really thought that was the last time

I was ever going to hear about him or ever see him,

but little did I know things were going to get much worse.

York: It's about 10:30 at night.

I'm getting ready for bed.

Brooklyn is at my mother's because I have to be at work

the next day early.

I told her that Willie has moved out.

I've told Brooklyn to not talk to him, not contact him.

I just was scared of him.

He's called me 20-plus times,

begging me to let him come back home.

Sullinger: Once they broke up, it was probably about a week

after our dad passed.

I had already gone back home to Louisiana,

and ro would call me and tell me that, you know,

Willie can't accept no for an answer.

He won't leave her alone.

He continues to call,

and she really just wished that he would stop.

She was starting to get stressed out at the time.

I opened the door, and Willie is standing there

very angry-looking.

Going to get the rest of my stuff.

Not now. You need to leave.

I'm thinking it's just an excuse for him to come around.

I ain't going nowhere!

I call the police because I'm very scared at that time

that he's going to do something to hurt me.

While the police were there, they let him get his things.

I'm going to kill you.

Did you hear him say that?

There's no need to talk to her, sir.

York: At that point, I did think I was a little safe

because they heard me tell them what he said.

I asked the police officer about a protective order,

and they tell me that I need to go downtown

and where I need to file it at.

I didn't think it was the end of it.

Over 3 weeks, I seen him constantly.

He was driving around my home.

The neighbors had him on their camera at least

20 times a day circling my home.

He would stand outside my bathroom window

and yell my name.

He would try to talk to me through the door.

He would follow me everywhere I went.

Everywhere I go, I'm looking over my shoulder

because I'm worried about what's going to happen to me

or my daughter.

When she calls me and tells me about the stalking, in my gut

I'm really afraid for my sister and Brooklyn's life.

York: He could have did something to my daughter

while I wasn't around her.

That day, I wake up at 4:00 in the morning for work.

I look out the bathroom window

and see Willie parked with his hazards on the street.

I get ready for work. I leave, and he follows me.

I pull in to my work.

I know he's been following me the whole time.

I sit in my car for a moment

wondering what's going to happen next.

As soon as I got out of the car, he's right up in my face.

He pulls his head back.

I think he's going to headbutt me.

I think he wanted to let me know

that he could get me at any moment.

I run inside and tell security, and he takes off.

When he spit in her face, I just knew in my heart

that things were going to get much worse.

York: For a few days, Willie went quiet,

and I felt like maybe he got the idea to leave me alone.

I'm taking a nap.

Brooklyn's at her friend's house.

I was glad Brooklyn wasn't there that day.

At that moment, I was scared for my life.

I wasn't sure if he would hurt me or possibly kill me.

It's time for me to end it.

Don't do this.

As soon as I got out of the car, he's right up in my face.

Aah!

At that moment, I was scared for my life.

I think Willie had a key made to the bottom lock,

and that's how I thought he got in.

I had a restraining order against him.

I find out that the restraining order

is not filed against him yet.

It's been approved and in the system,

but they haven't found him to serve him

with the restraining order.

The police officer take pictures of my face and my chest.

For the next 2 to 4 days,

I stayed the night at a friend's house,

and Brooklyn stayed at my mom's house

just to be on the safe side.

She couldn't go outside by herself.

She couldn't hang out at the parks

or with her friends without me or my mom.

Sullinger: She feels like she's doing everything

that's possible for her to be protected,

but at the same time, the police cannot serve

Willie the protective order because he keeps moving around.

My mental state at the time was not good.

I mean, we'd just lost our dad.

Now this violence is going on with my sister.

I'm not there to protect her.

I feel helpless.

After he came to my house, I changed all the locks.

My daughter had a sleepover with two of her friends.

They were asleep in the living room.

I was in my bedroom.

I did not hear anyone come in the home.

The next morning when I woke up,

I had a text message and a picture of me sleeping in bed.

It was very scary knowing that he could come in

to my room or home at any time.

I felt like he meant he was going to kill me in my sleep

if the kids weren't there.

I woke the kids up.

Baby. Baby. Baby, wake up. We have to go.

I think maybe deep down she might have felt some guilt.

Like, "how could I let this ex-felon and person

who already shot somebody nine times into my life?"

And maybe she did feel some guilt towards that.

Honey. Sorry. You have to wake up.

And I expressed to them that we need to get out

of the house as soon as possible.

We got ready and left.

It was a month since Willie came to my house

and took a picture of me sleeping.

But throughout that whole month, he continuously called, text me,

and followed me everywhere I went.

Since I wasn't answering his phone calls or text messages,

he was feeling rejected.

Come on, ro. It's your boy, Willie.

Why ain't you answering the calls?

Ro communicates to me that she's fearful for her life.

Ro! Answer the phone!

She can't go anywhere.

You cheated on me?

Can't do anything. She can't sleep.

What's going on?

I'm waiting for you, girl.

Her anxiety is out the roof.

You cheated on me?! -She can't be normal.

Why are you not picking up my calls?

She's not sleeping more than 2 to 3 hours a night.

You do not want to mess with me, girl,

because I'm going to mess you up!

That's taking a toll on her emotionally and physically.

Don't ignore my calls, ro!

Don't ignore my calls!

Call me back right now!

My faith in the system was -- it was positive.

You know, you can't blame the police department

for not knowing his whereabouts.

I felt like they were really trying to help Rosita,

you know, get this protective order served.

They didn't want to see her get hurt.

York: He was very good at hiding.

They didn't know where he lived or where he was staying.

So he kind of fell through the cracks.

He did get in my head sometimes

because he would bring up the past

and what he did and how we were together

and how he treated me and when he treated me well.

He took care of me and Brooklyn.

He took care of US and all the bills when my dad was sick

and I had to leave and help him.

