Georgia man who attacked, then rescued, ex-wife after violent residence invasion hoped to be her hero

When Morgan Metzer glimpsed a masked determine standing in her bed room doorway shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day 2021, she thought she may simply be seeing issues. But then —

Morgan Metzer: He’s standing there like a soldier, like along with his fist clenched and like he was able to go. … He ran at me and jumped on prime of me. And that is when he began pistol-whipping me.

Just hours earlier, she’d been able to ring within the new yr in Canton, Georgia, together with her finest good friend, Nichole Stabasefski.

Nichole Stabasefski: That’s what we had been trying ahead to. … And I knew she was exhausted.

It had been an extended yr for Morgan. Recently divorced, her 8-year-old twin son and daughter had been spending just a few days together with her sister in Florida.

Nichole Stabasefski: I imply we’re mothers. … We simply needed to hang around for a second. … We had deliberate for it.

But after arriving at Stabasefski’s, Morgan, feeling drained, determined to make it an early night.

Nichole Stabasefski: When she left, I did — I — I gave her some crap. I used to be like, “what are you doing?” … And I used to be like, “You loser, high-quality, no matter. Text me while you get residence, blah, blah, blah, see you tomorrow.”

A VIOLENT INTRUDER DRESSED IN BLACK

Little may both good friend have guessed that a short while later, Morgan could be in worry for her life. Her attacker had introduced zip ties with him, already pre-looped and intertwined. He put Morgan’s arms behind her again, slipped them on, and tightened them.

Morgan Metzer: It’s an out-of-body expertise.

Nikki Battiste: I can not think about what you are pondering. What you are feeling.

Morgan Metzer: Vulnerable, uncovered. What’s going to occur to my children? … I have never performed a will. … I have never talked to my household about who will get them. … I used to be like … “they don’t seem to be going to have a mother.”

Her assailant strangled her almost unconscious twice.

Morgan Metzer: It’s the worst feeling on this planet to assume you are dying. And you are feeling like you are going to be tortured beforehand.

Morgan’s attacker sexually assaulted her.

Nikki Battiste: Who did you assume was attacking you? 

Morgan Metzer: I do not know. I simply felt prefer it was some random individual. 

In addition to the masks, the intruder had taken nice pains to disguise himself.

Morgan Metzer: Black … hoodie jacket. … Black pants, black gloves.

He mentioned little or no, however when he did, Morgan says her assailant appeared to be disguising his voice — making it sound low and gravelly just like the Batman films. He additionally appeared to find out about Morgan’s private life — particularly, her current divorce.

Nikki Battiste: He mentioned one thing about your husband.

Morgan Metzer: Yes. “You’re going to overlook your husband.” I mentioned, “No, do not damage my husband.”

Morgan says her thoughts raced making an attempt to piece collectively why this was occurring to her.

Morgan Metzer: I swear, I like went via my complete life in my head. That’s how my mind was … simply in every single place. I imply, 50,000 tabs opened up at one time in my mind.

Her attacker demanded to know the place Morgan saved her valuables.

Morgan Metzer: “Where’s your jewellery? Where’s,” you understand, “all your different good stuff?” And he’s ripping out stuff out of my, you understand, my drawers.

And then —

Morgan Metzer: The attacker requested for my cellphone and the passcode to my cellphone.

Morgan’s home had an alarm system which she’d set earlier than going to mattress. An app on her cellphone managed it, together with a number of safety cameras round her residence and a lock on the door of her second-floor bed room which led out to a again porch.

Morgan Metzer: I wasn’t too certain what he was doing on my cellphone on the time till I heard a, uh, a door lock open, which was for the again porch.

The attacker had unlocked the door remotely via that app on Morgan’s cellphone. Morgan says he put a pillowcase over her head.

Morgan Metzer: He obtained me out of the mattress, walked me out to the again porch. I used to be bare … nonetheless with my zip tie handcuffs behind my again.

Nikki Battiste: Did he simply depart you there?

Morgan Metzer: Yes.

Nikki Battiste: What did he say as he left?

Morgan Metzer: He mentioned, “don’t stand up till you hear two automotive honks or I’ll kill you.”

Morgan’s property was secluded, with little likelihood of a neighbor seeing or listening to her on the again porch. And with that pillowcase over her head and the attacker’s closing phrases of warning ringing in her ears, Morgan had no manner of realizing if he — or another person — was watching her.

