1 00:00:07,941 --> 00:00:09,541 One night, 2 00:00:09,576 --> 00:00:11,944 he had passed out from a stupor. 3 00:00:11,978 --> 00:00:14,513 I had just went through beating. 4 00:00:14,547 --> 00:00:18,083 I was tired of being hit and nobody listening, 5 00:00:18,118 --> 00:00:20,819 nobody helping me. 6 00:00:20,854 --> 00:00:26,058 And there was a knife that was probably about that long, 7 00:00:26,092 --> 00:00:29,695 the blade -- I grabbed it, and I stood in the doorway, 8 00:00:29,763 --> 00:00:33,165 and I stood there for a good 9 00:00:33,199 --> 00:00:37,369 hour and a half, hour and 45 minutes, 10 00:00:37,404 --> 00:00:39,938 contemplating if I'm gonna slit his throat. 11 00:00:43,309 --> 00:00:44,743 If there's a magic genie in 12 00:00:44,778 --> 00:00:47,713 the world that can grant me one wish, 13 00:00:47,747 --> 00:00:53,218 just one, I would grant for those two hours back. 14 00:00:53,252 --> 00:00:57,656 I would wish to go right back to that one moment where I had 15 00:00:57,690 --> 00:01:02,094 the knife in my hand, and I would have taken his life. 16 00:01:02,128 --> 00:01:03,662 I'm sorry. 17 00:01:06,332 --> 00:01:07,599 I just wanted it to stop. 18 00:01:11,271 --> 00:01:13,639 I just wanted it to stop. 19 00:01:13,706 --> 00:01:15,974 And I knew it wasn't going to. 20 00:01:17,477 --> 00:01:18,477 And I was right. 21 00:01:18,511 --> 00:01:21,647 It wasn't -- it wasn't stopping any time soon. 22 00:01:37,530 --> 00:01:41,133 It was like being married to the Antichrist. 23 00:01:44,204 --> 00:01:46,205 There's one thing acting evil, 24 00:01:46,239 --> 00:01:49,775 but it's another thing to be completely born evil, 25 00:01:49,876 --> 00:01:53,178 and I think he was born evil from the egg. 26 00:01:56,116 --> 00:01:58,650 [The Paper Chase's "What's So Amazing About Grace?" plays] 27 00:01:58,685 --> 00:02:01,720 [strings continue playing sinister tune] 28 00:02:01,788 --> 00:02:06,959 [static crackling] 29 00:02:06,993 --> 00:02:08,594 [knock at door] [creaking] 30 00:02:08,628 --> 00:02:13,765 [banging on door] 31 00:02:13,900 --> 00:02:19,104 [creaking] 32 00:02:19,139 --> 00:02:21,640 [water dripping] 33 00:02:21,674 --> 00:02:24,276 [banging on door] [creaking] 34 00:02:24,310 --> 00:02:25,777 [sinister chord strikes] 35 00:02:33,419 --> 00:02:38,490 The first time we met, it was just by chance. 36 00:02:38,525 --> 00:02:44,730 I had met Edward Allen Covington in a bar in 1993. 37 00:02:44,797 --> 00:02:46,765 I was bartending at the time. 38 00:02:46,866 --> 00:02:49,401 He was just very polite and very kind. 39 00:02:49,435 --> 00:02:52,738 We had a very strong connection, 40 00:02:52,772 --> 00:02:56,108 but I was in a relationship with somebody, 41 00:02:56,142 --> 00:02:59,077 and I didn't see Eddie for a very long time. 42 00:03:00,947 --> 00:03:04,716 All of a sudden, seven years later, 43 00:03:04,751 --> 00:03:10,489 he just walked right back into my bar. 44 00:03:10,523 --> 00:03:13,392 I did a double take and looked at him again, 45 00:03:13,426 --> 00:03:16,094 and it clicked who he was. 46 00:03:16,129 --> 00:03:20,232 My whole body just got butterflies almost. 47 00:03:20,266 --> 00:03:24,002 Holy crap. Eddie? Is that you? 48 00:03:24,037 --> 00:03:27,439 - Cheri! Wow! - [laughs] 49 00:03:27,473 --> 00:03:31,076 And with no warning, nothing, I jumped in his arms. 50 00:03:31,110 --> 00:03:33,278 He knew exactly who I was. 51 00:03:33,313 --> 00:03:39,151 And we just -- we just hugged for the longest time. 52 00:03:39,185 --> 00:03:41,186 We never quit talking. 53 00:03:41,221 --> 00:03:43,422 Like, we just picked up where we left off, 54 00:03:43,456 --> 00:03:46,091 and it was like puzzle pieces 55 00:03:46,125 --> 00:03:47,960 fitting together in a puzzle. 56 00:03:47,994 --> 00:03:51,463 - Come let me get you a drink. - Okay. 57 00:03:51,497 --> 00:03:57,069 I thought maybe God's trying to give me a sign. 58 00:03:57,103 --> 00:04:00,172 Here's your second chance. 59 00:04:00,206 --> 00:04:01,340 Cheers. 60 00:04:01,374 --> 00:04:05,344 What I know now to what I knew back then, 61 00:04:05,378 --> 00:04:08,981 I wish that relationships came warnings like medicine does 62 00:04:09,015 --> 00:04:10,382 on a box. 63 00:04:25,632 --> 00:04:27,933 I'm at work one night. 64 00:04:27,967 --> 00:04:29,968 They had, like, a little back room 65 00:04:30,003 --> 00:04:32,638 for their waitresses and bartenders and stuff 66 00:04:32,672 --> 00:04:34,473 to use to get ready. 67 00:04:34,507 --> 00:04:36,775 - Hey, Cheri. - Hey. 68 00:04:36,909 --> 00:04:38,577 There's something I want to talk to you about. 69 00:04:38,611 --> 00:04:41,747 And my friend, for some reason, 70 00:04:41,781 --> 00:04:45,517 she just turned around and told me, "Look, 71 00:04:45,551 --> 00:04:48,120 I don't like Eddie. Something is not right." 72 00:04:48,154 --> 00:04:50,055 There's just something about him. 73 00:04:50,089 --> 00:04:52,724 You know, there's something... wrong 74 00:04:52,792 --> 00:04:54,126 in his eyes. 75 00:04:54,994 --> 00:04:58,030 [laughs] What are you talking about? 76 00:04:58,064 --> 00:05:00,465 And I looked at her 77 00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:02,968 and I was like, "What do you mean?" 78 00:05:03,036 --> 00:05:04,970 She goes, "Something just don't feel right." 79 00:05:05,004 --> 00:05:07,172 Just something about him. 80 00:05:07,206 --> 00:05:09,908 It was almost like she could see his true self. 81 00:05:09,942 --> 00:05:13,345 I don't think moving in together was a good idea. 82 00:05:13,379 --> 00:05:16,648 I had been dating him for a little bit now, you know, 83 00:05:16,683 --> 00:05:18,417 we were living together, everything seemed to be 84 00:05:18,451 --> 00:05:20,285 going okay. 85 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,389 She said that if I stayed with him, it was not gonna be good. 86 00:05:24,424 --> 00:05:27,426 I don't think you guys should be serious. 87 00:05:27,460 --> 00:05:30,562 CHERI: But he came from a good family. 88 00:05:30,596 --> 00:05:32,698 He had a great job. 89 00:05:32,765 --> 00:05:34,266 He was 90 00:05:34,300 --> 00:05:36,768 a correctional officer in the prison. 91 00:05:36,869 --> 00:05:41,440 He was such a fun and bright person. 92 00:05:41,474 --> 00:05:43,342 You know, he had a spark in 93 00:05:43,376 --> 00:05:46,144 his eye that made me feel real special. 