Caitlin Van Mol 0:00 This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence and a good amount of swearing. Listener discretion is advised. I think he told me he was going to eradicate my ass.

Melissa 0:14 Yeah, he said some narrowly a few narrowly things.

Caitlin Van Mol 0:21 In 2008, Melissa Benson was enjoying co parenting her kids in Casper, Wyoming, but also liked having her independence.

Melissa 0:30 Basically, I was just living life. I pretty much was raising a couple of my kids and they decided to go live with their dad. So I was pretty much by myself. After that, you know, just living with a friend. Things were I wouldn't say they were, like, I had the easiest, you know, route. You know, I was still trying to make ends meet and, you know, support my kids still. So there was some challenges with that, because, you know, dealing with teenagers is, can be challenging. One

Caitlin Van Mol 1:06 day, she was at a friend's barbecue and needed to hit up at the liquor store.

Melissa 1:11 The liquor store was so close that we were just able to walk. So I was walking down to get ice and to give myself a beer, to be honest. And so I was walking, I met Shawn and his friend, we started talking and then from there, that night, we ended up talking and then when the barbecue was over, my daughter ended up driving us bribing me and I met them at a at a bar.

Caitlin Van Mol 1:39 Shawn was LaShawn King, and the two started dating. What was the early relationship? Like, really

Melissa 1:48 like a gentleman, I mean, he really was somebody, I thought, Wow, this guy's really nice, you know, I would stay I stood over sometimes. He would make me breakfast, he would weld, sometimes in the like, at night, and get home in the morning. And he had like, bring me a rose. You know, just those simple things, really meant something. I think that made an impression upon what I thought about him. And then I moved

Caitlin Van Mol 2:17 in. And why did you move in with him?

Melissa 2:21 Well, at the time when we were when I was seeing him, I told him, I was going to start looking for my own place. I knew he was living with a friend of mine. And just because I knew my friend was going to be leaving eventually. And then he said, you know, Melissa, you could live here, we could split the rent, no strings attached, if you don't want to do that's up to you, but, you know, just to help you out. And we can help each other. You know, I said, Okay, I said, I think that could work. I you know, because we got along. So I didn't see an issue with that. So

Caitlin Van Mol 2:57 Melissa moved in, in closer proximity, she noticed a few strange things. Her bag seemed to have been gone through. And he made some remarks. She just brushed off as teasing. But after living together for about six weeks, something happened. Melissa couldn't write off so easily.

Melissa 3:18 What happened was I told him, my daughter was coming, and we were going to go eat. And he got upset. And I was like, well, you can come you know, you're more than welcome to come. He just you could see the look in his eyes. And he didn't really say much. He stood quiet, but he was always really quiet. But you could just see he was angry. And I just kind of looked and my daughter showed up and he goes down. And he's telling me, you know, yeah, you're probably going to see some guy and I said, No, no, it was like, my daughter's here. My daughter was in the car and you said, I don't appreciate you lying to me. And my daughter said, My mom's not lying to you. We're going to eat out fine jays, I have my kids in the car. And he proceeded to ignore my daughter. And then that's when he wanted to he tried to hit me.

Caitlin Van Mol 4:13 This is live to tell the podcast where I talk to some of the bravest people who have been through the most horrifying things and lived to tell the tale. I'm Caitlin van mol

Melissa 4:30 my daughter was like, you know, don't touch my mom, you know, she said, You're wrong. She said that's, I don't know what your problem is. And then so we go and eat and he called me and said, hey, you know, Melissa, I want to tell you I'm sorry. I didn't need to do that. I really want to talk with you and until you know your daughter. I'm sorry. I'm just I just don't know what I was thinking. You said I just really really was wrong.

Caitlin Van Mol 4:57 Did you ever give like a reason why He thought you were seeing someone else. No,

Melissa 5:02 he never. He never give me a reason. I don't know what if he just truly, really believed that? I just don't know. But I didn't do. I did not do anything in the relationship, especially at the beginning to make him think that I was seeing somebody.

Caitlin Van Mol 5:21 Melissa forgave him. But it wasn't the last time he lost his temper. Police were called to their apartment on several occasions for domestic disputes. But Melissa had hope that LaShawn would go back to being the sweet man who would bring her a rose after work. I hate to ask this, because I feel like it is asked of a lot of survivors of domestic violence. But why didn't you find somewhere else to live? Why didn't you leave?

