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

When Morgan Metzer glimpsed a masked determine standing in her bed room doorway shortly after midnight on New 12 months’s Day 2021, she thought she may simply be seeing issues. However then —

Morgan Metzer: He is 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 high of me. And that is when he began pistol-whipping me.

Simply hours earlier, she’d been able to ring within the new 12 months in Canton, Georgia, along with her finest good friend, Nichole Stabasefski.

Nichole Stabasefski: That is what we had been wanting ahead to. … And I knew she was exhausted.

It had been an extended 12 months for Morgan. Not too long ago divorced, her 8-year-old twin son and daughter had been spending just a few days along with her sister in Florida.

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

However 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, superb, no matter. Textual content me while you get house, 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 can be in worry for her life. Her attacker had introduced zip ties with him, already pre-looped and intertwined. He put Morgan’s fingers behind her again, slipped them on, and tightened them.

Morgan Metzer: It is an out-of-body expertise.

Nikki Battiste: I am unable to think about what you are considering. What you feel.

Morgan Metzer: Susceptible, uncovered. What is going on to occur to my youngsters? … I have not accomplished a will. … I have not 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 practically unconscious twice.

Morgan Metzer: It is the worst feeling on the earth to assume you are dying. And you’re 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. 

Along with 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 gave the impression 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: Sure. “You are going to miss your husband.” I mentioned, “No, do not harm 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 by my entire life in my head. That is how my mind was … simply all over the 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: “The place’s your jewellery? The place’s,” you understand, “all your different good stuff?” And he’s ripping out stuff out of my, you understand, my drawers.

After which —

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 house 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 positive 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 by 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 go away you there?

Morgan Metzer: Sure.

Nikki Battiste: What did he say as he left?

Morgan Metzer: He mentioned, “don’t stand up till you hear two automobile honks or I am going to kill you.”

Morgan’s property was secluded, with little probability 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 means 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 over again.

Morgan Metzer: I hear any individual strolling up.

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

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

That is when Morgan heard a really acquainted voice.g

Morgan Metzer: “Oh honey, what occurred?”

Morgan’s grueling ordeal was lastly over. And who would transform 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 referred to as 911.

911 DISPATCHER: Cherokee County 911.

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

ROD METZER: She was on the again porch. Uh, and — and the again door was huge 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 go away, Rod.

ROD METZER: I will be proper right here.

MORGAN METZER: Please.

ROD METZER: I will 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: Completely.

Sergeant Dakota Lyvers was a detective with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Division in 2021. He had a variety of questions. Precisely why had Rod gone to Morgan’s house in the midst of the evening?

Rod moved out of Morgan’s house and into his personal residence 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.

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

Nikki Battiste: What did he say he was considering? I imply, somebody knocks on his window within the early morning hours of New 12 months’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 is perhaps occurring to Morgan.

Rod advised investigators he’d gotten in his automobile and made the 12-minute drive over to his ex-wife’s home. Regardless of being divorced, Rod mentioned he was nonetheless searching for Morgan. Their relationship stretched again practically 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: Sure, 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 recreation and he mentioned, “Mother, you are gonna meet Morgan tonight.” And I mentioned, “Who’s Morgan?” “That is my girlfriend.” And I mentioned, “What?” He mentioned, “Be good.” (laughs)

Nikki Battiste: Did Rod change in any respect when he was relationship 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:  Wonderful. … He referred to as me “princess.” And so he actually handled me like that.

Nobody was stunned when the couple married in 2009. Morgan was 21 years outdated.

Kathy Metzer: Morgan was probably the most beautiful brides I’ve ever seen in my life.

Kathy Metzer: Climate was excellent. It was exterior, so thank goodness for the climate.

Morgan Metzer: It was all the pieces I dreamed of. My dad gave me all the pieces I may need, you understand. … It was simply treasured.

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

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

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

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

However the subsequent 12 months would convey some excellent news to rejoice.

Morgan Metzer: We obtained pregnant with our son.

Morgan says choosing his identify was straightforward.

Morgan Metzer: Kevin all the time wished to be an uncle. He all the time talked about it, how a lot enjoyable he would have.

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

However the household would endure a second, and devastating, loss. Child 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’d think about powerful for you and Rod. 

Morgan Metzer: Very powerful. … Do not actually keep in mind a variety of it. It is a large 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 high of my lungs, “two infants,” you understand. (laughs)

Nikki Battiste: Twins.

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

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

Morgan Metzer: In all probability a couple of 12 months after they had been born, which is true 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 foremost one, when he misplaced all of his cash, was he was being a day dealer for himself.

Rod’s job loss occurred to come back on the similar 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, grew to become so profitable she requested Stabasefski to hitch her.

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

Nikki Battiste: So that you grew to become enterprise companions?

Nichole Stabasefski: Yeah. … Earning money. … 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 recollects one Labor Day weekend. She and Rod had been celebrating on a ship with mates 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: Sure. 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 preserve your mood. You had been simply whaling far and wide.”

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

Morgan Metzer: And I am like, OK, nicely, perhaps that is my fault. … And my mates 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 section 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 along with her.

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

Morgan says Rod even concerned their youngsters in his deception.

Morgan Metzer: He pretended I pushed him down the steps and he actually rolled down the steps. You already know, he really obtained harm and mentioned to the youngsters, “Look, Mommy pushed me downstairs. Are you able to 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: Loads of occasions he is very aggressive and would not take the phrase no. And so now wanting 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 already know, it was the primary time I believe I noticed her have peace.

The divorce was closing in December and Morgan was prepared to maneuver on. However now, within the early morning hours of New 12 months’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 once they first arrived at Morgan’s home at 3 a.m. Rod’s conduct had struck them as uncommon.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: So, as we had been strolling up … Rodney was, um, seated in his automobile 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.” After which 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 certain, um, and crushed on the again porch. And you’d assume that my arrival to assist discover a decision to this, uh, can be welcoming.

Instantly, 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 loads in my profession. And, uh, I used to be stunned that any individual would — can be so harsh.

Nikki Battiste: What did it make you assume?

Sgt. Robert Haugh: Any person was mad.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: Completely. 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: Attention-grabbing. I’d’ve thought the other, that might’ve felt longer for her.

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

The very first thing Lyvers and Haugh did was separate Morgan, Rod and Morgan’s father and brother — who came to visit after she referred to 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 advised 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: Whenever 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 important second.

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

After which there was one other, even greater clue, when her attacker lifted Morgan out of bed to put her exterior.

Morgan Metzer: That is once I actually knew it was him.

Morgan remembered one thing from years earlier.

Morgan Metzer: I used to be pregnant with my youngsters, my twins. And typically it’s important to get assist out of the mattress. … The way in which 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% p.c him.

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

She advised 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 referred to 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 youngsters. … I am right here for you.”

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

Rod had advised 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 advised the investigators that Rod had spent the week making an attempt to reconcile along with her.

Morgan Metzer: He saved begging me to get again along with me. … Simply consistently haggling me.

However 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 am not telling anyone.” And that is once I was like, “OK, get out.”

Morgan says Rod spent the day texting her.

Morgan Metzer: “That you must get again with me. I am going to make sufficient cash. You possibly can give up your job proper now.”

Fed up with all of it, Morgan lied and advised Rod she’d be sleeping elsewhere that New 12 months’s Eve evening.

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

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

Morgan Metzer: I have been mentally, emotionally, bodily abused.

As a result of Rod made her really feel like she was responsible for years.

Morgan Metzer: That is what he is in-built my mind.

However that every one modified when Lyvers advised her he believed her.

Morgan Metzer: And I simply melted. … He heard me. I’ve not been heard in years. No person listened. No person heard me and he heard me.

Rachel Ashe: That began the investigation into Rodney Metzer.

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

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 verify along with her mother and father?

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

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: “It is what I’d do.”

Nikki Battiste: Had been 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 wished to verify.

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

Rod handed his cellphone to the investigators.

Rachel Ashe: Gave them permission to look by 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 pictures of Morgan — um, partially dressed.

Rachel Ashe: Loads of photographs of Morgan nude and people photographs of Morgan nude, it was fairly obvious that she did not know he was taking these photographs of her.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: She was fairly alarmed.

Investigators additionally found Rod had snapped photos of Morgan’s cellphone displaying textual content messages between her and one other man. They thought-about these and the photographs 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 is 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: Folks make errors, man.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: I believe you made a variety of errors.

SGT. ROBERT HAUGH: Huge, large errors.

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

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: That is right.

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: Get up.

ROD METZER: You are kidding me?

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

However 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 automobile, 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 indignant and simply sore.

At the same time as they booked Rod for taking these photos of Morgan and her texts, Haugh and Lyvers had already developed a concept about why Rod might need attacked her.

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

Investigators hoped house safety cameras would assist their concept. However they rapidly realized that every one the video from the time of the assault had been erased by 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: Had been you ever capable of retrieve these lacking movies from the safety firm?

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

However 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: That is the window the attacker entered?

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: That is right. Proper 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 continues 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.

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

Morgan Metzer: He had despatched me an image of a verify…. 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 verify made it look like he was making an attempt to make a grand gesture.

Morgan Metzer: “You need to have all the cash. You deserve all the pieces,” just about in a nutshell.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: I believe it was to get her to come back again to the home that night as a result of … she advised Rodney she was gonna be at her mother and father’ home for New 12 months’s.

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

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

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

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

Sgt. Robert Haugh: Yeah, he was broke.

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

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

Earlier than 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 midnight. He was handcuffing any individual. You by no means know the way a lot struggle that individual’s going to place up.

Sgt. Robert Haugh: One of many 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 lower. And so principally what we had been taking a look at was a — a zipper tie that had two further heads.

Haugh and Lyvers wanted to seek out out if that portion of a zipper tie, primarily a tail, present in Rod’s residence, 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: Sure, they’re.

Melanie Thrasher is a criminal offense 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 residence lined up precisely with these on Morgan’s zip tie. A “excellent match” mentioned Haugh.

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

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

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

Sgt. Robert Haugh: “7 Methods to —

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: “To Be Her Hero.”

Sgt. Robert Haugh: — “Be Her Hero,” to — to win any individual 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 “the way to change your voice.”

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

The searches additionally included “The way to crack an iPhone password,” “The way 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 e-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 physician’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 method to attempt to get you again or as a method to get entry to your own home ‘trigger he had this plan?

Morgan Metzer: I believe 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: Sure.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: What different type of well being points do you could 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 am beginning to get a extremely unhealthy feeling. What angle you guys are coming from.

Then Rod tried to show the tables — by trying to take the higher hand within the interview.

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

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: Inform me.

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

SGT. DAKOTA LYVERS: I am 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 taken with how one can change the sound of your voice?

ROD METZER: Perhaps.

SGT. TOM HARRIS: Inform 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 residence 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’ve ’em now.

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

ROD METZER: That is simply beginning to get squirrelly.

Harris advised 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’s a excellent lower.

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

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

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

SGT. TOM HARRIS: Like what?

ROD METZER: I do not know.

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

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

However 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 house 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 am coming.”

The subsequent day Morgan, along 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 lifeless. However then additionally a part of me was like, no, I am not gonna, I am not gonna let myself die. … I’ve gotta struggle for my youngsters.

Harris advised 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 referred to as out your identify as he is strolling across the aspect of your own home.

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

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

Kathy Metzer: Oh, that — that completely threw me underneath 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.

However the proof saved mounting. When investigators recovered these zip ties from Rod’s residence, 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 truth offered at Lowe’s.

Rachel Ashe: The sheriff’s workplace then went to the 2 Lowe’s that we have now right here in Cherokee County. … And so they began trying to find 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 seek 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, apart from Rodney Metzer. So the surveillance pictures and the movies that had been recovered from Lowe’s of him buying these zip ties … his face is true there within the digital camera.

Subsequent got here the safety video from Rod’s residence constructing.

Sgt. Dakota Lyvers: There’s really one contained in the, uh — the breezeway there, which ends up in Rodney’s residence 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, raveled, in a rush.

Simply 4 minutes later, Rod is caught on digital camera once more, leaving the constructing, carrying utterly totally 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 automobile once we did the search warrant.

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

Investigators cannot know for positive 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. However Deputy Chief Assistant District Legal professional Rachel Ashe says they’d greater than sufficient to show Rod was responsible.

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

However Ashe says she wished to supply Morgan a chance for faster closure than a trial would convey within the type of a plea deal for Rod.

Rachel Ashe: We went by the professionals and cons of letting him plead responsible, letting him settle for duty. … We agreed, um, we must 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 photographs 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 believe you even described it as like a loss of life.

Morgan Metzer: It’s a loss of life. I’ve misplaced my husband. He is lifeless to me.

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

Morgan Metzer: As soon as I obtained began, it simply began pouring outta me.

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

Morgan Metzer (studying her sufferer influence 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 consistently 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 could have given me is became 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 he or she mentioned all the pieces she wanted to say, and when she was accomplished, she was accomplished.

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

Rod’s actions that New 12 months’s Day proceed to have an effect on everybody.

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

Kathy Metzer: He hasn’t wished me to.

Nikki Battiste:  Why?

Kathy Metzer: He is afraid of my response.

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

Nikki Battiste: You are anxious he may die.

Kathy Metzer: Oh, I am completely anxious he’ll 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: Every part occurs for a motive. God has all the pieces occur for a motive. And I am beginning to see that proper now. There’s simply a variety of nice issues which might be occurring with us.

She says she is concentrated on elevating her youngsters, and serving to others who discover themselves in related circumstances.

Morgan Metzer: I am making an attempt to lift consciousness for … narcissism and gaslighting. … I wish to assist girls notice they’re in a scenario earlier than it will get too unhealthy.

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

Rod Metzer’s sentence prevents him from contacting Morgan and their youngsters in any means.

 

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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.