94 00:05:46,179 --> 00:05:48,613 Why can't you just let me enjoy this? 95 00:05:48,648 --> 00:05:52,484 I chalked it up to her just being 96 00:05:52,518 --> 00:05:55,120 jealous that I was gonna be happy. 97 00:05:55,154 --> 00:05:57,422 You want me to be miserable? That it? 98 00:05:57,457 --> 00:06:01,793 I'm sorry, I just -- I don't want to see you get hurt. 99 00:06:01,928 --> 00:06:03,395 Over the years, I've kicked myself in the butt 100 00:06:03,429 --> 00:06:05,797 so, so many times, 101 00:06:05,898 --> 00:06:09,901 so many times, remembering that conversation me and her had. 102 00:06:09,936 --> 00:06:11,903 My life would have really been 103 00:06:11,938 --> 00:06:14,373 a lot different if I would have listened to her. 104 00:06:23,850 --> 00:06:26,485 Before Eddie and I had met, 105 00:06:26,519 --> 00:06:29,287 I had gotten into some trouble with the law. 106 00:06:29,322 --> 00:06:31,156 I got a felony drug charge. 107 00:06:31,190 --> 00:06:33,792 I was waiting for my conviction. 108 00:06:33,860 --> 00:06:35,694 Eddie was a correctional officer. 109 00:06:35,762 --> 00:06:39,798 So Eddie came to me and explained to me that if 110 00:06:39,866 --> 00:06:42,467 me and him did not get married 111 00:06:42,502 --> 00:06:45,237 that we could not see each other anymore. 112 00:06:48,007 --> 00:06:52,277 But if we get married before my conviction, 113 00:06:52,311 --> 00:06:54,346 there's nothing they could do about it. 114 00:06:54,380 --> 00:06:56,748 I really did not want to get married. 115 00:06:56,916 --> 00:07:00,152 Maybe we're rushing into this. 116 00:07:00,186 --> 00:07:01,520 No! 117 00:07:01,554 --> 00:07:04,923 We really wasn't together that long, really. 118 00:07:04,957 --> 00:07:07,626 You know, just not even a year. 119 00:07:07,660 --> 00:07:09,261 And he kept pushing. 120 00:07:09,295 --> 00:07:11,363 It will be okay. 121 00:07:11,397 --> 00:07:13,198 Just take a deep breath. 122 00:07:13,232 --> 00:07:15,333 He goes, "Well, if you love me, 123 00:07:15,368 --> 00:07:19,137 you'll marry me, because it has to be done this way." 124 00:07:20,106 --> 00:07:21,206 - Are you ready? - Yep. 125 00:07:23,943 --> 00:07:26,445 CHERI: Him and I were down at the county courthouse 126 00:07:26,479 --> 00:07:27,779 getting married. 127 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,549 I'm trying to be very happy, you know? 128 00:07:30,583 --> 00:07:33,385 But I just had this nagging feeling. 129 00:07:33,419 --> 00:07:35,387 Something was trying to tell me don't do it. 130 00:07:35,421 --> 00:07:38,323 And it was in the pit of my stomach. 131 00:07:38,357 --> 00:07:41,193 I really felt like I was gonna get sick. 132 00:07:41,227 --> 00:07:44,963 Cheri, do you take Edward to be your husband? 133 00:07:44,997 --> 00:07:47,365 I didn't answer. 134 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,100 He asked me again. 135 00:07:49,135 --> 00:07:52,571 I'm sorry. I'm not feeling very well. 136 00:07:52,605 --> 00:07:54,806 CHERI: I told him I needed a minute. 137 00:07:56,442 --> 00:08:00,145 It was like everything was going in slow-mo. 138 00:08:00,179 --> 00:08:02,514 Every fiber of my being was telling me, 139 00:08:02,548 --> 00:08:04,182 "Don't do this, don't do thi-- 140 00:08:04,217 --> 00:08:05,984 This is gonna be bad. Don't do this." 141 00:08:06,018 --> 00:08:08,553 Can you give us a moment? 142 00:08:08,588 --> 00:08:11,957 I told Eddie I wasn't feeling sure about it. 143 00:08:11,991 --> 00:08:15,060 And he said, "Well, it's just cold feet. 144 00:08:15,094 --> 00:08:16,895 It will be okay." 145 00:08:16,929 --> 00:08:21,066 One of the things he told me is, "I'm here to stay. 146 00:08:21,100 --> 00:08:23,168 "I'm not going anywhere. 147 00:08:23,202 --> 00:08:24,503 "I love you with my whole being as 148 00:08:24,537 --> 00:08:27,005 you love me with your whole being." 149 00:08:27,039 --> 00:08:32,077 I promise everything is going to be fine. 150 00:08:32,111 --> 00:08:34,279 You'll see. 151 00:08:34,313 --> 00:08:36,081 CHERI: And part of my heart 152 00:08:36,115 --> 00:08:38,917 was still saying, "It's all in your head. 153 00:08:38,951 --> 00:08:42,587 "Just -- you're overthinking this, it's going to be fine. 154 00:08:42,622 --> 00:08:44,189 He's the perfect guy." 155 00:08:44,257 --> 00:08:46,291 - Okay. - Okay. 156 00:08:48,361 --> 00:08:49,194 CHERI: That's what really got me 157 00:08:49,228 --> 00:08:52,464 to calm down and actually say it. 158 00:08:52,498 --> 00:08:55,800 Do you take Edward to be your lawfully wedded husband? 159 00:08:58,137 --> 00:08:59,771 I do. 160 00:08:59,872 --> 00:09:03,208 CHERI: People say that you should always trust your instincts 161 00:09:03,242 --> 00:09:05,777 and your gut feelings, because 9 times out of 10, 162 00:09:05,912 --> 00:09:08,647 your gut feeling is going to be honest with you. 163 00:09:08,681 --> 00:09:10,415 That's a very true statement. 164 00:09:12,051 --> 00:09:16,488 The minute I said, "I do," my life changed for 165 00:09:16,522 --> 00:09:19,291 the rest of my life. 166 00:09:19,325 --> 00:09:22,394 That was the beginning of the end for me. 167 00:09:31,137 --> 00:09:34,139 One night, Eddie and I was laying in bed. 168 00:09:34,173 --> 00:09:38,009 We were watching a movie or something, and there's a Russian 169 00:09:38,044 --> 00:09:40,946 roulette scene, and the people were 170 00:09:40,980 --> 00:09:45,150 passing the gun around, and he just jokingly said that 171 00:09:45,184 --> 00:09:48,353 he had held a gun up to his sister's head. 172 00:09:48,387 --> 00:09:53,592 [laughs] Come on, that never happened. 173 00:09:53,626 --> 00:09:55,594 I started laughing, chuckling, because I was 174 00:09:55,628 --> 00:09:57,696 like, "Man, you didn't do that. 175 00:09:57,763 --> 00:09:59,931 There's no way you did that." 176 00:09:59,966 --> 00:10:02,434 And he's like, "No, it really happened." 177 00:10:03,502 --> 00:10:06,638 He was a teenager. He was, like, 15 years old. 178 00:10:06,672 --> 00:10:10,275 He threw her up against the wall, held her by her neck, 179 00:10:10,309 --> 00:10:12,077 and put a gun up to her head 180 00:10:12,111 --> 00:10:14,746 and told her he would put a bullet in her head. 181 00:10:15,881 --> 00:10:18,516 I seriously thought it was a joke. 182 00:10:18,551 --> 00:10:20,352 I did not believe him. 183 00:10:20,386 --> 00:10:22,587 You can't be that demented to pull 184 00:10:22,622 --> 00:10:24,823 a gun on your family, on blood. 