Melissa 5:53 Yeah, that you know what, please don't feel bad to ask that. Because that's, that's a good question. And I know people say, oh, like, you're stupid, or you're dumb. You know, I'll be honest with you, when you think that somebody can change, and you'd have false hope. I hoped that, you know, things would change. And it was always something that made me think that yes, he's going to change. We, you know, and people are like, Well, you could have got out early, you're right. Absolutely. It's not as easy to see clearly, that sometimes, not just loving somebody but having this false hope that you know, that they're going to change that can be really obscure to the reality of the situation.

Caitlin Van Mol 6:49 But Melissa did get to her breaking point. So

Melissa 6:53 he had a dog. He had to go to work, he went to work, he put the dog he was a puppy, put the dog in the bathroom. So he didn't want to poop in everywhere. And so I get home. And I opened the door and the puppy tore up the bathroom, because he was trying to get out of the bathroom. So he tore up the linoleum. So when he got home, I told him I just said, Hey, listen, I look so so well. But I want you to know, he tore up the bathroom, and pizzas got man. And he just basically blamed me told me it was my fault and told me I was a dirty bitch, and that I was no good bitch, and I'm no good. I'm worthless. And it's my fault that puppy haven't been there. And I just didn't say nothing. I first night just finally said, you know, that's not my fault, Shawn. I said, I didn't put the puppy in there. And then she got that's when he got mad. And I remember him hitting me and I fell against the wall and fell by the toilet. And she proceeded to tell me Give me your hands. And he ended up taping my hands. And then he put the tape around my mouth. I guess he had a knife. He had his own like a pocket knife. And then that's when he pulled up the knife. And he said, You think you're real smart, don't you? He said, Yeah, I bet she goes, You nobody's gonna be able to find you, your family, your kids, nobody goes because I got the perfect way. I'm gonna get rid of you. And he proceeded to take that knife. And he ran it down my face and cut to get to my from one ear basically to the other side of the year of you know, down through my throat. And he said, I'm gonna mess up that pretty face too. So nobody wants you, because problem kill you, too. And I couldn't talk because I have duct tape on my mouth. There's not really much I could say. And I just kind of shook my head like no. And then she would laugh and say, Oh, no, this ain't the time but there's going to be the time because this ain't the time but I'm going to do away with you. Nobody's gonna know. He finally took the duct tape off of my mouth. And he took some of the duct tape off of my hands. I removed the rest. And it was late at night and that's when I told myself that's the last time I said I said when he goes to work tomorrow. I'm not gonna go into work. I'm gonna pack my stuff and I'm leaving.

Caitlin Van Mol 9:48 By leaving his apartment. Didn't mean Melissa was free of him. I

Melissa 9:54 would get calls from him and I worked two jobs at the time to I was When I was working in that unemployment office, and I was cleaning buildings that my aunt had a contract, he would show up to that cleaning building. He showed up to the unemployment office, I actually went to the self help center during that time that I left him. The

Caitlin Van Mol 10:16 self help center is a nonprofit in Wyoming that helps and provide services to people experiencing domestic violence.

Melissa 10:23 And I asked how to file stalking order. And it's very, it's it takes a lot to get a stalking order. It's not as easy as people think. Not at all. But I proved my case to show he stopped me three different ways. And so they issued the stalking order. So I went to work feeling like I did something right. And I was going to be a little bit safer because they were going to serve Him. But for some reason, I always got I would call we've got this excuse that we can't serve him. He's never home. He's never home. You know, I don't know. I found it hard to believe. But at the same time, maybe it was true, but I don't know because I felt like they never felt like the police said let me down. When I really truly decided to get out.

Caitlin Van Mol 11:16 LaShawn did show up to her work again, but was escorted away by police. After that incident in 2011. Melissa didn't hear from him for two weeks until

Melissa 11:34 can call me any threaten me about about a 15 minute phone call. And he threatened me several several times.

Caitlin Van Mol 11:41 Melissa recorded the call

Caitlin Van Mol 11:54 this goes on for 15 minutes with Melissa hardly saying anything. He threatens to kill her over and over. But the next time Melissa heard from him, it was quite a different mode.