I wasn't in love with him.

I had love for him for the things

that he did for me and my daughter.

I did feel helpless.

I could be nice to him,

and he would still be mean to me,

and we just went back and forth.

I worked at 5:00 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon.

I would leave work early or I would go in late to work

so he didn't know when I would come to work

or when I would leave work.

Hi. Rosita. It's for you.

Thanks.

Hello. How can I help?

It's me.

I just want to talk.

I want to work this out and come back home.

His voice is very scary, very deep.

You know my answer.

I've given you every chance.

Today, I'm going to kill you,

then me.

Hello. How can I help?

It's me.

I've given you every chance.

Today, I'm going to kill you,

then me.

My body was frozen, but I felt

that I had to move as soon as I could to get out.

I tell my boss as soon as possible,

and they contact security,

and security escorts me out the building

and told me to go straight home.

I get home from picking Brooklyn up from school.

Just pack enough for tonight.

Hello? I get a phone call.

His cousin said, "get out the house as fast as possible.

Willie is on his way."

Look at the nightstand where my gun normally is,

and it's gone.

I knew at that time I couldn't save or protect me and her.

We need to leave the house. Now.

Now I'm very scared and know that he could actually

kill me with my own gun.

Willie is capable of taking another person's life.

Not just trying, he's going to want to do it.

In his past, he had shot someone nine times

while they were in bed.

I felt a cold shiver over my body.

It felt like I was frozen in time.

He couldn't function without me.

I believe he wanted to kill me and himself.

It felt like an eerie, different kind of feeling,

didn't know what was going to happen next.

My plan was to drop Brooklyn off at my best friend's house

and for me to go somewhere else so we weren't together.

I just knew that Brooklyn would be safe there

until my mom came and picked her up.

I felt like it didn't matter if anything happened to me,

but I didn't want her to get hurt because she's my life.

The next day, on the 24th,

I picked Brooklyn up from school,

and then we went to my house to get her clothes.

I had a weird feeling that came over me, felt heavy.

I couldn't breathe, like something was wrong.

Stay in the car, honey.

I couldn't put my finger on it,

but I knew something was going to happen.

I called the police to have them meet me there

so they could search the house before I went in.

Hey, ma'am. What's the problem?

Hi, officer.

I was just coming back with my daughter, and the door was open.

The cops arrived.

He searched the whole house,

made sure that it was safe for US to go in.

He stayed with US until we got our belongings, and we left.

I'm afraid that it could be my ex-boyfriend.

Okay.

I told the police that I've put a protective order

against Willie, but it has not been served.

Someone needs to get through to him.

I go to my mother's to drop Brooklyn off for the evening.

While sitting in front of my house on my phone,

I get a phone call from Willie's dad

asking me if I've seen him today,

and I said, "no. It's kind of weird.

He hasn't called my phone all day."

Well, speak of the devil.

I tell Willie's dad he just pulled up.

Willie's dad said, "baby, just drive. Just drive."

He just hit my car!

He's speeding up as fast as he could behind me,

almost bumper-to-bumper.

When he rams me from behind, it's the loudest bang I've hear.

I continue to drive, and he continues to hit me from behind.

I hear a continuous gunshot.

The window smashes, and I hear the bullet

hit the roof of my car.

I drive as fast as I can, and I turn left.

I hit a really big tree.

After Willie hits my car and I hit the tree,

his car spins off and hits a fence

at a church across the street.

Please! Please don't kill me.

Please don't kill me!

Please!

I knew he was going to kill me.

Please. Please don't!

Don't kill me, please!

Aah!

My leg collapsed.

I didn't know I was shot. I didn't feel it.

I pretend like I was dead.

I laid there, didn't move.

Didn't make a sound.

I wanted him to think that I was dead.

I felt something heavy come over me.

It was my dad's presence, I felt,

on top of me, trying to save me.

It was strength

to know that he was there with me.

Willie put the gun to my back and shot me.

Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop!

Get off me!

I looked up to my right, and I see a lady

telling him to stop, don't do it, don't do it.

Woman: I don't know!

Thank you.

York: When I come to,

I was in hospital

waiting to have surgery.

Sullinger: I thought, "you know, he won. He won.

He got what he wanted. He wouldn't let her be.

He couldn't take no for an answer."

York: I got shot twice in the right leg,

and I was shot in my upper back

which came through underneath my breast.

I had to have seven different surgeries on my leg.

I had a skin graft, and I have a metal rod in my leg,

two pins in my ankle and three pins in my knee.

I had such supportive family and friends.

They never left my side.

I love you.

I'm trying to eat a little bit of something, not too much,

but I did eat my...

I did drink my chocolate shake...

Got to love that. -...And my cottage cheese.

I love you.

I was told that they caught him right after he shot me.

Willie was charged with attempted murder

for what he had done to me that day

and serious violent felony with a handgun.

Throughout this whole experience,

it made me realize that life is so fragile

and to never take anything or a person

who you love for granted

and always tell them that you love them.

York: I'm in a constant state of fear.

I'm always looking behind my back.

My back needs to be against the wall at all times.

My anxiety level is extremely high,

and I still have nightmares

and don't sleep well.

You have to forgive people to move forward in your life,

and I felt that if I didn't forgive him,

I would never get over this.

I would say that I forgive you for what you did to me,

but I'll never forget.

You made me a stronger person

for what you put me through.

Willie killed the old me.

The old me is not here...

...and, yeah, Willie could never touch me again.

I've became a lot stronger from this.

So I've learned a lot.

I'm still learning things from my experience.

I want someone else to learn that it's okay

to leave someone that has,

and tries to abuse you, verbally,

physically, emotionally.

It's okay.

It's okay to leave that person and move on.

You don't have to stay in that situation.