185 00:10:24,857 --> 00:10:27,392 Nobody's that crazy. 186 00:10:27,426 --> 00:10:30,595 Oh, please, like you would ever do that to your own sister. 187 00:10:30,630 --> 00:10:32,130 You should ask her. 188 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,035 CHERI: I just dropped it and never talked about it again 189 00:10:37,069 --> 00:10:39,938 until him and his sister were talking about it one time. 190 00:10:39,972 --> 00:10:41,473 Eddie was like, "Hey, do you 191 00:10:41,507 --> 00:10:43,308 "remember that time when we were teenagers 192 00:10:43,342 --> 00:10:44,876 and I put a gun up to your head?" 193 00:10:44,910 --> 00:10:47,312 And she said, "Yeah." And she was not laughing. 194 00:10:48,781 --> 00:10:52,217 So I knew then that that was serious. 195 00:10:52,251 --> 00:10:56,287 That's when I had that big sinking, sinking feeling saying, 196 00:10:56,322 --> 00:10:57,722 what have I done? 197 00:11:20,613 --> 00:11:24,582 In the beginning, he didn't hit me, 198 00:11:24,617 --> 00:11:26,951 and I didn't see him get violent with women. 199 00:11:26,986 --> 00:11:30,588 I didn't see him get violent at all. 200 00:11:30,656 --> 00:11:32,390 You stupid bitch! 201 00:11:32,425 --> 00:11:35,427 CHERI: One day, I don't remember exactly what it was, 202 00:11:35,461 --> 00:11:40,398 But something set him off that I did, and he hit me in my jaw. 203 00:11:45,571 --> 00:11:49,407 And then he punched me in the eye. 204 00:11:53,312 --> 00:11:57,182 I swear to God, his eyes turned black when he would 205 00:11:57,216 --> 00:11:58,550 get angry. 206 00:11:58,584 --> 00:12:01,019 Eddie, stop. Please. 207 00:12:01,053 --> 00:12:06,357 CHERI: In a half of a second, he changed that quick. 208 00:12:06,392 --> 00:12:08,727 I've never seen anything like it in my life. 209 00:12:08,794 --> 00:12:14,399 I've never seen that much anger in somebody so fast. 210 00:12:14,433 --> 00:12:16,501 I said, "I'm calling the cops." 211 00:12:16,535 --> 00:12:18,536 I'm not gonna let you keep doing this to me. 212 00:12:18,571 --> 00:12:20,405 - CHERI: He laughed at me. - [chuckles] 213 00:12:20,439 --> 00:12:24,275 He would always tell me, "You can call the cops, 214 00:12:24,310 --> 00:12:26,711 but they're not gonna believe you." 215 00:12:29,281 --> 00:12:30,515 Go ahead. 216 00:12:31,684 --> 00:12:34,586 But see who they listen to. 217 00:12:34,620 --> 00:12:36,855 [numbers dialing] 218 00:12:36,889 --> 00:12:38,323 "They know me and my dad. 219 00:12:38,357 --> 00:12:43,061 They're not gonna do anything to me," and they didn't. 220 00:12:46,298 --> 00:12:48,266 His father used to work for the same 221 00:12:48,300 --> 00:12:50,802 law enforcement agency, 222 00:12:50,903 --> 00:12:51,970 and... 223 00:12:56,242 --> 00:12:58,576 and he flashed his badge. 224 00:12:58,611 --> 00:13:00,779 So you guys probably know my old man, right? 225 00:13:00,913 --> 00:13:03,047 Covington? Yeah, sure. 226 00:13:04,150 --> 00:13:05,250 I thought so. 227 00:13:05,284 --> 00:13:09,120 He told them that I had cut the back of his head. 228 00:13:09,155 --> 00:13:12,690 Not a mark on him, not one mark. 229 00:13:12,758 --> 00:13:14,125 And then she just starts swinging. 230 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,294 I did not. He is lying. 231 00:13:16,328 --> 00:13:18,897 I never touched him. Look at what he did to me. 232 00:13:18,931 --> 00:13:21,399 I've already got a bruise on my jaw, 233 00:13:21,433 --> 00:13:26,437 I've got a black eye, and you could tell that it is fresh, 234 00:13:26,472 --> 00:13:30,041 and they didn't believe me, because I was a convicted felon, 235 00:13:30,075 --> 00:13:32,143 and he was a correctional officer. 236 00:13:32,178 --> 00:13:35,980 They told me to turn around and put my hands behind my back, 237 00:13:36,015 --> 00:13:37,916 and they put me in handcuffs. 238 00:13:37,950 --> 00:13:39,450 OFFICER: Ma'am, hands behind your back, please. 239 00:13:39,485 --> 00:13:42,287 What are you doing? Are you serious? Are you -- 240 00:13:42,321 --> 00:13:47,258 They arrested me on the spot for domestic violence, saying 241 00:13:47,293 --> 00:13:50,995 I hit a law enforcement officer and take me to jail. 242 00:13:51,030 --> 00:13:54,532 He's not a cop, he's a prison guard -- are you serious? 243 00:13:54,567 --> 00:13:58,136 He actually chuckled with me in handcuffs, 244 00:13:58,170 --> 00:14:00,405 and he said, "I told you." 245 00:14:00,439 --> 00:14:05,176 After that, I had no way out, because every time I'd try 246 00:14:05,211 --> 00:14:07,779 to leave, every time, 247 00:14:07,847 --> 00:14:10,615 he would start a fight, black my eye, 248 00:14:10,649 --> 00:14:14,919 break my arm, and call the cops and had me arrested 249 00:14:14,954 --> 00:14:16,154 for domestic violence. 250 00:14:17,489 --> 00:14:23,161 He never, never had a mark on his body that came from me. 251 00:14:23,195 --> 00:14:25,563 But who are they gonna believe? 252 00:14:25,598 --> 00:14:29,100 A correctional officer or convicted drug felon? 253 00:14:35,007 --> 00:14:35,874 It really hurt me 254 00:14:35,908 --> 00:14:37,275 that most of my family didn't believe me. 255 00:14:37,309 --> 00:14:40,612 You expect that from the cops, not from family. 256 00:14:42,481 --> 00:14:46,351 There was one time, he hit me. 257 00:14:46,385 --> 00:14:50,221 I'm trying to ice it down, 258 00:14:50,256 --> 00:14:53,057 trying to keep the swelling down, 259 00:14:53,092 --> 00:14:55,159 and I'm talking to my mom. 260 00:14:55,194 --> 00:14:58,730 I think I want to come stay with you for a few days. 261 00:14:58,797 --> 00:15:01,099 CHERI: I was on the phone with her, and he told me 262 00:15:01,133 --> 00:15:03,134 to get off, and of course, I did... 263 00:15:03,168 --> 00:15:04,469 Give me the phone. 264 00:15:04,503 --> 00:15:06,571 because I don't want my other side busted. 265 00:15:08,841 --> 00:15:10,508 Hey, sorry. 266 00:15:10,542 --> 00:15:13,478 CHERI: And he's telling my mom that I did it myself 267 00:15:13,512 --> 00:15:14,545 and I threatened to call 268 00:15:14,580 --> 00:15:18,249 the cops on him and tell 'em that he beat me. 269 00:15:20,052 --> 00:15:21,886 Cheri's been out of control recently. 