Melissa 12:08 He said, Hey, I'm going back to Detroit. I got a ticket. And I'm gonna go back and he goes, can you come and meet with me? Can we go have something to eat? I just really want to sit down and talk with you. And once again, I said Yeah, so I went and I took him to Wendy's. And we sat and we got lunch. We had a dog that wasn't the same dog that made the mess in the bathroom, but it was a different dog. Her name was bond. So he said Hey, but you have your stuff. Still no apartment. We have the dog which because when I left him, I left my furniture. I left everything. I took my computer my clothes, and that was it

Caitlin Van Mol 12:50 was Sean's friend. FIM was watching Barney the dog at the time. It was decided that Melissa would pick up plush on that night. And they would go meet Efraim at a movie theater so Melissa could get Bonnie and LaShawn and everyone could see a movie. So

Melissa 13:08 I ended up going and picking him up. And that's when I drive up to the movie theater. And when I drive up, our Red Lobster had burned down and they were rebuilding it right there across from the theater. And she wanted me to park there but something told me no. So then I just started feeling well about the situation. And I was like, Oh, well we're suffering Missy Parker, do you think he's already parked?

Caitlin Van Mol 13:38 At this point? It's important to note that Melissa has two cell phones. One of which she thinks LaShawn doesn't know about. He took

Melissa 13:47 my one of my phones away and act like he was looking at it but I knew in my heart that he was going to keep that phone. I felt it. He tells me to park and if I remember there was a bit of some some premier going on like it was like a new movie and a lot of people were there. And then if I was looking in front of me is a workout place. And I heard this on my baseboard and I knew I knew them. I knew

Caitlin Van Mol 14:22 the thought she heard was LaShawn picking up a sledgehammer he had hidden on the side of the passenger seat.

Melissa 14:30 But I didn't want him to know I was afraid. But I so when I heard this third he turned and looked at me and I remember the last thing that I could clear clearly see is a lady running on a treadmill and And I remember turning around, and he's looking at me and he looks so evil. And and I wanted to get out. So I tried to get out of the vehicle. And I remember trying to open that door, and he pulled me by the back of my hair. And the next thing I remember is my back being arched and him having my hair. He took the four pound sledgehammer and she hit me in my left eye. And then he did it again. And then the third time I put my hand up, because I remember seeing silver, and I put my hand up to block it and hit my hand with that hammer. And then I told myself, I had, I had to get out. And he had me by my hair, and he followed me all the way from the passengers through the driver's side, outside with my holding my hair. And I remember standing there, and I'm like, Come somebody's got to come. Somebody's got to save me. You know, somebody's kind of see this. And nobody, nobody, nobody came. It was. So he was telling me Shut the fuck up, bitch because I was I was crying. And he was like, shut the fuck up, bitch. It was like, okay, okay, I'll be quiet. I'll be quiet. So we're bringing in I remember. He was like, Get the fucking pitch Get the fucking this van and I said, okay, okay, I'll get him Hold on, hold on. And I was telling myself I can't get in the van. If I get in the van, I'm dead. Because I have no way out. There's no latch in the back to escape to the back door. There's nothing. And so I remember pushing my bodyweight against him because he was forcing me in. Remember my shirt and a jacket coming off my shirt and just blood. I just remember, I was in my bra. And I can taste the blood just dripping down the back of my throat. Just the taste of it. And then finally he said if I didn't get in the van, he was going to hit me in the head with the hammer. So I took my time. And I made excuse after excuse and so when I caught him suddenly he slammed the door on my leg. And I remember that and then I still case and get the fuck up, bitch. I still pay Okay, and and I put back on my bloody shirt. And I remember leaving my jacket behind right behind him. The driver's seat, he so he gets back into the van. And he comes through the like aisle because they're bucket seats and he takes them or any proceeds and you can't be in my back because it said I wasn't. He said I wasn't moving fast enough. And so I went all the way to the back. And that's when I knew I had that. Oh, my jacket was

Caitlin Van Mol 18:01 Sean got in the driver's seat and started to drive. I

Melissa 18:05 didn't have no dash lights because the vehicle got messed up a long time ago, so didn't have no more dash light. So the pitch black, I got up from the back of the big long bench and walk slowly, you know, kind of crawled I guess, start filling for my jacket and I knew where it was at. And he told me what are you doing pitcher for that phone, aren't you? And I said no, no, no, I'm looking for my jacket to show you. I don't have the phone. And I signed my jacket. Oh my god, I found the phone. I found the phone like oh my gosh. So I took myself from the I sat back in the very back again. So I opened the phone I downloaded one and it says you have like 5% left on the battery. And I remember my hands were so bloody there's so much blood that is slid out of my hand. When I called in he goes What are you doing a bitch and I said nothing. Nothing. I'm just laying here.