Morgan Metzer: I simply listened to the stream and tried to be as peaceable and calm as I may.

Forty minutes handed. Then, a sound within the distance struck terror in Morgan once more.

Morgan Metzer: I hear any person strolling up.

Unable to see, she feared her attacker had returned to complete the job.

Morgan Metzer: I hear them shuffling, strolling and so they hit the steps. … And I knew they had been on the prime when he hit the primary board and it creaked actually loud.

That’s when Morgan heard a really acquainted voice.g

Morgan Metzer: “Oh honey, what occurred?”

Morgan’s grueling ordeal was lastly over. And who would develop into her rescuer? Her ex-husband Rod Metzer.

A HERO TO THE RESCUE?

When Morgan’s ex-husband Rod Metzer turned up at her home, he instantly known as 911.

911 DISPATCHER: Cherokee County 911.

ROD METZER: Somebody — any person broke in over right here.

ROD METZER: She was on the again porch. Uh, and — and the again door was vast open.

ROD METZER: She was tied up with a hood over her head.

As they waited for assist to reach, Rod tried to console Morgan. Their dialog heard on the 911 name.

MORGAN METZER (911 name): Please do not depart, Rod.

ROD METZER: I’m going to be proper right here.

MORGAN METZER: Please.

ROD METZER: I’m going to go away the door open, OK?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: He got here up and — and rescued her on the again porch.

Nikki Battiste: Saved her.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: Saved her.

Nikki Battiste: Her hero.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: Absolutely.

Sergeant Dakota Lyvers was a detective with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department in 2021. He had a number of questions. Exactly why had Rod gone to Morgan’s residence in the midst of the evening?

Rod moved out of Morgan’s residence and into his personal house shortly after the divorce, mentioned Lyvers.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: He was … preparing for mattress. He was brushing his tooth when he heard knocking on his window. Um, that knocking was accompanied by a voice through which he may solely decipher the phrase “Morgan” was being mentioned.

Concerned, Rod mentioned he tried calling Morgan, however she did not reply.

Nikki Battiste: What did he say he was pondering? I imply, somebody knocks on his window within the early morning hours of New Year’s Day.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: He clearly went to the worst. Um, he thought that that one thing was, uh, gonna occur to Morgan or one thing could be occurring to Morgan.

Rod informed investigators he’d gotten in his automotive and made the 12-minute drive over to his ex-wife’s home. Despite being divorced, Rod mentioned he was nonetheless looking for Morgan. Their relationship stretched again almost 20 years.

Nikki Battiste: How outdated had been you while you met Rod?

Morgan Metzer: 14 years outdated.

Nikki Battiste: Was it love at first sight?

Morgan Metzer: Yes, it was. It was — it was scary how briskly it was.

Kathy Metzer: He was 17 at the moment.

Kathy Metzer is Rod’s mom.

Kathy Metzer: We had been on the way in which to a baseball sport and he mentioned, “Mom, you are gonna meet Morgan tonight.” And I mentioned, “Who’s Morgan?” “That’s my girlfriend.” And I mentioned, “What?” He mentioned, “Be good.” (laughs)

Nikki Battiste: Did Rod change in any respect when he was courting Morgan?

Kathy Metzer: Oh, yeah. … There was nothing that she may point out that she did not get.

Nikki Battiste: How did he deal with you?

Morgan Metzer:  Amazing. … He known as me “princess.” And so he actually handled me like that.

No one was shocked when the couple married in 2009. Morgan was 21 years outdated.

Kathy Metzer: Morgan was one of the crucial beautiful brides I’ve ever seen in my life.

Kathy Metzer: Weather was good. It was exterior, so thank goodness for the climate.

Morgan Metzer: It was the whole lot I dreamed of. My dad gave me the whole lot I may need, you understand. … It was simply valuable.

Nikki Battiste: What was marriage like within the very starting?

Morgan Metzer: It was simply superior. … It’s simply you two. … You’re mourning the lack of your, like, marriage ceremony being over (laughs) and your honeymoon. And it is like, “I wanna go once more!”

Unfortunately, their newly wedded bliss could be short-lived. Eight months after the marriage, Rod’s youthful brother Kevin, who wished the couple “countless years of affection, well being and happiness,” at their marriage ceremony, misplaced his battle with leukemia on the age of 19.