270 00:15:21,921 --> 00:15:24,155 You know I'd never do a thing like that. 271 00:15:24,189 --> 00:15:26,958 He'd sit there and go, "Well, you know how she is. 272 00:15:26,992 --> 00:15:29,360 "She's crazy. It's all in her head. 273 00:15:29,395 --> 00:15:31,229 "She did that to herself. 274 00:15:31,263 --> 00:15:33,798 "She's just doing this to get attention. 275 00:15:33,866 --> 00:15:35,934 "She's lashing out at me trying to get 276 00:15:35,968 --> 00:15:39,137 me in trouble for something I didn't do." 277 00:15:40,072 --> 00:15:41,806 OVER PHONE: Why? What's the matter? 278 00:15:41,907 --> 00:15:44,909 CHERI: And I can hear her saying, "Well, you know 279 00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:46,010 how she is, Eddie." 280 00:15:46,045 --> 00:15:47,779 AS CHERI'S MOM: I'm not surprised. 281 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:49,514 She's always causing trouble. 282 00:15:49,548 --> 00:15:51,582 Yeah, she can be a handful. 283 00:15:51,617 --> 00:15:55,386 CHERI: He had my mom 100% believing I was 284 00:15:55,421 --> 00:15:59,490 the aggressor, and I was a crazy one. 285 00:15:59,525 --> 00:16:05,430 I was crying, and it wasn't from being hit. 286 00:16:05,464 --> 00:16:07,732 I was crying because my heart was 287 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,336 breaking as I heard her agree with him. 288 00:16:11,370 --> 00:16:13,137 AS CHERI'S MOM: I'm sorry, Eddie. 289 00:16:13,172 --> 00:16:16,374 Ah, don't worry about me, I'll be fine. 290 00:16:16,408 --> 00:16:19,110 CHERI: He was a master manipulator. 291 00:16:20,279 --> 00:16:23,081 I had nobody to turn to -- The cops 292 00:16:23,115 --> 00:16:25,350 didn't believe me, my family didn't believe me, 293 00:16:25,384 --> 00:16:26,884 my friends didn't believe me. 294 00:16:26,919 --> 00:16:30,054 I had nowhere to go. 295 00:16:30,089 --> 00:16:33,391 He knew that he could do literally anything 296 00:16:33,425 --> 00:16:35,393 he wanted to me and get away with it. 297 00:16:37,930 --> 00:16:39,364 [sniffles] 298 00:16:47,106 --> 00:16:53,611 His sexual desires became so much more demeaning. 299 00:16:55,447 --> 00:16:59,050 He loved to have people watch him have sex. 300 00:17:00,152 --> 00:17:02,653 And he was also bisexual. 301 00:17:04,857 --> 00:17:08,126 There was a swingers club out in Brandon, Florida. 302 00:17:10,496 --> 00:17:15,700 Eddie asked me to have a threesome with another man. 303 00:17:15,768 --> 00:17:19,337 Come on, let's go on back -- He's waiting for us. 304 00:17:19,371 --> 00:17:20,571 It scared me. 305 00:17:20,606 --> 00:17:23,841 I did not want to do it at all. 306 00:17:23,876 --> 00:17:25,910 Do we really have to do this? 307 00:17:25,944 --> 00:17:29,280 I couldn't believe that he even took me there. 308 00:17:29,314 --> 00:17:31,916 But he said "Cheri, you say you love me 309 00:17:31,950 --> 00:17:34,986 "so much and you would do anything for me. 310 00:17:35,020 --> 00:17:36,721 "Well, I want this to happen. 311 00:17:36,789 --> 00:17:38,790 And if you love me, you'll do it." 312 00:17:38,924 --> 00:17:41,726 Oh, so you'd rather be selfish than make me happy. 313 00:17:41,794 --> 00:17:45,029 CHERI: I thought to myself, "Well, if you love me, 314 00:17:45,064 --> 00:17:47,331 why are you making me do this?" 315 00:17:47,366 --> 00:17:51,869 And he had made it very, very clear to me that 316 00:17:51,904 --> 00:17:54,272 if I did not do it, 317 00:17:54,306 --> 00:17:57,075 and we left, he was not even gonna wait until we got home, 318 00:17:57,109 --> 00:18:01,546 he was just gonna pull into a dark parking lot and beat me. 319 00:18:01,580 --> 00:18:04,515 You know what? We can stay. We can. 320 00:18:05,784 --> 00:18:10,221 Let me just get another drink first, okay? 321 00:18:12,991 --> 00:18:15,560 CHERI: He just liked to see me suffer. 322 00:18:17,062 --> 00:18:20,198 He liked to see the pain go across my face. 323 00:18:20,265 --> 00:18:24,735 He thrived on it, to see exactly how far 324 00:18:24,803 --> 00:18:26,337 he could push me. 325 00:18:28,941 --> 00:18:30,708 The only way to get out of that 326 00:18:30,742 --> 00:18:33,644 situation was to make myself get physically ill. 327 00:18:37,449 --> 00:18:40,451 Okay? Let's go. 328 00:18:40,486 --> 00:18:42,887 CHERI: What I did is I went up to the bar, and I bought 329 00:18:42,921 --> 00:18:44,555 a shot of tequila, because 330 00:18:44,590 --> 00:18:49,393 I do not like tequila, and I chugged it, and it made me 331 00:18:49,428 --> 00:18:51,262 nauseous and made me want to get sick. 332 00:18:52,798 --> 00:18:54,365 I got very sick 333 00:18:54,399 --> 00:18:57,201 to where I did not have to do it, 334 00:18:57,236 --> 00:19:01,339 and we left, but he still ended up hitting me that night. 335 00:19:04,343 --> 00:19:06,777 I'd rather deal with that than to deal with 336 00:19:06,879 --> 00:19:08,880 having to give a part of me to somebody 337 00:19:08,914 --> 00:19:13,117 I did not know -- Bruises and beatings heal, 338 00:19:13,152 --> 00:19:20,358 but your self pride and self respect is all you have. 339 00:19:20,392 --> 00:19:22,293 And if you cannot protect that, 340 00:19:22,327 --> 00:19:25,730 then you're completely gone. 341 00:20:00,299 --> 00:20:02,066 I tried to leave him a couple of times, 342 00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:03,434 and he threatened to kill me. 343 00:20:03,468 --> 00:20:06,771 He told me he would break into wherever I was, 344 00:20:06,872 --> 00:20:09,340 he would find me, and he would kill me. 345 00:20:11,243 --> 00:20:15,112 One time, something set him off that I did. 346 00:20:15,147 --> 00:20:17,982 He blacked my eye, again. 347 00:20:18,016 --> 00:20:21,752 He called the cops -- I left before the cops got there, 348 00:20:23,055 --> 00:20:26,624 and I called my friend, and I went to her house. 349 00:20:28,594 --> 00:20:31,095 I was looking out the window. 350 00:20:31,129 --> 00:20:33,331 He finally figured out where I went. 351 00:20:34,967 --> 00:20:40,238 He would pull up, and he would not even be secretive about it. 352 00:20:40,305 --> 00:20:42,807 He would literally pull right in front of their yard or 353 00:20:42,908 --> 00:20:45,543 across the street, and you could see him. 354 00:20:45,577 --> 00:20:47,411 He did not try to hide it. 355 00:20:48,413 --> 00:20:51,315 And he would sit there and watch the whole time 356 00:20:51,350 --> 00:20:52,617 I would be there. 