Caitlin Van Mol 19:03 Her call went through to the operator. But Melissa couldn't say anything. 911911

Speaker 1 19:09 What is the address of your emergency?

Melissa 19:21 Just crying profusely. Help me Help me I remember just the sound of my voice

Unknown Speaker 19:34 sounded horrible. 911 Can you hear me? Okay.

Melissa 19:44 Honestly, it just sounded horrible to know that. I couldn't even talk to this lady that the way I needed to. So I make that call and we're on probably about 10 or 11 minute call In the whole time, I could not say anything to this lady. And I could tell she was questioning

Unknown Speaker 20:11 you ma'am.

Melissa 20:14 And no fault and I could hear her and I heard her say,

Unknown Speaker 20:21 where are you at? Ma'am?

Melissa 20:24 Where are you at? And what are we? And that's it because you've got a sucky home Don't you

Unknown Speaker 20:35 know I don't have to call a toll.

Melissa 20:39 And I said, No, no, I don't I don't have the phone in. So I said we're going up to we're by the refinery, aren't we in Evansville, I went up to Glen rock. And that was the last I couldn't really say anything to that lady, honestly. And then he told me Shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up. And he told me if I shut the fuck up, he was gonna hit me. And he was gonna hit me crack me with that sledgehammer. And I remember him driving and he keeps going drives up to water tower. And I said, I'm so afraid if he finds his phone, I'm dead. I had a basket in my van with all my stuff. My Computer, my papers. And I tried to hide the folding basket. I couldn't see really hardly anymore. I really couldn't see out neither. Neither I so it was hard for me to tell how far I hid that foam down in that basket. I couldn't tell. He parks apart. And he says that you got that phone

Melissa 21:54 stocks come he's like, ooh, move over here. Move over here.

Melissa 22:03 And he you can hear him through the call tomorrow. He's gonna hurt me kill me. I mean, just, he comes in. He's telling me to move. And I'm like, God, man, when he's gonna find the phone. I'm so afraid. And so I I start trying to go through the basket with him. And you can hear all that rumbling on that care.

Unknown Speaker 22:27 Can you hear me?

Melissa 22:31 It's me and him. Basically racing to the basket to get to try to get the phone. I wanted to get it. So he couldn't find it. But it didn't happen that way. It couldn't see. Couldn't see. So he fell on the phone

Caitlin Van Mol 22:54 he hit her a few times. And then he took the phone battery out. Melissa had lost her lifeline. I lost

Melissa 23:02 hope at that point. And that's when I said, God. Please do not let me suffer. Just let him kill me fast to know. And I pleaded and she didn't say that I hurt really bad leshawna I called him Sean but I said I hurt really, really bad I bleeding. So he heads up driving to this hotel. And we stood up our tough woman and I pleaded with him to get help. I like I told him go in and get a room and we won't have to tell nobody. Nobody has to know Sean. And he said they're gonna fucking No, look, you're all fucked up. So then, the only thing he asked was how much guests do we have in here and I liked it. I knew I put gas that day. We had enough but I live. But I felt from the distance from where we drove to the time we stopped at value went to a gas station called the Ready Go.

Caitlin Van Mol 24:07 This was bad news for Melissa. She knew that there weren't any businesses around this gas station that would be open at that time. And that meant there was no one around to help her. On top of that, Melissa's face was so swollen she could barely see out of one eye. So running just seemed out of the question. But just being conscious had thrown a wrench in law, Sean's plans.

Melissa 24:34 So he goes in he puts gas and then he puts gas in this gas camp too. Cuz the original plan was he was thought it would pass on he was gonna burn me alive

Caitlin Van Mol 24:53 did he say that to you?

Melissa 24:54 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I said they don't want you to go to Paris. same promise almost anything. He said, You're worth going to prison for. That's what he told me. And that's when he said, Yeah, he was no way he was bent. She goes, I'm gonna burn, I'm gonna burn you alive. He

Caitlin Van Mol 25:17 kept driving, and Melissa kept pleading it He kept telling her she was stupid and to shut up. He drove them to their old apartment and ran inside to get something. Again, Melissa knew there was no one awake or nearby to run to. So she didn't take the risk. He returned in started driving again. But meanwhile, the police were looking for them. They had identified Melissa from her phone number, and used cell phone towers to paying for her location.