Kathy Metzer: It actually hit Rod arduous. I imply, it — I do not assume he was ever the identical after that. … He trusted Morgan at that time, greater than he did anyone. I do not assume he left her aspect for greater than an hour or two.

But the subsequent yr would carry some excellent news to have a good time.

Morgan Metzer: We obtained pregnant with our son.

Morgan says choosing his identify was straightforward.

Morgan Metzer: Kevin at all times needed to be an uncle. He at all times talked about it, how a lot enjoyable he would have.

Kathy Metzer: They named him Kevin after my Kevin, Rod’s brother. (cries)

But the household would undergo a second, and devastating, loss. Baby Kevin was born early, with a congenital coronary heart defect. He lived simply 18 days.

Morgan Metzer: He really died on his due date.

Nikki Battiste: The loss of a kid is unthinkable and I might think about robust for you and Rod. 

Morgan Metzer: Very robust. … Don’t actually keep in mind a number of it. It’s a giant blur with all of the feelings. 

So it appeared like a miracle when, simply three months later, Morgan found she was pregnant once more. Kathy remembers the second Rod confirmed her the ultrasound image.

Kathy Metzer: He says, “what do you see?” I mentioned, “a child.” He mentioned, “No. Look, what do you see?” And I simply screamed on the prime of my lungs, “two infants,” you understand. (laughs)

Nikki Battiste: Twins.

Kathy Metzer: Twins. They had been gonna have twins.

Morgan gave start to a wholesome boy and woman in 2012. It ought to have been a contented time however not lengthy after, the wedding started to vary.

Morgan Metzer: Probably a couple of yr after they had been born, which is correct across the time that Rod misplaced his job, is when it began happening south from there.

Nikki Battiste: What did Rod do for work?

Morgan Metzer: He, he had so many roles. His major one, when he misplaced all of his cash, was he was being a day dealer for himself.

Rod’s job loss occurred to return on the identical time Morgan’s profession was beginning to flourish.

Morgan Metzer: I began my very own inside design enterprise and it took off. … I simply did not count on it to growth and blow up.

Morgan’s firm, Shiplap and Sugar, turned so profitable she requested Stabasefski to affix her.

Nichole Stabasefski: She was saying, you understand, like “I need assistance, I’m overwhelmed.”

Nikki Battiste: So you turned enterprise companions?

Nichole Stabasefski: Yeah. … Making cash. … Working our tails off, doing what we love.

Morgan says her skilled success, and Rod’s lack of it, made for a harmful mixture. She says he started to abuse her — each bodily and mentally. She remembers one Labor Day weekend. She and Rod had been celebrating on a ship with pals and had simply returned to their cabin.

Morgan Metzer: I suppose we had gotten into an argument about one thing, … that is the primary evening he beat the — he beat me.

Nikki Battiste: Did you assume, he hit me. I’ve gotta get out of right here?

Morgan Metzer: Yes. I had my dad come and get me.

Shockingly, Morgan says Rod tried to persuade her, and the individuals closest to her, that she was responsible for her accidents.

Morgan Metzer: He satisfied my mother and father that I used to be the one which did it.

Nikki Battiste: What did he say?

Morgan Metzer: “You had been simply uncontrolled. You — you — you could not maintain your mood. You had been simply whaling far and wide.”

Morgan says Rod claimed she obtained damage as a result of he was compelled to bodily restrain her.

Morgan Metzer: And I’m like, OK, nicely, perhaps that is my fault. … And my pals stopped speaking to me then as a result of he had no marks on him. It was all me.

Morgan says that is when a brand new part within the marriage started, one through which she began to doubt her personal actuality as a result of, she says, Rod was gaslighting her — making her assume each battle Rod instigated really started together with her.

Nichole Stabasefski: I feel she thought she was loopy. You know, you get programmed to assume that you just’re loopy, prefer it’s all in your head.

Morgan says Rod even concerned their kids in his deception.

Morgan Metzer: He pretended I pushed him down the steps and he actually rolled down the steps. You know, he really obtained damage and mentioned to the children, “Look, Mommy pushed me downstairs. Can you imagine that?”

Morgan says Rod sexually abused her as nicely, though she says it took some time for her to acknowledge what it was.

Morgan Metzer: Quite a lot of occasions he is very aggressive and would not take the phrase no. And so now trying again on it, I suppose he did sexually abuse me.

Morgan filed for divorce in 2020.

Nikki Battiste: When Morgan determined to … undergo with the divorce, how was she dealing with it?