357 00:20:52,651 --> 00:20:55,720 [phone buzzing] 358 00:20:55,754 --> 00:20:57,855 And he blew my phone up 359 00:20:57,889 --> 00:21:02,760 every 5 to 15 minutes, nonstop. 360 00:21:02,794 --> 00:21:06,197 He goes, "I know you're there. I seen you in the window." 361 00:21:07,432 --> 00:21:11,269 I'm shaking. I thought he was gonna come into her house 362 00:21:11,303 --> 00:21:14,338 and hurt me, because it was just me and her there. 363 00:21:14,373 --> 00:21:15,906 There was nobody else there. 364 00:21:15,941 --> 00:21:17,608 He could have really hurt both of us, 365 00:21:17,643 --> 00:21:19,944 and I didn't want that to happen to her. 366 00:21:19,978 --> 00:21:23,180 So I went out her back door. 367 00:21:24,082 --> 00:21:26,417 I literally hopped a fence. 368 00:21:26,451 --> 00:21:30,421 I'm looking over my shoulder, I'm thinking, 369 00:21:30,455 --> 00:21:31,989 "Oh, my gosh, he's gonna hear me. 370 00:21:32,024 --> 00:21:34,025 He's gonna see me or something," you know? 371 00:21:34,059 --> 00:21:35,293 He never did. 372 00:21:35,327 --> 00:21:38,863 I hopped the fence, and I went home, 373 00:21:38,897 --> 00:21:41,098 and he sat in front of her house for 374 00:21:41,133 --> 00:21:43,668 two days and did not move from the parking spot. 375 00:21:45,470 --> 00:21:48,706 He was angry at me for that, because he did not 376 00:21:48,774 --> 00:21:50,775 know how I got out of that house. 377 00:21:50,909 --> 00:21:53,477 He thought that he had fell asleep, 378 00:21:53,512 --> 00:21:55,146 and I snuck out. 379 00:21:55,180 --> 00:21:56,947 He goes, "Why wouldn't you just get in the car? 380 00:21:56,982 --> 00:21:58,349 "I was only there to protect you, 381 00:21:58,383 --> 00:22:00,518 to make sure you made it home okay." 382 00:22:00,552 --> 00:22:04,221 Not only did I know that I couldn't leave, 383 00:22:04,256 --> 00:22:07,792 but I also knew that he was never gonna let me leave. 384 00:22:15,901 --> 00:22:18,502 The beatings were getting bad. 385 00:22:18,537 --> 00:22:22,373 I knew the next time that he got me under his fist, 386 00:22:22,407 --> 00:22:24,342 he was never gonna stop. 387 00:22:25,911 --> 00:22:27,345 I told him I was done. 388 00:22:27,379 --> 00:22:30,381 I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the abuse. 389 00:22:30,415 --> 00:22:34,719 I said, "I'm packing my stuff, and I'm leaving," and I did. 390 00:22:34,753 --> 00:22:39,123 I packed several bags, and I had 391 00:22:39,157 --> 00:22:41,826 a couple of friends that helped me get away. 392 00:22:41,860 --> 00:22:44,061 They all helped me pull myself out. 393 00:22:45,197 --> 00:22:48,899 I knew that he wasn't gonna beat me up going out the door, 394 00:22:48,934 --> 00:22:51,135 because my friends were there, 395 00:22:51,169 --> 00:22:54,939 because they could witness everything, and I told 396 00:22:54,973 --> 00:22:57,141 Eddie, "I'll be back to get the cats." 397 00:22:57,175 --> 00:22:59,276 And he goes, "Fine." 398 00:23:00,379 --> 00:23:01,545 You sure you want to do this? 399 00:23:03,548 --> 00:23:05,015 I am. 400 00:23:08,019 --> 00:23:09,720 I knew when I left there, 401 00:23:09,788 --> 00:23:11,689 I said, "Something's gonna happen tonight," 402 00:23:11,757 --> 00:23:12,890 and my friend said, 403 00:23:12,924 --> 00:23:14,525 "You're crazy, nothing's gonna happen." 404 00:23:19,931 --> 00:23:24,635 I went to work that day, and I wasn't there 405 00:23:24,669 --> 00:23:26,337 but two hours maybe. 406 00:23:26,371 --> 00:23:28,239 [phone buzzing] 407 00:23:28,273 --> 00:23:30,341 And then I get a call from 408 00:23:30,375 --> 00:23:32,943 Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on my cellphone, 409 00:23:32,978 --> 00:23:36,580 and the cops said, "Well, we just had to break 410 00:23:36,615 --> 00:23:39,283 "into your home, bust the door down. 411 00:23:39,317 --> 00:23:42,520 "And Eddie is in ICU 412 00:23:42,554 --> 00:23:44,321 at St. Joseph's hospital." 413 00:23:44,356 --> 00:23:46,157 God, is he okay? 414 00:23:46,191 --> 00:23:48,292 CHERI: I said, "What happened?" 415 00:23:48,326 --> 00:23:52,830 - And they said he ODed. - Wait, what? 416 00:23:52,898 --> 00:23:55,533 They said he was flailing in the middle of the floor, 417 00:23:55,567 --> 00:23:57,067 screaming, "I just took 418 00:23:57,102 --> 00:24:00,004 a handful of pills, and I drank a bottle of alcohol." 419 00:24:00,038 --> 00:24:02,239 This does not sound like Eddie. 420 00:24:02,274 --> 00:24:03,841 CHERI: I knew him better than that. 421 00:24:03,875 --> 00:24:08,012 Something in me told me that something else happened. 422 00:24:08,046 --> 00:24:11,449 And that's when the cops said, "How many cats did you have?" 423 00:24:11,483 --> 00:24:14,351 And when he asked me that, it clicked. 424 00:24:14,386 --> 00:24:17,288 I knew immediately what had happened. 425 00:24:19,057 --> 00:24:21,492 I said, "How many of my cats are dead?" 426 00:24:21,526 --> 00:24:23,060 He goes, "Ma'am, we don't know, 427 00:24:23,094 --> 00:24:24,428 "because you can't even count them. 428 00:24:24,463 --> 00:24:26,597 There's parts all over the place." 429 00:24:26,631 --> 00:24:30,534 He dismembered them completely. 430 00:24:31,603 --> 00:24:33,537 He did what to them? 431 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,274 I was so devastated. 432 00:24:37,309 --> 00:24:38,776 It shattered me. 433 00:24:41,613 --> 00:24:43,514 You can't explain that away. 434 00:24:44,916 --> 00:24:48,886 The only way you can do that is to, like he did, fake 435 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:50,387 a suicide 436 00:24:50,422 --> 00:24:54,992 and drew all that attention from what he did to my animals 437 00:24:55,026 --> 00:24:57,995 onto him, because everybody was so worried that he was going 438 00:24:58,029 --> 00:24:59,997 to die. 439 00:25:00,031 --> 00:25:01,065 Are you okay? 440 00:25:01,099 --> 00:25:03,234 CHERI: The cops forgot about the cats. 441 00:25:03,268 --> 00:25:05,636 There was never even a police report on it. 442 00:25:06,838 --> 00:25:08,038 I have to go. 443 00:25:08,073 --> 00:25:11,175 CHERI: That was his only way to make a point to me. 444 00:25:11,209 --> 00:25:13,410 This is what I am capable of, 445 00:25:13,445 --> 00:25:15,713 and if you do not fall in line, 446 00:25:15,747 --> 00:25:17,781 this is what's gonna happen to you. 447 00:25:31,196 --> 00:25:36,534 I woke up one day, and it was my birthday. 448 00:25:36,568 --> 00:25:39,570 I noticed that there was an orchid sitting 449 00:25:39,604 --> 00:25:41,805 right by the bed, and there was no note. 450 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:43,407 No nothing. 451 00:25:43,441 --> 00:25:47,211 And I picked the orchid up, and I walked into my mom's room. 452 00:25:47,245 --> 00:25:50,381 Mom, this is beautiful. Thank you. 453 00:25:50,415 --> 00:25:51,982 And she looked at me. She says, 454 00:25:52,017 --> 00:25:53,450 "I didn't get you an orchid." 455 00:25:53,485 --> 00:25:55,786 That's not from me. 456 00:25:56,922 --> 00:25:58,522 I don't understand. 457 00:25:58,557 --> 00:26:00,558 It was right next to my bed. 458 00:26:02,027 --> 00:26:05,563 My whole body tensed up. 459 00:26:05,597 --> 00:26:08,132 I said, "Well, if you didn't get it for me, 460 00:26:08,166 --> 00:26:09,400 where'd you come from?" 461 00:26:09,434 --> 00:26:13,237 [suspenseful music] 462 00:26:13,271 --> 00:26:15,005 I... 463 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:17,308 immediately dropped the orchid, and it crashed to 464 00:26:17,342 --> 00:26:19,777 the ground, because I knew it was Eddie. 465 00:26:21,379 --> 00:26:23,013 In that moment, 466 00:26:23,048 --> 00:26:25,015 I realized that Eddie had been sneaking 467 00:26:25,050 --> 00:26:28,452 into the house while I slept at night. 468 00:26:29,554 --> 00:26:34,792 He did it only to let me know that there is nothing 469 00:26:34,859 --> 00:26:37,328 I was gonna be able to do to keep him away from me. 470 00:26:37,362 --> 00:26:40,197 He will always be able to get to me. 471 00:26:40,231 --> 00:26:42,700 And if he can get in there and do that, 472 00:26:43,902 --> 00:26:46,003 what else can he do? 473 00:27:08,326 --> 00:27:11,462 CHERI: He had been given a protection order 474 00:27:11,496 --> 00:27:13,464 to stay away from me. 475 00:27:13,498 --> 00:27:16,233 The locks got changed on the door a couple of times, 476 00:27:16,267 --> 00:27:20,237 but it didn't matter -- He was gonna do and keep doing 477 00:27:20,271 --> 00:27:21,438 what he wanted to do. 478 00:27:24,743 --> 00:27:27,411 One night, I woke up to hear my mom screaming. 479 00:27:27,445 --> 00:27:29,313 AS CHERI'S MOM: Get out! What are you doing here? 480 00:27:29,347 --> 00:27:32,416 I shot up out of bed, 481 00:27:32,450 --> 00:27:36,453 and I look up, and he was standing, 482 00:27:36,488 --> 00:27:38,889 I mean, an arm length away from me. 483 00:27:38,923 --> 00:27:42,259 - It's okay. - AS CHERI'S MOM: Eddie, get out! 484 00:27:43,294 --> 00:27:46,163 CHERI: And she's screaming, "Eddie, how did you get in my house? 485 00:27:46,197 --> 00:27:49,033 How did you get in here? What are you doing here?" 486 00:27:49,067 --> 00:27:52,102 And he goes, "I was worried I hadn't heard from her. 487 00:27:52,137 --> 00:27:54,972 "I was worried about her, because nobody's answering 488 00:27:55,006 --> 00:27:56,373 my calls." 489 00:27:56,408 --> 00:27:57,808 He says, "I just wanted to make 490 00:27:57,909 --> 00:28:00,077 "sure you're okay, because I love you. 491 00:28:00,111 --> 00:28:01,478 "I always want you to know, 492 00:28:01,513 --> 00:28:04,081 "I'm always thinking about you, wondering what you're doing 493 00:28:04,115 --> 00:28:06,083 and if you're okay." 494 00:28:06,117 --> 00:28:08,419 My mom knew that was a lie. 495 00:28:08,453 --> 00:28:12,690 My mom knew right then and there how much trouble I was in. 496 00:28:12,757 --> 00:28:14,658 Get out! Right now. 497 00:28:15,860 --> 00:28:18,629 CHERI: He's like, "I want us to work our lives out. 498 00:28:18,663 --> 00:28:21,498 I want us to make our marriage work." 499 00:28:21,533 --> 00:28:24,401 I am not giving up on us. 500 00:28:24,436 --> 00:28:25,969 And he goes, "Oh, there's this 501 00:28:26,004 --> 00:28:28,138 woman I'm living with. We're roommates." 502 00:28:28,173 --> 00:28:31,675 He goes, um, "She is so overbearing. 503 00:28:31,743 --> 00:28:34,244 "She's just too much. She suffocates me. 504 00:28:34,279 --> 00:28:36,480 I don't know how to get rid of her or her kids." 505 00:28:36,514 --> 00:28:39,450 He goes, "I wish I could just get rid of 'em." 506 00:28:39,484 --> 00:28:41,452 That was the first time I heard the name Lisa. 507 00:28:41,486 --> 00:28:44,121 AS CHERI'S MOM: I am calling the cops, Eddie. 508 00:28:44,155 --> 00:28:46,256 CHERI: My mom was grabbing the phone to call the cops. 509 00:28:47,492 --> 00:28:51,061 He would get this smile on his face 510 00:28:51,096 --> 00:28:53,464 that was so evil. 511 00:28:53,498 --> 00:28:56,734 He had accomplished terrorizing me. 512 00:28:56,801 --> 00:28:58,268 He loved it. 513 00:28:58,303 --> 00:29:01,905 And he calmly turned around and walked out the door. 514 00:29:01,940 --> 00:29:05,008 Didn't say sorry, didn't say nothing. 515 00:29:07,378 --> 00:29:10,214 The cops came out, and their exact words 516 00:29:10,248 --> 00:29:13,951 to me and my family was, "He's not here now. 517 00:29:15,153 --> 00:29:17,354 "There's nothing we can do. 518 00:29:17,388 --> 00:29:19,690 It's your word against his." 519 00:29:31,169 --> 00:29:33,871 There was one night my friend dropped me off, 520 00:29:33,905 --> 00:29:37,708 and as he was pulling out, 521 00:29:37,776 --> 00:29:41,378 Eddie comes racing up my mom's street. 522 00:29:41,412 --> 00:29:43,147 - Hey, mom. - Hey, Cheri. 523 00:29:43,181 --> 00:29:44,414 What the hell's going on here? 524 00:29:44,449 --> 00:29:46,550 - Who was that? - Eddie! 525 00:29:46,584 --> 00:29:49,086 He just starts going off. 526 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:50,954 "Who are you with? Who is that guy? 527 00:29:50,989 --> 00:29:52,189 Why are you in that car?" 528 00:29:52,223 --> 00:29:54,424 I said, "It's nothing. 529 00:29:54,459 --> 00:29:55,459 He's just a friend." 530 00:29:55,493 --> 00:29:59,329 All of a sudden, he pulls out his father's 531 00:29:59,364 --> 00:30:03,167 service revolver and starts pointing it at me 532 00:30:03,201 --> 00:30:04,201 and my mom. 533 00:30:04,235 --> 00:30:05,569 - Eddie, I think... - He goes, 534 00:30:05,603 --> 00:30:08,172 "I could take you out right here, and there ain't nothing 535 00:30:08,206 --> 00:30:09,373 anybody's gonna do." 536 00:30:09,407 --> 00:30:11,275 And then he pointed it at my mom, 537 00:30:11,309 --> 00:30:13,610 he goes, "After I'm done with you, I'm gonna take her out. 538 00:30:13,645 --> 00:30:15,312 I'm gonna take your mom out, as well." 539 00:30:17,882 --> 00:30:20,284 - AS CHERI'S MOM: Don't. - He called the cops. 540 00:30:20,318 --> 00:30:22,352 He had 911 on the phone, saying, 541 00:30:22,387 --> 00:30:23,620 "She's hitting me. 542 00:30:23,655 --> 00:30:26,290 Please hurry. She's hitting me." 543 00:30:26,357 --> 00:30:28,492 Please send help right away. 544 00:30:28,526 --> 00:30:30,260 What are you doing? 545 00:30:30,295 --> 00:30:34,898 He gets to my doorway -- He slams his nose 546 00:30:34,933 --> 00:30:37,067 into the door jamb. 547 00:30:38,503 --> 00:30:42,005 And I heard his nose, I heard pop. 548 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:43,941 His nose start pouring down blood. 549 00:30:43,975 --> 00:30:47,411 He goes, "She won't stop hitting me, make her stop. 550 00:30:47,445 --> 00:30:48,946 She won't stop hitting me." 551 00:30:48,980 --> 00:30:52,716 And he's banging his face into the door jamb. 552 00:30:52,750 --> 00:30:54,017 She won't stop! 553 00:30:55,086 --> 00:30:57,254 The cops get there. 554 00:30:57,288 --> 00:31:00,424 The cop comes up and starts talking to him. 555 00:31:00,458 --> 00:31:03,393 - Sir. What's going on? - She hit me. 556 00:31:03,428 --> 00:31:07,998 And says, "We hear that you pulled a gun out on 557 00:31:08,032 --> 00:31:10,767 "this woman and her daughter. 558 00:31:10,869 --> 00:31:12,269 Is that true?" 559 00:31:13,338 --> 00:31:17,174 And he goes, "I don't know what they're talking about. 560 00:31:17,208 --> 00:31:19,009 "I'm in law enforcement. 561 00:31:19,043 --> 00:31:22,012 I work in the prison system." 562 00:31:22,046 --> 00:31:24,248 He showed them that badge. 563 00:31:24,282 --> 00:31:27,084 We didn't touch him! I didn't... 564 00:31:27,118 --> 00:31:30,053 He did that to himself. She's innocent! 565 00:31:30,088 --> 00:31:33,056 CHERI: And telling the cop, "I don't know why she keeps doing this. 566 00:31:33,091 --> 00:31:34,958 "I tried to be good to her. 567 00:31:34,993 --> 00:31:37,761 "I'm trying to reconcile my differences with my wife, 568 00:31:37,896 --> 00:31:41,231 and she continuously treats me like this." 569 00:31:42,133 --> 00:31:43,567 God, he was good. 570 00:31:43,601 --> 00:31:47,537 I mean, he had them eating out the palm of his hand. 571 00:31:50,241 --> 00:31:51,775 [indistinct radio chatter] 572 00:31:53,544 --> 00:31:56,013 I'm in the back seat, handcuffed. 573 00:31:56,047 --> 00:31:58,382 Eddie got to go home. 574 00:31:58,416 --> 00:32:01,285 Eddie went home after he gave a statement. 575 00:32:01,319 --> 00:32:03,754 As he was walking past me, 576 00:32:03,888 --> 00:32:07,457 he was flicking me off, gave me the bird, mouthing, 577 00:32:07,492 --> 00:32:11,461 "I told you. I told you." 578 00:32:11,496 --> 00:32:13,563 I had court orders to tell him to stay away, 579 00:32:13,598 --> 00:32:15,732 and he didn't follow it. 580 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,302 He didn't have to -- he knew he can get away with it. 581 00:32:18,336 --> 00:32:21,505 The rules never applied to him. 582 00:32:21,539 --> 00:32:25,208 I sat in the back of a police car for almost three hours. 583 00:32:25,242 --> 00:32:29,746 My mom had to beg them to release me. 584 00:32:29,814 --> 00:32:32,749 I realized that he was willing to hurt 585 00:32:32,850 --> 00:32:37,721 anyone or anything in the process to keeping me. 586 00:32:37,755 --> 00:32:43,126 I told the cop that the next time he gets called up there, 587 00:32:43,161 --> 00:32:46,263 he is going to kill me, 588 00:32:46,297 --> 00:32:48,298 and the cop just said, 589 00:32:48,333 --> 00:32:50,000 "Don't worry about it. No. 590 00:32:50,034 --> 00:32:51,935 It's all in your head." 591 00:33:03,514 --> 00:33:08,218 [phone ringing] 592 00:33:08,252 --> 00:33:10,087 Eddie would call me, 593 00:33:10,121 --> 00:33:12,356 I don't know, 30, 40 times a day. 594 00:33:14,092 --> 00:33:16,927 It was, "Why won't you talk to me? 595 00:33:16,961 --> 00:33:18,695 "Can't we just be friends? 596 00:33:18,763 --> 00:33:20,597 "I'm a changed man. 597 00:33:20,631 --> 00:33:23,200 "I'm sorry, you just know how much I love you. 598 00:33:23,234 --> 00:33:24,534 "I love you so much. 599 00:33:24,569 --> 00:33:28,071 It kills me not being able to see you." 600 00:33:28,106 --> 00:33:31,241 [phone ringing] 601 00:33:31,275 --> 00:33:33,243 For that whole year, 602 00:33:33,277 --> 00:33:37,080 I probably went through 11 different numbers. 603 00:33:38,583 --> 00:33:41,184 Every time he called, my skin would cringe. 604 00:33:41,219 --> 00:33:45,355 It would feel like my skin was crawling, and the hairs 605 00:33:45,390 --> 00:33:46,990 on my neck would start standing up 606 00:33:47,058 --> 00:33:49,459 every time he would call, because I knew 607 00:33:49,494 --> 00:33:51,228 what was in store. 608 00:33:51,262 --> 00:33:53,797 [phone ringing] 609 00:33:53,898 --> 00:33:58,235 [phone ringing] 610 00:34:05,743 --> 00:34:08,278 I thought it was just a normal day. 611 00:34:08,312 --> 00:34:12,382 I started receiving numerous calls. 612 00:34:15,153 --> 00:34:18,989 Two hours later, I got these five gentlemen walking in, 613 00:34:19,023 --> 00:34:23,126 three of them in suits, couple of police officers. 614 00:34:25,897 --> 00:34:28,265 And they wanted to speak to me. 615 00:34:28,299 --> 00:34:29,199 I told the officers, 616 00:34:29,233 --> 00:34:32,169 I said, if this is about Eddie, 617 00:34:32,203 --> 00:34:33,570 I don't have time for it, because 618 00:34:33,604 --> 00:34:36,773 I'm at work -- Contact me after work. 619 00:34:36,808 --> 00:34:40,610 I thought he had contacted the police again and told them 620 00:34:40,645 --> 00:34:47,050 that I either hit him or -- Or I did something to him. 621 00:34:47,085 --> 00:34:49,019 Whatever he told you I did this time, 622 00:34:49,053 --> 00:34:50,720 he's lying again. 623 00:34:50,755 --> 00:34:53,757 The officer told me, "Ma'am, we really need to speak 624 00:34:53,858 --> 00:34:55,659 with you. It's important." 625 00:34:56,761 --> 00:34:59,996 And he told me that they had found 626 00:35:01,099 --> 00:35:04,334 three bodies, and they could not identify 627 00:35:04,368 --> 00:35:06,937 what parts went where. 