Melissa 25:51 He said, Fuck, man, the fucking cops, the fucking cops. I said, Oh my god, they said they couldn't save me. They're gonna save me. So then I don't know what made him but he stopped. People, the the pulls over into a big parking lot. It was oil company. That was the parking lot. And I said, Oh my God. And they turn on the intercom that speaker they use they said, driver, hold keys eviction. Girl, get down. And she wouldn't do it. So they told him again. And he still didn't do. So the next thing you hear is and to me that sounds like good goodness. You know, I shot them. I said man says I'm gonna die. They don't know I'm in here. But he Mr. King turns around, and I finally sit up. And, and he tells me Are you gonna tell me? And I said, No, I'm not going to tell him. And then that the third time, it's time to get out and he suddenly opens the door and gets out and lays on the ground, I guess. I and the next thing I know is Officer opens the right side of the door, the right side of the sliding door and sees me says jen an ambulance he dropped the fucker up, get an ambulance. And then the tip of tomorrow comes and opens the left side of the door and he tells me who he is. And he said, You know, we've been looking for you to put me on a flat like structure. It was more of a flow of flat board. And they transport me to the hospital there. Casper, Wyoming. Like I was shut so bad. They had to open up my left eye with a sledge hammer had impacted it because it broke out what it did is it shattered my whole orbital floor. So that cheekbone that busted all of that, that was completely busted. And so my eye basically, it was deformed. I told the doctor just to open it, he said, but we need to give you payments, and I refused them. And the reason I did is because I want to make sure that everything I gave to the police was true and correct. To the best of my ability without any type of narcotic compromising my mindset, because they were taking my statement. They were looking at me, so I really couldn't give me payments. They had to just open my mind. You know, honestly, Caitlin, I think I was in so much shock. By the time I got there that I think I took myself somewhere else so I wouldn't say no pain.

Caitlin Van Mol 29:01 Melissa didn't have health insurance. And that unfortunately meant she had to leave the hospital earlier than she would have liked.

Melissa 29:10 I think I was in hospital for two days. Oh, and they were going to release me five hours after I was admitted. I was admitted into as a no pub and this lady wanted to release me. I got in that room at five o'clock in the morning. Shonda released me at 10am That morning, and my cousin who's a occupational therapist, said if you you release her we will sue you because she's emotion to be released today. After

Caitlin Van Mol 29:38 she was released from the hospital. Melissa tried to see an Ear Nose Throat doctor in her area. But they cancelled the appointment. Basically

Melissa 29:48 couldn't see. Dum Dum. I'm assuming because what are the crime because I didn't have the money.

Caitlin Van Mol 29:57 She did finally get to see a doctor in Colorado, who told her she needed to have reconstructive surgery, but Melissa didn't know how she was going to pay for this very necessary surgery.

Melissa 30:12 I talked to the victims Calm, calm. And they said they do help pay for things. And they helped me, you know, look at paying that, that surgeon, they only pay 15,000 They only cover $15,000 The medical, or period that's all you get 15,000 all the way across the board, anything you're paid to give you some type of payments to pay for your medical bills. The amount of medical expenses was way beyond that. It's over $100,000. The

Caitlin Van Mol 30:44 15,000 was enough to get the surgery. But Melissa still had to cut some corners,

Melissa 30:51 waiting in acute inpatient because we wanted to keep me in the hospital but I didn't. So we did it outpatient. So the doctor went in and did the surgery. I was in surgery for about three hours and came out, recovered for about an hour got up. We rented a hotel me my sister and my daughter. And we arrested in our hotel one day for that night. At day two that night. We woke up the next morning because we didn't have money. So we couldn't afford to be staying in a hotel near Cherry Creek. It's expensive.

Caitlin Van Mol 31:29 While she was healing physically, Melissa wanted to see a therapist to help her with the emotional aftermath. But it was hard to find someone who hadn't heard her story from the press.