Nichole Stabasefski: You know, it was the primary time I feel I noticed her have peace.

The divorce was closing in December and Morgan was prepared to maneuver on. But now, within the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, it appeared Rod had come again into her life as her hero.

CRITICAL CLUES IN THE INVESTIGATION

Sergeant Lyvers and Sergeant Robert Haugh recall that after they first arrived at Morgan’s home at 3 a.m. Rod’s habits had struck them as uncommon.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: So, as we had been strolling up … Rodney was, um, seated in his automotive proper right here … with one other deputy.

Nikki Battiste: Did he say something?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: Yeah, he did. … He requested, “Hey man, are you the man that we have been ready on? And I mentioned, “uh, sure, sir, I’m.” And then he replied, “do your f****** job.”

Nikki Battiste: What did you assume?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: I used to be stunned. I actually was.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: This man simply had discovered his spouse sure, um, and crushed on the again porch. And you’ll assume that my arrival to assist discover a decision to this, uh, could be welcoming.

Immediately, Morgan’s look startled the investigators.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: Her eye was swollen shut, black and blue. … She nonetheless had the, uh, zip tie round her one wrist. And I used to be shocked, and I had seen so much in my profession. And, uh, I used to be shocked that any person would — could be so harsh.

Nikki Battiste: What did it make you assume?

Sgt. Robert Haugh: Somebody was mad.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: Absolutely. It was an emotional assault.

Morgan was not solely bodily injured; investigators may inform she had suffered psychologically after the attacker left her.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: She was in worry that she was — somebody was nonetheless again right here watching her and that they had been gonna kill her if she moved. And so she laid right here and waited.

Morgan was exterior for 40 minutes earlier than Rod arrived, however initially she thought it was simply half that.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: Morgan believed it to be someplace round 15 to twenty minutes, max. Um, that was her notion of time.

Nikki Battiste: Interesting. I might’ve thought the other, that will’ve felt longer for her.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: I agree. … When their adrenaline’s going, you understand, individuals understand issues otherwise.

The very first thing Lyvers and Haugh did was separate Morgan, Rod and Morgan’s father and brother — who came to visit after she known as them. Then Lyvers recorded his dialog with Morgan inside the home.

Safely out of earshot of her ex-husband, who was standing simply exterior, Morgan informed investigators that she suspected her attacker was the person pretending to be her hero.

MORGAN METZER: I simply thought it was him.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: When you say “him,” you are speaking about your ex-husband?

MORGAN METZER: Mm-hmm.

Morgan mentioned she had no concept who her assailant was when the assault started, however then got here one essential second.

Morgan Metzer: When he mentioned … “you are going to miss your husband,” I mentioned, “no, do not damage my husband. I like him very a lot.” And I do not know what made me do this. But at that precise second is when … the temper of the room modified. I knew I used to be going to reside.

And then there was one other, even larger clue, when her attacker lifted Morgan up and about to put her exterior.

Morgan Metzer: That’s after I actually knew it was him.

Morgan remembered one thing from years earlier.

Morgan Metzer: I used to be pregnant with my children, my twins. And typically it’s a must to get assist out of the mattress. … The manner he gently held me and obtained me off the bed, it was so acquainted that I used to be like, that is him. I do know it is 100% % him.

Morgan Metzer: I wasn’t going to let him know that I knew it was him. Because if he did then he — I did not know what he was going to do.

She informed them the assault had adopted a chaotic week which started with very troubling information.

Morgan Metzer: He thinks he is obtained pancreatic most cancers.

Morgan Metzer: He simply known as me …  and mentioned, “I’ve obtained pancreatic most cancers.” And so I rushed to go see him. … I mentioned, “you are the daddy of my kids. … I’m right here for you.”

Morgan Metzer: He confirmed me physician’s notes and whatnot.

Rod had informed nobody else and Morgan defined that she’d been letting him keep at her home.

Morgan Metzer: He’d been sleeping on my couch as a result of he had been actually freaked out and upset clearly.

Morgan informed the investigators that Rod had spent the week making an attempt to reconcile together with her.

Morgan Metzer: He saved begging me to get again along with me. … Just always haggling me.

But Morgan says she had no curiosity. By the morning of Dec. 31, she’d had sufficient. Feeling the strain of being his sole emotional assist, Morgan insisted Rod share his well being information along with his mother and father.