628 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:27,224 Eddie had killed his girlfriend and her two kids. 629 00:35:29,293 --> 00:35:31,728 When the cops came in, they opened the door, 630 00:35:31,796 --> 00:35:36,399 the little girl's body was kind of barricading the door. 631 00:35:48,913 --> 00:35:51,248 They went further into the trailer, 632 00:35:51,282 --> 00:35:53,617 and I think Lisa was in the hallway. 633 00:36:05,429 --> 00:36:07,664 They went into the little boy's room. 634 00:36:27,251 --> 00:36:30,086 I thought back to when he said, "She's my roommate, 635 00:36:30,121 --> 00:36:32,522 "and I'm just trying to find a way to get rid of them. 636 00:36:32,557 --> 00:36:34,391 "She's just won't leave me alone, 637 00:36:34,425 --> 00:36:37,027 her and her kids. I'm trying to get rid of 'em." 638 00:36:52,143 --> 00:36:56,046 They had found Eddie in the daughter's closet. 639 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:57,881 I think it was her closet. 640 00:36:57,915 --> 00:37:02,018 They had found him in there in his shorts, 641 00:37:02,053 --> 00:37:04,921 his boxer shorts or whatever he was wearing, 642 00:37:04,956 --> 00:37:06,223 and nothing else. 643 00:37:08,326 --> 00:37:10,260 He was mumbling. 644 00:37:10,294 --> 00:37:12,229 He said, "I finally killed Cheri. 645 00:37:12,263 --> 00:37:14,030 That bitch. She's finally dead." 646 00:37:14,065 --> 00:37:16,199 I was the one that he was seeing 647 00:37:16,234 --> 00:37:19,769 when he murdered his girlfriend and her two children. 648 00:37:34,252 --> 00:37:38,388 They took him out of the closet and walked him out, 649 00:37:39,790 --> 00:37:42,459 and he had stepped on his girlfriend. 650 00:37:42,493 --> 00:37:45,795 Didn't step over her -- He stepped on her. 651 00:37:52,003 --> 00:37:53,270 Every time I talk about this, 652 00:37:53,304 --> 00:37:56,740 I see the photos, and it just kills me. 653 00:38:19,764 --> 00:38:22,165 It was the Fourth of July. 654 00:38:23,334 --> 00:38:26,236 My mother and I were sitting on the bed talking and stuff, 655 00:38:26,270 --> 00:38:29,205 and she was telling me she loved me 656 00:38:29,240 --> 00:38:32,042 and how she wished that 657 00:38:32,076 --> 00:38:34,110 she would've believed me sooner. 658 00:38:34,145 --> 00:38:36,646 She didn't realize exactly what I was going through. 659 00:38:36,681 --> 00:38:39,149 I never would have let you stay there 660 00:38:39,183 --> 00:38:40,283 if I would've known. 661 00:38:41,385 --> 00:38:44,321 CHERI: She told me she was sorry, and she asked me, 662 00:38:44,355 --> 00:38:48,091 she goes, "Will you ever be able to forgive me 663 00:38:48,125 --> 00:38:51,094 for what has happened?" 664 00:38:51,128 --> 00:38:52,195 I'm sorry. 665 00:38:55,433 --> 00:38:57,467 I know. 666 00:38:57,501 --> 00:39:02,639 My mom went to bed and did not wake up the next morning. 667 00:39:02,673 --> 00:39:04,107 She had passed away. 668 00:39:08,145 --> 00:39:12,415 I think that the guilt and the stress did push her very 669 00:39:12,450 --> 00:39:17,053 much over the edge, and I think she just wanted it to end. 670 00:39:17,088 --> 00:39:20,323 Like, she just wanted the world to go quiet. 671 00:39:23,327 --> 00:39:27,297 And she didn't wake up the next morning. 672 00:39:27,331 --> 00:39:28,965 She was gone. 673 00:39:32,803 --> 00:39:34,070 I forgive her, 674 00:39:35,706 --> 00:39:37,874 and I wanted to apologize to her for not 675 00:39:37,908 --> 00:39:40,510 telling her I forgave her when she was alive. 676 00:39:45,282 --> 00:39:48,284 And I know she's my guardian angel, 677 00:39:48,319 --> 00:39:50,553 and she knows I do. 678 00:40:00,364 --> 00:40:02,465 I don't agree with that decision. 679 00:40:03,567 --> 00:40:07,203 With all the pain and suffering that he has caused, 680 00:40:07,238 --> 00:40:10,039 death is absolutely too easy for him. 681 00:40:11,041 --> 00:40:12,142 He needs to be in there for 682 00:40:12,176 --> 00:40:17,781 life without parole, because he's 48 years old. 683 00:40:17,915 --> 00:40:21,518 So he still has a lot of life left. 684 00:40:22,586 --> 00:40:24,687 Death is so final. 685 00:40:24,722 --> 00:40:27,891 He will never have to suffer 686 00:40:27,925 --> 00:40:30,960 or live with what he has done. 687 00:40:30,995 --> 00:40:35,398 But I would attend his execution 100 percent, 688 00:40:35,433 --> 00:40:38,868 because then I want him to look me in my eye. 689 00:40:38,903 --> 00:40:42,172 I want him to see how much stronger I am today 690 00:40:42,206 --> 00:40:45,408 than what I was from the time that he met me. 691 00:40:45,443 --> 00:40:48,144 I want him to see 692 00:40:48,179 --> 00:40:50,880 how I'm not scared of him anymore. 693 00:40:50,915 --> 00:40:53,383 I know he can't hurt me anymore. 694 00:40:53,417 --> 00:40:55,285 He can't hurt anybody anymore. 695 00:40:56,320 --> 00:40:57,387 Ever again. 696 00:41:10,501 --> 00:41:14,003 I wish it would have been me and not them. 697 00:41:14,104 --> 00:41:15,572 I wish it would have been me. 698 00:41:17,341 --> 00:41:20,276 I will never forgive him for what he did. 699 00:41:20,311 --> 00:41:24,547 I carry a lot, a lot of guilt, 700 00:41:24,582 --> 00:41:26,649 because I knew what it was like, 701 00:41:26,684 --> 00:41:30,420 but nobody believed me. 702 00:41:30,488 --> 00:41:33,456 Nobody protected me, 703 00:41:33,491 --> 00:41:35,992 and I did the same thing to her, in a way, 704 00:41:36,026 --> 00:41:38,761 because I didn't warn her. 705 00:41:38,863 --> 00:41:42,165 I really, really wish I would have warned her. 706 00:41:46,270 --> 00:41:48,771 He destroyed more than one family. 707 00:41:49,907 --> 00:41:52,308 He destroyed me for the rest of my life. 708 00:41:54,778 --> 00:41:57,380 I don't even get close to anybody anymore. 709 00:41:59,149 --> 00:42:00,717 It don't keep friends near me. 710 00:42:00,751 --> 00:42:04,521 I don't keep my family near me. 711 00:42:04,555 --> 00:42:06,222 I haven't healed. 712 00:42:09,293 --> 00:42:11,361 I do try, though, 713 00:42:13,430 --> 00:42:15,632 to, um... 714 00:42:17,501 --> 00:42:19,702 live at least a happy life. 715 00:42:19,770 --> 00:42:21,237 I do try every day. 716 00:42:21,272 --> 00:42:23,540 I wake up in the morning saying we're gonna try to 717 00:42:23,574 --> 00:42:25,508 have a good day today.