Warning: This article contains discussion of domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
A woman who feared for her life has shared how she worked out who her attacker was.
On the night New Year's Eve 2020, Morgan Metzer was attacked by a masked individual at her home in Canton, Georgia.
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She said they sounded 'like something out of Batman' as the assailant was using a voice distorter.
The person - who she quickly learned was a man - was initially in the doorway of her bedroom and he was quickly on top of her and started attacking her.
Morgan was beaten with a pistol and at one stage was was sure she was 'going to die' as she felt his finger on the gun that he was beating her with.
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The mom-of-two was attacked for 30 minutes until the attacker began to strangle her.
The attack randomly stopped, and as the assailant left, he told her that she was going to miss her family and her ex-husband, Rodney.
But this was the comment that gave him away and Morgan realized it was her estranged partner that had been beating her.
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The pair had been married for 10 years and had faced marital issues.
Rodney and Morgan separated, but Rodney seemed optimistic about them rekindling their relationship.
Despite his hopes, a divorce was brought forward in December 2020.
With the breakdown of their marriage and her attacker's comment in mind, Morgan worked out that it was Rodney who had beat her.
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"That's when I went, 'Wow, it's him,'" she told The Sun.
"Why would somebody randomly say you're going to miss your husband?"
The day prior to the attack, Rodney had tried a last ditch attempt at reconciling with the mother of his kids, but Morgan said no.
Another thing that helped police pin Rodney to the attack was the fact he turned up at the house just 15 minutes after the culprit fled the scene.
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Rodney had claimed someone mysteriously knocked on his window and yelled Morgan's name, prompting him to go and check on her - but police didn't believe him.
Investigators went on to find 'substantial' evidence to implicate Rodney in the assault and, in August 2021, he pled guilty to 14 charges related to his attack on Morgan.
He was sentenced to 70 years in prison, with the first 25 years to be served in confinement and the remaining 45 years on probation.
Rodney is currently incarcerated in the Augusta State Medical Prison in Grovetown.
A new film, titled Gaslit By My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story, about the attack and what unfolded afterwards debuted on Lifetime yesterday (June 9).
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 24/7. You can find a list of local resources here.
Topics: True crime, US News
Niamh Shackleton