Melissa 31:41 When I went to the counseling. They already had been presumption paid because they have oh my gosh, they have everything already out in the newspapers on the radio and the information was wrong. Some of it was totally wrong. And you know, when I went in for my counseling, the first thing the lady said is you're afraid of black people. Because he was it was a black gentleman that you know, did it but I was like my best friend is black. My daughter's half black like so I said no, no way. Go away to not counsel. I told her how would you know? Because, you know, because I told her it couldn't do it. I'm not afraid of black people. It's not the color. It's the person. So I chose not to go to counseling. And so what I did is I read a lot I read I prayed a lot. I read a lot. I read the Bible I prayed I went to church I I can't credit just myself. I'm gonna give credit to my mind

Melissa 33:03 I give credit to like my my kids, but I'll give credit to my cousin

Caitlin Van Mol 33:15 Excuse me. No, take your time. Please.

Melissa 33:21 It hits home. This one does it. Because she has failed she does pass last year. So sorry. Yeah, she was with me through thick, big boy. I give credit to my cousin, Bonnie Auggie, Laura. Her she helped me a lot match me. God. She would. When she found out I got her man. She drove from a town called Cody Wyoming to Casper. She dropped everything. And she was with me. From day one. They would she would come and get me. She'll be like, come on. We're not sitting in his office. Let's go but she took me everywhere. Everywhere we went to community functions we went out to we went out to bars with the friends I could drink but you know, she kept me alive. Like that's it. She She kept she kept me alive.

Caitlin Van Mol 34:34 And it was actually Bonnie sister Sue, that helped Melissa find a new path when she struggled to find work after the assault.

Melissa 34:43 I already had a master's in business administration when it happened to me it I had a hard time getting a job there. I'd go for interviews and I got a job landed one time they said yeah come back for the drug test but but Not a problem. So I call to find out where I'm going to take the drug test. And the guy answered the the main manager, you know, he said, we used to tell about the confrontation not too long ago. I said, No, not really. I said, I wouldn't call it a confrontation. You he said, Well, we can't hire you. Because we have to take that up with our big corporate office,

Caitlin Van Mol 35:24 even though you were a victim of a crime. Absolutely.

Melissa 35:29 Absolutely. Yes. That was so frustrating, selfishly. So, my cousin, you know, told me, why don't you go back to school? And I said, Do I really want to do this? Because here I am. 41 years of age. Do I really want to go back to school? Yeah, it's hard. I went back. I didn't I got in the program. And I started doing the program. While

Caitlin Van Mol 36:01 Melissa was studying to start a new life as an occupational therapist, she still had to deal with her old one was Shaun King had pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and kidnapping. Melissa testified at his trial.

Melissa 36:23 That was the hardest thing I think I had to do besides survive, but that was by the second funniest thing. I remember telling myself I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna cry be so strong. That didn't happen. I broke. I really, it was hard. It was hard. Because you have people give all these newspapers and these radio stations and just people in general, you don't know. And your whole life was laid out your whole life, like your dirt, to go about your family for yourself against somebody who literally tried to take your life. So it's kind of a double whammy. He wouldn't look at me, I wanted him to look at me really did. Because to show you what it looks like, for something, it just implies that they have some distance, just a simplistic person. There was a carpet like it was a board kind of stuck out on the wall. And I sit up and use that as a focal focal point, because I had something to focus. So I would look at him so much. And the question, I felt like I was just like, each piece of clothing was coming off of me that was going to be naked, bare naked, for all to see all to know. And at times I felt humiliated. Yes. So that was the hard part. I broke. And I remember his public defender saying that he didn't do this to me that somebody else did. And he was trying to help me. And I told him, I remember looking at the board, and I'm crying. And I try to gather my composure. I said, I beg to differ. And then he would always tell me do you need to stop? He steps into the break. And I would close my eyes and I would let the tears stream down. And I would still say looking at that board with Tony. Please continue. I told him because I wanted to get it over with.

Caitlin Van Mol 38:46 But the judge called a break anyway.

Melissa 38:50 We walked out of the courtroom and the victims crime, Betty. She works for the BAS office per run another gal. I think the attorney, they walked me to a room and they said, Are you going to be okay? And I told him no, I can't do it. I don't I can't finish. I can't finish it. I said I don't think I can go back in. And they said you got this unless you're almost halfway there. And I said no, I can't do it. Just I can't do it. But I knew it was riding on me because if I couldn't finish it, I knew he would get away with a of a lesser, lesser charge. And I knew that I would not be able to speak for other people who have died before me who are still in the situation and those who have gotten out. Yeah. So I gathered my composure and I said okay, okay, I can do this. So I walked back in and I finished it and I went right back to school the same day. Matter of fact the day of trial and went to school, took a test finish the clinicals testify, I had to I had to You have to stay strong. How the testimony affected me was I knew that it was all for the greater being than just myself. Yeah, it was it was just about me no more.

Caitlin Van Mol 40:15 How do you feel about forgiveness?

Melissa 40:18 Man? You know, for me personally, I think forgiveness is the key to making sure that you are at peace and you have happiness. Yeah, yeah, it's definitely what has kept me where I'm at today, in terms of being happy, living life, moving forward, being able to not judge other people or other men for what one man did. I forgive him tonight? Did I have to? Absolutely wish. No harm no foul to him. King

Caitlin Van Mol 40:59 was found guilty on all four charges. Melissa was asked to read a victim impact statement at the sentencing.

Melissa 41:08 That was hard and I broke, I broke again. They asked me if I wanted somebody to read it. And I said, No, I'm gonna finish it. I hated that. I broke because I was like, so I wanted to be stronger. But I found that strength isn't just because I broken cried doesn't mean it wasn't strong. Yeah.

Caitlin Van Mol 41:30 Did he react at all? No.

Melissa 41:37 He wouldn't even look at he would look at him that frustrate you? Absolutely. It was. Oh, and I think that's another reason I broke because I'm lonely. What did I want him to look at me and smile. But I wanted him to see that. You took something from me. But here I am. As an artist Dubuis you thought I was going to be? I'm stronger than you. You anticipated.

Caitlin Van Mol 42:07 King was sentenced to life without parole. How did you feel about his sentence?

Melissa 42:14 I felt it was justified. You know, they say the only way he can get out as he was coming to me, but he doesn't. And I don't ever foresee that happening. But overall, I'm satisfied with the sentence I you know, I just I just reflect back and think how something so simple, like I told him, You made it into something so complex that it never had to be this way. And in the end, you didn't, you didn't ruin my life. I mean, the other things that got detoured and ravished and had to be repaired. But in the end, you took your own life, you took your life.

Caitlin Van Mol 43:05 After graduating with her occupational therapy degree, Melissa ended up moving to Texas to find work in her new field. So

Melissa 43:14 I knew a friend here in Texas, where I'm living. And we had been friends before I had met with Shawn. Anyways, we reconnected and, you know, it's a true saying, you know, no, good man until you've had a bad man. And I ended up dating him. And we were together and unfortunately, you know, bless his heart, but he did die of cancer. I'm so sorry. Yeah, it's so sad. You have found something great. But you know what? God brings people into our lives for all different reasons. And it may be momentarily it may be a lifetime. I have an outlook about dating again, I'm just more cautious. I you know, there's red flags now that I can see. There's there's these, you know, warning signs. And I'm very keen to those. Today.

Caitlin Van Mol 44:18 Melissa is living the life she rebuilt after LaShawn King tried to take it away. I

Melissa 44:25 been living in Texas about 10 years. I am single course cuz my former boyfriend passed of cancer, but it's good. I do. Therapy. I do occupational therapy. I'm the director of a rehab department right now. So I ran in a nursing home I run the rehab department, raising two of my grandsons their mom is here though now with them too. So that's great. It's been good. I just had birthdays, birthday. I try to think 54 Yeah, so I'm, I'm happy, and just living life and I'm writing a book, and I've been writing it, but I now about to take more time to finish my book.

Caitlin Van Mol 45:18 Yeah, the process is a

Melissa 45:21 process it is. But I think it'll be well worth it in the end, and I hope some will want to publish it or even get some people who would like to review it and give me input on it. Yeah, I'm looking for that too. I want to do more public speaking here, though, in Texas. I'd love to do that. It's kind of hard to find an outlet. I'm here to speak the truth. I'm here to hopefully one day help other women and men because it happens to men too. And to help those kids that are suffering, to watch the abuse. You know, I like to news give the truth and it makes sure that people understand that they get out you can make it out. You can.

Caitlin Van Mol 46:13 If you or someone you know would like information and resources for survivors of domestic violence, you can visit the hotline.org call one 800 799 safe or 1-800-799-7233 or text 88788 This is live to tell. I'm Caitlin van mol. You can follow the show on Instagram and Tiktok at live to tell podcast. If you enjoy today's episode, please rate review and subscribe. It really helps the show. I'll see you in two weeks.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai