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Andrea Gunning
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Andrea Gunning
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Morgan Metzer
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Morgan Metzer
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Andrea Gunning
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Morgan Metzer
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Andrea Gunning
Hi everyone, I have something exciting to share with you. Betrayal finally has Merchant. This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time. Every piece has been designed and curated for our Betrayal community. We've got mugs, shirts, stickers and a guided betrayal journal filled with thoughtful prompts. Whether it's for yourself or as a gift for someone you know who loves the show, these pieces help support the work we do. Visit betrayalpodcast Shop to explore the full collection. Pre orders are open now. Hi everyone, it's Andrea Gunning. Before we start this episode, I want to let you know that we will be talking explicitly about the realities of domestic violence. So please be mindful with this episode.
Morgan Metzer
I saw this figure standing in the doorway. He was an all black and had a Batman mask and just covered head to toe in black clothing. I kept closing, opening my eyes, like, am I really seeing this or not?
Andrea Gunning
I'm Andrea Gunning and this is Betrayal, a show about the people we trust the most and the deceptions that change everything. This week's episode has also been adapted into an episode of our TV show Betrayal, Secrets and Lies. You can stream it on Disney or Hulu. Morgan Metzer grew up in Canton, Georgia, where big stretches of forest hug quaint neighborhoods and the Chattahoochee river carves its way through the town.
Morgan Metzer
Growing up, I was the youngest. I have an older brother and an older sister. My brother was in baseball and my sister was in fast pitch, so I felt like a lot of my weekends were following them around.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan kept up with the older kids.
Morgan Metzer
I was very outspoken and strong willed.
Andrea Gunning
School was challenging for Morgan.
Morgan Metzer
I struggled a little bit with test taking and I didn't have the best grades.
Andrea Gunning
But her parents taught her. There are a lot of things in life that are more important than grades, my dad explained.
Morgan Metzer
In the real world, it's not the grades. In the end, they are more focused on who you are as a person, your values, being truthful, being honest.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan's school had a back patio where everyone hung out after class. One day when Morgan was in eighth grade, she and her friends were out on the patio and when she saw a guy she hadn't noticed before.
Morgan Metzer
I just randomly saw him one day and we just started talking a little bit. He was in high school and I was in middle school.
Andrea Gunning
His name was Rodney. And soon she found out everyone on campus knew him. He was 16, two years older than her, and Morgan thought that was exciting.
Morgan Metzer
I thought he was really cute and I liked him.
Andrea Gunning
The next time she saw him at school, they talked again. The more time Morgan spent with Rodney, the more she liked him.
Morgan Metzer
We were very close instantly, very connected. He was very easygoing, as steady as his dream. Not much could really rock his boat.
Andrea Gunning
He made friends easily and was kind to everyone he met.
Morgan Metzer
He was funny. He's what you would call the guy next door that everyone just likes.
Andrea Gunning
They started hanging out after school. They never got tired of talking to each other and realized that their connection was more than just friendship. Rodney asked Morgan to be his girlfriend. She said yes.
Morgan Metzer
I was just a typical teenager in
Andrea Gunning
love when she told her parents about her new boyfriend.
Morgan Metzer
As you can imagine, my dad and my mom weren't very happy about an 8th grader dating a junior. So my dad made it perfectly clear that we would not be going on dates until I was 16, and that if he wanted to see me, he would have to come to the house and hang out.
Andrea Gunning
So that's what they did. After school, Rodney would go over to Morgan's house. They respected her parents dating rules, and Rodney quickly gained her parents trust.
Morgan Metzer
Everyone loved him in my family. He grew up with them.
Andrea Gunning
She grew up with his family, too. His parents could afford to go on extravagant vacations. They started inviting Morgan to come with them on their trips.
Morgan Metzer
His parents loved to go to the Bahamas. They loved to go on cruises. So we did all different kinds of trips.
Andrea Gunning
Once Morgan was in high school, she and Rodney gained a little independence.
Morgan Metzer
He would pick me up, we would meet up with all of our friends, and we'd all go to this one waffle house and just hang out.
Andrea Gunning
After school, Morgan and Rodney always sat next to each other at the waffle house. In fact, they almost never left each other's side.
Morgan Metzer
Everyone just knew it was always us. We came together as one. Like if I invited one, then they knew I was coming, or vice versa.
Andrea Gunning
They were inseparable, and their friends understood why.