Morgan Metzer: He mentioned, “no, completely not. I’m not telling anyone.” And that is after I was like, “OK, get out.”

Morgan says Rod spent the day texting her.

Morgan Metzer: “You have to get again with me. I’ll make sufficient cash. You can stop your job proper now.”

Fed up with all of it, Morgan lied and informed Rod she’d be sleeping elsewhere that New Year’s Eve evening.

Morgan Metzer: “Staying at my mother and father’ home tonight. I’m turning my cellphone off.” Like, give me some area.

As Morgan shared her suspicions with investigators, she did not know if they might settle for what she was telling them.

Morgan Metzer: I’ve been mentally, emotionally, bodily abused.

Because Rod made her really feel like she was responsible for years.

Morgan Metzer: That’s what he is inbuilt my mind.

But that each one modified when Lyvers informed her he believed her.

Morgan Metzer: And I simply melted. … He heard me. I’ve not been heard in years. Nobody listened. Nobody heard me and he heard me.

Rachel Ashe: That began the investigation into Rodney Metzer.

Rachel Ashe is the Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney for Cherokee County. She works completely on home violence circumstances. Parker, an emotional assist canine, is usually together with her to consolation victims. Ashe says investigators had been perplexed that Rod had come to Morgan’s home that evening after she’d informed him she’d be at her mother and father’ residence.

Rachel Ashe: Why did you even come right here? Why did not you go to her mother and father’ home? Why did not — why did not you examine together with her mother and father?

Sgt. Robert Haugh: He claimed it was simply behavior, regular.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: “It’s what I might do.”

Nikki Battiste: Were you scratching your heads?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: Yeah.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: A little bit bit.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: We questioned him on it.

Rod mentioned that after listening to that knocking on his window, and somebody saying Morgan’s identify, he tried phoning Morgan to warn her. Haugh needed to examine.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: I feel that is what prompted, “hey, the place’s your cellphone?”

Rod handed his cellphone to the investigators.

Rachel Ashe: Gave them permission to look via his cellphone.

And what they discovered got here as a shock.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: It was an Apple iPhone, and it had a hidden folder. … And within the hidden folder had been photos of Morgan — um, partially dressed.

Rachel Ashe: Quite a lot of images of Morgan nude and people images of Morgan nude, it was fairly obvious that she did not know he was taking these images of her.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: She was fairly alarmed.

Investigators additionally found Rod had snapped photos of Morgan’s cellphone exhibiting textual content messages between her and one other man. They thought of these and the images of Morgan to be an invasion of privateness.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: You did not have that permission. Y’all do not have that relationship. She’s f****** baffled that you’ve that. That’s stalkerish.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: We knew we needed to … get him in custody … whereas we began doing search warrants and began investigating … to stop him from destroying proof.

ROD METZER: People make errors, man.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: I feel you made a number of errors.

SGT. ROBERT HAUGH: Big, large errors.

Nikki Battiste: So you arrested him for having taken these images secretly?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: That’s right.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: Stand up.

ROD METZER: You’re kidding me?

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: Nope, we’re not kidding you. Stand up. This isn’t a joke. C’mon.

But may investigators show that Rod had attacked Morgan that evening?

ZIP TIES AND ALARMING INTERNET SEARCHES

Morgan Metzer: Watched him get, uh, arrested, stroll to the automotive, and be put in. It was type of like, is that this actually occurring?

Nikki Battiste: Was any a part of you unhappy?

Morgan Metzer: No, not on the time. It was offended and simply sore.

Even as they booked Rod for taking these photos of Morgan and her texts, Haugh and Lyvers had already developed a principle about why Rod might need attacked her.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: I imagine, he thought he was going to return in and — and rescue her and be the savior and, uh — and win her again.

Investigators hoped residence safety cameras would assist their principle. But they rapidly discovered that each one the video from the time of the assault had been erased via the app on Morgan’s cellphone that the assailant had used to unlock her again porch door when he left. Morgan’s attacker took her cellphone with him. It was by no means recovered.

Nikki Battiste: Were you ever capable of retrieve these lacking movies from the safety firm?

Sgt. Robert Haugh: No. … Once movies are deleted, they’re deleted from their cloud.

But since Morgan had a house safety system, how did the attacker get in with out setting off the alarm? It didn’t take lengthy to determine.

Nikki Battiste: This is the window the attacker entered?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: That’s right. Right right here is the, uh — the window that we discovered the display was really eliminated.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: That basement window … had an alarm sensor that was faraway from the window and put collectively on the windowsill. So, if the window was to open, it might seem, you understand, to the alarm system that the sensor remains to be making contact.

Investigators believed Rod had disabled the sensor whereas he was staying at Morgan’s home that week.

Morgan Metzer: I used to be sleeping. It was in the midst of the evening.

Although the house safety movies had been erased, there was different video from previous to the assault. The digicam on Morgan’s entrance porch caught Rod earlier that night.

Morgan Metzer: He had despatched me an image of a examine…. And he is like, “it is beneath your entrance porch.”

Sgt. Robert Haugh: It was for $56,000 and alter.

Morgan says the message Rod despatched with the image of the examine made it appear to be he was making an attempt to make a grand gesture.

Morgan Metzer: “You ought to have all the cash. You deserve the whole lot,” just about in a nutshell.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: I feel it was to get her to return again to the home that night as a result of … she informed Rodney she was gonna be at her mother and father’ home for New Year’s.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: Morgan returned to the home, retrieved it, and type of made some form of a — uh — of a gesture and she or he walked again into the home and put it on the kitchen countertop.

Morgan’s attacker took that examine with him. It was by no means discovered.

Nikki Battiste: What did you discover out about Rod’s funds?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers:: That examine would’ve bounced.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: Yeah, he was broke.

The day after his arrest, investigators executed search warrants on Rod’s automotive and his house. As quickly as they walked via the door, they discovered a key piece of proof.

Rachel Ashe: They situated this bag of zip ties in his house. And … a portion of a zipper tie.

Before arriving at her home, Morgan’s attacker had pre-looped the zip ties he’d placed on her wrists.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: He was working at nighttime. He was handcuffing any person. You by no means understand how a lot struggle that individual’s going to place up.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: One of the zip ties really, um, was fairly distinctive as a result of it had two, um — different zip ties that had been, uh, ratcheted onto it after which reduce. And so principally what we had been was a — a zipper tie that had two further heads.

Haugh and Lyvers wanted to search out out if that portion of a zipper tie, primarily a tail, present in Rod’s house, lined up with one of many further heads on Morgan’s restraints. They headed to their crime lab.

Nikki Battiste: So these are the zip ties that had been really discovered on Morgan?

Sgt. Robert Haugh: Yes, they’re.

Melanie Thrasher is against the law scene technician.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: She was capable of match the — this tail to one of many heads on the zip tie for Morgan’s wrist.

The striations on the tail present in Rod’s house lined up precisely with these on Morgan’s zip tie. A “good match” mentioned Haugh.

Nikki Battiste: What did you assume while you noticed this?

Sgt. Robert Haugh: That we had been going to be including fees to his, uh, current reserving. … And we had our man. … I might’ve by no means, you understand, imagined, uh, having a chunk of proof like this.

But the search warrant of Rod’s house yielded much more. There was a guide —

Sgt. Robert Haugh: “7 Ways to —

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: “To Be Her Hero.”

Sgt. Robert Haugh: — “Be Her Hero,” to — to win any person again.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: That gave us the motive. … It added to that motive.

Investigators examined Rod’s browser historical past.

Rachel Ashe:  The searches … had been very disturbing.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: He was researching ” change your voice.”

Rachel Ashe: “How lengthy to choke any person unconscious.”

The searches additionally included “How to crack an iPhone password,” “How to get sympathy out of your ex” and one which was particularly appalling.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: He Google searched … “most cancers analysis letters.”

Investigators searched Rod’s outgoing emails. There they discovered Rod had arrange a pretend electronic mail account to create the pancreatic most cancers analysis letter he’d proven Morgan. And there was extra.

Rachel Ashe: He had created a invoice for a health care provider’s workplace to indicate that he was being handled for pancreatic most cancers. … All of this so as to persuade Morgan that he had pancreatic most cancers.

Nikki Battiste: He wasn’t sick in any respect?

Rachel Ashe: No. … He didn’t have most cancers.

Nikki Battiste: Do you assume that he faked the most cancers analysis as a strategy to attempt to get you again or as a strategy to get entry to your own home ‘trigger he had this plan?

Morgan Metzer: I feel it was to get me again. It might need been each.

On Jan. 3, two days after the assault, Lyvers and Sergeant Tom Harris interviewed Rod. They talked to him about his well being.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: You mentioned you are diabetic

ROD METZER: Yes.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: What different type of well being points do you will have?

ROD METZER: Nothing so far as I do know of but.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: I believed you had most cancers.

Lyvers confronted Rod concerning the most cancers analysis he’d faked to Morgan.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: How did you inform her that … this — this most cancers factor?

ROD METZER: I do not know if I ought to speak to you guys anymore. I’m beginning to get a very dangerous feeling. What angle you guys are coming from.

Then Rod tried to show the tables — by making an attempt to take the higher hand within the interview.

ROD METZER: I’ve already discovered one thing about you, that your facial expressions.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: Tell me.

ROD METZER: And you retain scratching your self, and also you get agitated by what I say.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: I’m a 100% not agitated.

ROD METZER: Mm-hmm.

The investigators additionally questioned Rod about his web searches.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: Has there been a time lately the place you had been inquisitive about how one can change the sound of your voice?

ROD METZER: Maybe.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: Tell me about that.

ROD METZER: I felt like I wasn’t — my voice wasn’t manly sufficient.

Then Harris lowered the growth.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: The, uh, most vital factor that we present in your house was a group of zip ties.

ROD METZER: Zip ties?

SGT. TOM HARRIS: Black zip ties.

ROD METZER: I haven’t got zip ties.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: I do know you do not. We have ’em now.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: These are similar to those that had been, uh, binding Morgan’s wrists.

ROD METZER: This is simply beginning to get squirrelly.

Harris informed Rod about that zip tie tail they’d recovered.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: We in contrast that microscopically to the zip ties that had been on Morgan’s wrists when the deputies discovered her. And would not you understand it? It is an ideal reduce.

ROD METZER: There’s one thing humorous occurring right here.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: Did any person break in and put ’em there?

ROD METZER: There’s one thing humorous occurring right here.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: Like what?

ROD METZER: I do not know.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: What do you assume’s occurring?

ROD METZER: I did not have some big-ass f****** zip ties in my house.

But new proof was about to say in any other case.

ROD METZER PLEADS GUILTY

Hours after the interview with Rod Metzer concluded, he was charged with 10 counts associated to the assault on Morgan Metzer — together with residence invasion, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and sexual battery.

MORGAN METZER: As quickly as I felt that gun proper right here in my head, I used to be like —

SGT. TOM HARRIS: So, you thought —

MORGAN METZER: “All proper, Jesus, I’m coming.”

The subsequent day Morgan, together with her good friend Nichole by her aspect, talked to investigators once more.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: You thought you had been gonna die?

MORGAN METZER: Yep. I believed I used to be useless. But then additionally a part of me was like, no, I’m not gonna, I’m not gonna let myself die. … I’ve gotta struggle for my children.

Harris informed Morgan they’d watched the house safety video of Rod arriving at her home after her assault. He rang the entrance doorbell however when there was no response, headed round to the again.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: I believed it was type of fascinating that he known as out your identify as he is strolling across the aspect of your own home.

MORGAN METZER: Yes. … Like, why would you assume I used to be exterior.

Nikki Battiste: What was your response while you discovered Rod had been arrested for violently attacking Morgan?

Kathy Metzer: Oh, that — that completely threw me beneath the bottom. … There needed to be a mistake. Rod wasn’t able to that.

Two days after Rod was charged he talked to his mother Kathy on the cellphone.

ROD METZER (jail cellphone name): Why is she doing this to me? She is aware of it wasn’t me.

But the proof saved mounting. When investigators recovered these zip ties from Rod’s house, the bag they got here in was discovered as nicely.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: I introduced up a — a, uh, my Lowe’s app on my cellphone and scanned the UPC code and the UPC code got here again that they had been in actual fact offered at Lowe’s.

Rachel Ashe: The sheriff’s workplace then went to the 2 Lowe’s that we’ve got right here in Cherokee County. … And they began looking for transactions.

It did not take lengthy. Rod Metzer had bought these zip ties on Dec. 30 — about 36 hours earlier than the assault; straightforward to search out as a result of he paid along with his debit card. Investigators obtained the safety video from Lowe’s.

Rachel Ashe: This was throughout COVID and this was throughout a interval the place everyone was carrying a masks, aside from Rodney Metzer. So the surveillance photos and the movies that had been recovered from Lowe’s of him buying these zip ties … his face is correct there within the digicam.

Next got here the safety video from Rod’s house constructing.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: There’s really one contained in the, uh — the breezeway there, which results in Rodney’s house particularly.

Lyvers says there was no video of Rod leaving after he mentioned somebody knocked on his window.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: What we do see is after the time of the incident that Morgan was attacked, Rodney are available, matted, in a rush.

Just 4 minutes later, Rod is caught on digicam once more, leaving the constructing, carrying fully completely different garments and sneakers, and carrying a plastic bag. The time stamp was 1:24 a.m.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: We by no means discovered that bag in his automotive after we did the search warrant.

Rachel Ashe: We simply do not know the place that went.

Investigators cannot know for certain what was in that bag however imagine it had proof Rod discarded on his drive again to Morgan’s home. The attacker’s masks was by no means discovered. But Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe says they’d greater than sufficient to show Rod was responsible.

Rachel Ashe: This is a prosecutor’s dream to place up as a result of the proof on this case was overwhelming, overwhelming.

But Ashe says she needed to supply Morgan a chance for faster closure than a trial would carry within the type of a plea deal for Rod.

Rachel Ashe: We went via the professionals and cons of letting him plead responsible, letting him settle for duty. … We agreed, um, we should always attempt. He took it rapidly.

On Aug. 4, 2021, Rod pleaded responsible to a complete of 14 counts associated to Morgan’s assault and the images discovered on his cellphone.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: He agreed to serve 25 years on a 70-year sentence. So, when he will get out in 25 years, he’ll serve one other 45 years of probation.

Nikki Battiste: I feel you even described it as like a dying.

Morgan Metzer: It is a dying. I’ve misplaced my husband. He’s useless to me.

At Rod’s sentencing, Morgan delivered a sufferer affect assertion a number of pages lengthy.

Morgan Metzer: Once I obtained began, it simply began pouring outta me.

There had been no cameras within the courtroom. “48 Hours” requested Morgan to learn her assertion. Here’s a portion of it.

Morgan Metzer (studying her sufferer affect assertion): Rod, not solely will this assertion be to my attacker, nevertheless it’ll even be my final phrases to whom I believed was the love of my life. … The final 4 years being married to you was like dwelling with a monster that always tried to interrupt me down and fence me in. … It was a blessing in disguise. … I can now stroll with the arrogance realizing the ache you will have given me is was energy.

Morgan Metzer: I walked off that stand with a thousand kilos off of my shoulders. It felt so good. It felt empowering. And I obtained the final phrase.

Nikki Battiste: How was it to hearken to your finest good friend learn this extremely highly effective assertion?

Nichole Stabasefski: It was superior as a result of she didn’t cry. … Her voice didn’t shake … and she or he mentioned the whole lot she wanted to say, and when she was performed, she was performed.

Rachel Ashe: She was laying to relaxation this relationship. She was telling him this: “I’m by no means going to be yours,” proper? “I’m by no means going to be yours.”

Rod’s actions that New Year’s Day proceed to have an effect on everybody.

Nikki Battiste: Have you been capable of go to Rod in individual in any respect?

Kathy Metzer: He hasn’t needed me to.

Nikki Battiste:  Why?

Kathy Metzer: He’s afraid of my response.

Rod has from Type 1 diabetes and Kathy says his well being is quickly declining in jail.

Nikki Battiste: You’re anxious he may die.

Kathy Metzer: Oh, I’m completely anxious he will die.

Morgan says as soon as the ordeal was behind her, she needed to take steps so she may get better, searching for remedy to assist her cope.

Morgan Metzer: Everything occurs for a purpose. God has the whole lot occur for a purpose. And I’m beginning to see that proper now. There’s simply a number of nice issues which are occurring with us.

She says she is targeted on elevating her kids, and serving to others who discover themselves in comparable circumstances.

Morgan Metzer: I’m making an attempt to boost consciousness for … narcissism and gaslighting. … I need to assist ladies understand they’re in a state of affairs earlier than it will get too dangerous.

Nichole Stabasefski: I’m simply excited to see who she continues to develop to develop into. … She’s … lovely and powerful and resilient. So that is only a steppingstone in her journey.

Rod Metzer’s sentence prevents him from contacting Morgan and their kids in any manner.

 

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Produced by Susan Mallie. Ryan N. Smith is the event producer. Michael Loftus is the sphere producer. Annabelle Allen is the affiliate producer. Marlon Disla, Michelle Harris, and Greg Kaplan  are the editor. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer.