In the early hours of New Year’s Day 2021 in Canton, Georgia, Morgan Metzer was woke up to a terrifying sight. A person sporting a masks and all black clothes was standing at her bed room doorway. The man ran and jumped on prime of her. “That’s when he began pistol-whipping me,” Morgan stated. The assailant used zip ties to constrain her wrists earlier than strangling her practically unconscious twice.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office
“‘You’re gonna remorse this, you’ve got finished actually mistaken now,'” Morgan recalled the person instructed her in a deep and gravelly voice that he gave the impression to be making an attempt to disguise. She stated it gave the impression of Batman. Morgan Metzer’s harrowing assault is the main focus of this week’s all-new “48 Hours” reported by contributor Nikki Battiste. “The ‘Batman’ Intruder” airs Saturday, Dec. 14 at 10/9c on CBS and Paramount+.
Afterward, the attacker positioned a pillowcase over her head and picked Morgan up and left her on the again porch, which was related to the bed room. He instructed her to not transfer till she heard two automobile honks or he’d kill her. Then all went quiet besides the sound of the stream close to her secluded residence.
Forty minutes handed, however then terror struck once more. Morgan heard somebody strolling in direction of her and up the porch steps. Initially terrified her attacker had returned, she was shocked to listen to a well-recognized voice.
“‘Oh honey, what occurred?'” Morgan remembered her ex-husband, Rod Metzer, stated when he discovered her.
Rod known as 911 and legislation enforcement confirmed as much as the scene. Rod’s rescue of his ex-wife seemed to be an act of heroism.
Rod stated he had been searching for Morgan regardless of their divorce, which got here after a virtually 20-year historical past collectively. They began relationship when Morgan was 14 and Rod was 17 earlier than marrying of their early 20s. The couple had twins, who had been spending a number of days with Morgan’s sister in Florida when the assault occurred.
Morgan stated her choice to file for divorce got here after years of what she described as psychological and bodily abuse from Rod. Rod moved out of Morgan’s residence into his personal residence and Morgan was prepared to maneuver on. Their divorce was finalized simply weeks earlier than the assault.
However, this new begin for Morgan was lower brief. Earlier within the week, Morgan stated Rod known as her with stunning information that he had pancreatic most cancers.
“And so I rushed to go see him,” Morgan instructed Battiste. “He confirmed me docs’ notes and whatnot.” She allowed Rod to remain at her residence to assist him cope along with his analysis. “I wanted to be supportive nonetheless as a result of it is the daddy of my kids.”
Morgan Metzer
During this time, Morgan stated Rod was continually making an attempt to get again collectively along with her. But she had no curiosity and on the morning of New Year’s Eve, she instructed Rod he wanted to share his well being information along with his mother and father.
“He stated, ‘No, completely not. I’m not telling anyone.’ And that is after I was like, ‘OK, get out,'” Morgan recalled. Morgan stated Rod left, however nonetheless spent the day texting her about reconciling. Fed up, Morgan lied and instructed Rod she was going to sleep at her mother and father’ residence that New Year’s Eve evening.
How Rod knew Morgan was at her residence, together with the coincidental timing of his arrival after her assault, raised questions with investigators who spoke to Rod on the scene. Rod stated he was planning on spending the evening at his residence. However, he instructed them he heard somebody knock on his floor ground residence window and say Morgan’s title. After Rod tried calling Morgan with no reply, he determined to drive to her home to examine on her. He instructed investigators that going to her home as a substitute of her mother and father’ was simply out of behavior.
After interviewing each Morgan and Rod on the scene, investigators grew to become suspicious of Rod’s story. They ordered search warrants on Rod’s residence, automobile and digital gadgets, uncovering his web search historical past. The searches included, “How to get sympathy out of your ex” and “How to vary the sound of your voice.” One search additionally stood out to investigators: “most cancers letter from hospital.”
Investigators additionally found a pretend electronic mail account created by Rod, posing as a health care provider, to ship the most cancers analysis letter that he confirmed Morgan. But there was much more.
“He had created a invoice for a health care provider’s workplace to indicate that he was being handled for pancreatic most cancers,” stated Rachel Ashe, the deputy chief assistant district legal professional for Cherokee County. She stated Rod “did all of this to be able to persuade Morgan that he had pancreatic most cancers.” He by no means did.
Rod Metzer ultimately pleaded responsible to 14 counts referring to the assault on Morgan Metzer. He was sentenced to 70 years – 25 in jail adopted by a further 45 years of probation.