Morgan Metzer
They all thought we were the power couple. Everyone just loved us together.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan and Rodney started planning for their future after high school.
Morgan Metzer
All I wanted to do was become a mom and support my house and create a home. And he said that he wanted to be the main provider. So we kind of had our plan.
Andrea Gunning
But she knew that plan would have to wait until Rodney made enough money to support them both. After graduating high school, she started pursuing her interest in hair and makeup. Morgan decided to go to cosmetology school and become a hairdresser. Rodney wanted to become a car mechanic and began looking at trade schools.
Morgan Metzer
Rod decided he wanted to go to a school called wyotech.
Andrea Gunning
Wyotech is a trade school in laramie, wyoming, A small town that sits high in the plains, Nestled between two stretches of the rocky mountains.
Morgan Metzer
He didn't want to go by himself, and they had a cosmetology school there. So we backed up and moved to Wyoming.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan and Rodney had to get used to a new pace of life.
Morgan Metzer
It was a big jump. I mean, Georgia's not cold like that, and you go to laramie, Wyoming. And not to be mean about the city, but applebee's was the place to be. It was definitely a change in culture for sure.
Andrea Gunning
Still, they were eager to start this new chapter.
Morgan Metzer
It was very exciting moving in together for the first time, Developing our routine. Our habits.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney started trade school to become a car mechanic. And Morgan started a cosmetology school.
Morgan Metzer
I would ride my bike to school every day.
Andrea Gunning
As she pedaled through town, she could look out and see the stretches of mountains just beyond Laramie. She was excited about the life she and Rodney were building. Home was wherever Rodney was.
Morgan Metzer
We would get up, do our morning routine together. We would be in school all day and then we'd meet up. We'd have dinner, and then in the evenings, most likely watching a movie, Rodney
Andrea Gunning
told her about everything he was learning at school.
Morgan Metzer
He loved it. He loves cars. He loved building cars. He loved everything about it.
Andrea Gunning
At night, they would talk about their future.
Morgan Metzer
We just created a dream scenario in our head that, you know, we would get married and eventually we would have children.
Andrea Gunning
And when they each graduated, they moved back to Georgia and got to work making their dream life a reality.
Morgan Metzer
We bought our first house. I was working at a hair salon in Roswell. And we developed some really good friends that we knew since we were younger. Our friends knew each other and our friends knew our family.
Andrea Gunning
They had a tight knit community with deep roots. Before Morgan knew it, six years flew by with Rodney and they went from being high school sweethearts to, to mature adult partners. They knew each other's favorite jokes, deepest fears, and biggest dreams. And then on Christmas day, Rodney proposed to Morgan with her grandmother's wedding ring.
Morgan Metzer
I was so excited. I couldn't stop crying.
Andrea Gunning
She was so happy. A little over a year later, they got married.
Morgan Metzer
They got married in a gazebo at dusk. And the gazebo was covered in hydrangeas and peonies and lilies and roses, twinkle lights all over the place. So pretty much like a magical Cinderella type of feel.
Andrea Gunning
That magical feeling continued well after their wedding.
Morgan Metzer
We were very much a team. His motto was happy wife, happy life. So he just wanted to provide anything he possibly could. He was the main provider financially. He always took care of things around the house, made sure he had a roof over our heads, food on our plates. Very nurturing, very emotionally there for me.
Andrea Gunning
But not too long after their wedding, Rodney's family suffered a horrible loss. His brother Kevin had battled leukemia for years. One night he passed away in his sleep.
Morgan Metzer
He was an amazing person. I loved him a lot. It really changed the dynamic and his family just so much pain.
Andrea Gunning
It was hard for Rodney's parents to make time for him as they struggled with Kevin's death. It felt like when Kevin died, so did their happy tight knit family.
Morgan Metzer
Rod started feeling abandoned. And that's when I started seeing Rod change just a tiny bit because it just felt not as important as it used to be.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney's brother Kevin, had always wanted to be an uncle.
Morgan Metzer
We got pregnant shortly after his brother had passed away.
Andrea Gunning
They had a son and named him Kevin to honor Rodney's brother. But shortly after he was born, Morgan and Rodney were given devastating news. Their son had a congenital heart defect. At this point in her life, Morgan can tell the story without much emotion, but it's still incredibly painful.
Morgan Metzer
When he was born, he was immediately shipped to Eggleston, Atlanta. Cardiac units for 18 days, he was there. He had his first heart surgery, but he couldn't recover from it. He couldn't get off the ventilator, and he didn't make it.
Andrea Gunning
Their firstborn son died before he was a month old. Morgan and Rodney were facing a grief no parent should have to endure. Rodney tried to find the words to comfort Morgan.
Morgan Metzer
He was like, even if you don't want to go back to work after this, you don't have to. You thought you were a mom and you were going to get to stay home. I don't want to make you go back to work. So he was very supportive.
Andrea Gunning
But there were times when Rodney couldn't handle the grief. To him, seeing Morgan sad was a reminder of how much they had lost.
Morgan Metzer
He would tell me not to cry because they didn't like to see me cry, and so I didn't. So I didn't feel like I could really grieve all that much.
Andrea Gunning
They decided to try for kids again.
Morgan Metzer
We got pregnant with twins. My mom says I was the happiest pregnant person she's ever seen. I enjoyed every second of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I loved it.
Andrea Gunning
When the twins were born, Morgan and Rodney were overjoyed.
Morgan Metzer
I was just elated to have healthy babies. We were in heaven. We were just so happy. It brought some light into our world. After a really hard few years, Rodney
Andrea Gunning
and Morgan made a good team.
Morgan Metzer
We were a dynamic duo. We would tackle everyday tasks. We delegated. We would support each other emotionally. We would just conquer it together.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney was working as a car mechanic, and Morgan stayed home with the twins. Juggling, parenting and work meant the two of them had less quality time together. And Rodney had a hard time adjusting.
Morgan Metzer
I think he struggled a little bit with sharing my time with the twins.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney started acting spacey at home and at the mechanics where he worked. And one day, Rod got fired because
Morgan Metzer
he let a car fall off the lift.
Andrea Gunning
It was a dangerous mistake. Someone could have died Rodney insisted that it wasn't his fault.
Morgan Metzer
And it's like, okay, well, it was your fault. You put the car on the lift, you know? So that kind of brought a strain.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney needed to find a new way to support their family.
Morgan Metzer
So he started doing day trading in the stock market.
Andrea Gunning
At first he was successful.
Morgan Metzer
He made great money. We owned our house pretty much outright. I could stay home. The twins were starting preschool at this time.
Andrea Gunning
They had dealt with a lot of grief, but they were still able to grow together. And finally they had what they always wanted. Rodney worked full time to support their family, freeing up Morgan to raise their twins. One day, Rodney came to Morgan in a panic and told her someone had stolen money from their shared savings account. Morgan didn't really understand what he meant. The details of their finances had always been Rodney's domain. But when she logged into their shared bank account, she saw that he was right. The account was drained.
Morgan Metzer
I just knew that the money was gone. And I was like, what is going on? This can't possibly be true. I was just blindsided.
Andrea Gunning
If you've ever tried to find a psychiatrist who takes your insurance only to hear there's a months long wait list or they're not accepting new patients, you know how frustrating that can be. That's why I want to tell you about Talkiatry. Talkiatry is 100% online psychiatry practice that provides comprehensive evaluations, diagnoses and ongoing medication management for conditions like adhd, anxiety, depression, and more. Unlike therapy only platforms, Talkiatry is psychiatry. You're meeting with a licensed medical provider who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication when it's appropriate. What stands out is that Talkiatry accepts major insurers, and with more than 800 clinicians, you can often get matched and schedule your first appointment in just a few days. You'll work with the same provider over time so your treatment plan can evolve with you and support real Progress. More than 300,000 patients have already found high quality psychiatric care through Talkiatry. Head to talkiatry.com betrayal to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. That's talkiotry.com betrayal to get matched in minutes.
Morgan Metzer
Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways
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Morgan Metzer
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Andrea Gunning
So I thought it would be fun
Morgan Metzer
if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment
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Andrea Gunning
Morgan and her high school sweetheart Rodney got married and settled down near their hometown in Georgia. They were living the life they dreamed of since they were teenagers. They Rodney worked full time and Morgan stayed home with their twins. But one day Rodney came home in a panic. He told Morgan someone had stolen from their savings account. It was a life changing amount of money. They wouldn't be able to afford to stay in their house and so they moved into a rental.
Morgan Metzer
So he no longer had any access to money. And so at that time he pretty much told me, he's like now it's your turn to provide for the house.
Andrea Gunning
Not only was the money gone, but Rodney expected her to fix it. Morgan was shocked. This was never their plan. Rodney had always prided himself on being a provider and now he was panicking and asking her to fill that role. She had to figure something out to take care of their kids.
Morgan Metzer
And I couldn't go become a hairdresser and support this lavish lifestyle that we had.
Andrea Gunning
Then she had an idea.
Morgan Metzer
All my friends have always said that I was really good interior design and so I decided to start my own interior design business.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan named her business Shiplap and Sugar. It was an immediate success in town. She began working with local clients and before long she was working full time and was the primary provider for their family. Within a year, Shiplap and Sugar was voted Canton's number one interior design business. Rodney was in a new role too. He was staying home with the twins and working for Morgan's interior design company part time as a handyman. He helped with the construction side of things, building bunk beds and mounting decor. But soon he started to overstep.
Morgan Metzer
Sometimes he would try to over talk me with customers and chime in about how he thought something should be done. And it just didn't make us look like we're on the same page. I didn't really like that and I was like, this is not your position. I am in charge of running the consultations and speaking to my customers.
Andrea Gunning
It was frustrating to see Rodney trying to take control and ownership of the business she had built.
Morgan Metzer
I'm sorry, like you put me in charge of running the household and providing for the household. I did this myself. I built this from the bottom up.
Andrea Gunning
She told Rodney to stay in his lane at work and let her manage the business.
Morgan Metzer
That's when I think his pride really took a hit because I was providing for the household and, you know, he had to stay home with the kids.
Andrea Gunning
She and Rodney had always been a team. They met when they were kids and they'd been together for more than 15 years. For that entire time, Rodney had been the calm, grounded one. But that began to change.
Morgan Metzer
He was very impatient. He got very angry very fast. He just turned ugly and nasty and that's when it all just started spiraling.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney became argumentative and combative with her.
Morgan Metzer
Some nights we'd be up fighting all night long and I wouldn't get a minute of sleep. And then I have to go work 12 hours. And there was no break from him because I worked with him too.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan suggested they go to couples therapy, but it didn't go well.
Morgan Metzer
He got kicked out one session because he was so aggressive. And she diagnosed him with ptsd and he didn't believe it and he just didn't want help.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney started lashing out at Morgan.
Morgan Metzer
He'd start a fight and he would scream and yell at me and follow me around and drive me insane until I finally broke. And I would scream. And then he'd turn it around on me and make me look like the crazy person, Like I would be the insane one.
Andrea Gunning
He became verbally abusive.
Morgan Metzer
I would end up hiding in the closet because I was like, please just shut up. I'm exhausted at hearing you constantly at my throat. It was horrible.
Andrea Gunning
Even little things would set him off. The environment in their home shifted. She felt like she was walking on eggshells.
Morgan Metzer
I didn't want to irritate him. I didn't want to set him off. We were on tippy toes. It was like skating out the knife. I just didn't want to cause conflict.
Andrea Gunning
The Rodney she had fallen in love with was steady, loving, kind. This new version of him was angry, impulsive, and cruel.
Morgan Metzer
His soul just turned black. It was very scary, but it was done little by little. And when things are done little by little, you don't really notice changes.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan was working hard at building her business, and after a year, they moved out of their rental and bought a new home. But the home she had worked so hard to afford was unsafe for her and their twins.
Morgan Metzer
The kids were just getting older. Rod was more aggressive and just became unhealthy and very toxic.
Andrea Gunning
That summer, a friend of Morgan and Rodney's rented a houseboat for their group of friends for the night. It was a big party.
Morgan Metzer
Everyone was having a great time, drinking out in the sun.
Andrea Gunning
At the end of the evening, Morgan and Rodney went to their room, and
Morgan Metzer
we were going to go to sleep, but then he attacked me. It was dark. It was pitch black because there was no windows in there. All I remember is just getting pummeled by him.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan managed to get away from him and came out of their bedroom into the main area of the boat. A few of their friends were still awake and startled at the sight of her. She was bleeding. Rodney was close on her heels. But when he saw their friends, he quickly came up with a story.
Morgan Metzer
He was like, I cannot believe you attacked me. My gosh, you are so drunk.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan and her friends stared at him, dumbfounded.
Morgan Metzer
My friends were like, no, if she attacked you, you'd be able to hold her down. She doesn't need to have marks on her like this and bleeding for you to stop her.
Andrea Gunning
She called her parents to come pick her up.
Morgan Metzer
I went to their house, and I slept for the entire day. And then Rod showed up. He convinced my parents it was me and that I was the crazy one. And that I attacked him and that it was all my fault.
Andrea Gunning
The more Rodney told the story of Morgan attacking him, the more Morgan began to question her own experience.
Morgan Metzer
I was embarrassed. I was like, well, maybe it was me, because like I said, we had all been drinking and hanging out, so it's not like I was completely sober. You question yourself, you know, like, was I wrong? Am I crazy? Did I lose it? Like, what happened?
Andrea Gunning
Morgan's memory felt fuzzy, but Rodney seemed to remember everything in perfect detail. He sat on her parents couch and calmly explained how she attacked him.
Morgan Metzer
He would just sit there and lay it all out. So, of course, naturally then I was like, oh, my gosh. Well, maybe it was me. I'm so sorry.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney was physically and emotionally abusing Morgan. He always found a way to make her take the blame for his actions.
Morgan Metzer
He was like, okay, well, I'm gonna give you a chance, and you're gonna get better. You're not gonna do this again. So then I felt like I was being given a chance. Like, I need to become a better person. So I felt like I was the one on trial.
Andrea Gunning
They went back to their routines, but now, whenever they had an argument, Rodney made Morgan believe she started it.
Morgan Metzer
He'd like, well, it was your fault. You said this. You did this. And I was like, I don't remember that, but okay, I'm sorry. My mind would play games with me. It's like, no, you're at fault. No, no, he's at fault. It was just a cluster of just so many things running through my head.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan was losing trust in herself. Rodney was gaslighting her, and his plan was working. She was starting to doubt her own reality.
Morgan Metzer
There was a time that we were arguing and we were walking up the stairs, and he pretended I pushed him down the stairs, and he did it in front of the children and was like, look, mom pushed me down the stairs.
Andrea Gunning
This time, Morgan did not doubt herself.
Morgan Metzer
I know I did not do this. Like, that was a situation, a scenario where he could never convince me that I did that.
Andrea Gunning
He was trying to get their kids to stop trusting her.
Morgan Metzer
I just decided to grab the kids and go to my mom's house.
Andrea Gunning
She knew something had to change. She tried to encourage Rodney to seek professional help for his behavior.
Morgan Metzer
I didn't want to give up on him. I was trying to get him help like I wanted him to get help. He wouldn't go see a therapist. He wouldn't do anything.
Andrea Gunning
His abuse only escalated. As a note to listeners, the next scene involves a threat of suicide.
Morgan Metzer
One Time. We were fighting, and I grabbed the kids and I went to my parents house. But as I was leaving the driveway, he came out, stood in the driveway, he had a gun, and he pointed it to his head. I just dropped everything and put my hands in my face because I didn't want to see it happen. I drove away.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan was focused on surviving his abuse and keeping her kids safe.
Morgan Metzer
I was just trying to get by minute per minute.
Andrea Gunning
It was devastating. She still had so much love for this person, but he was not the man she married. Eventually, Morgan told her parents that she needed to leave her marriage.
Morgan Metzer
I went to them and was like, I can't do this anymore. They were on my side. My dad was like, okay, call the attorney. We're going to get the divorce. We're done. I get it. I understand.
Andrea Gunning
Hearing her parents affirm her decision to leave, Shipp did something within Morgan.
Morgan Metzer
I don't know what it was, but a light just came on, and I was like, I'm done. I don't have to do this. I could get out.
Andrea Gunning
After 11 years of marriage and nearly 20 years together, Morgan filed for divorce.
Morgan Metzer
My divorce was like a month long.
Andrea Gunning
The proceedings were extremely fast.
Morgan Metzer
He gave me the house. He gave me everything. He didn't fight it. And I think it's because he thought he could win me back. Behind the scenes. He was like, give me another chance. And was just constantly begging me and begging me.
Andrea Gunning
But Morgan was done giving Rodney chances to.
Morgan Metzer
To change.
Andrea Gunning
Their divorce was finalized in December of 2020, and she knew she had made the right decision.
Morgan Metzer
I was feeling free. I just felt great. I didn't have the urge to want to go back. I just felt like the weight of the world was off my shoulders.
Andrea Gunning
It was a positive change for her kids, too.
Morgan Metzer
When my kids were like, mom, it's so much happier around here. I was like, yes, I know I did the right thing. I was just so elated that the house was calm and quiet.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney was the only one not adjusting well.
Morgan Metzer
Rod is still asking me to get back together with him. Let me give him another chance.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan tried her best to ignore him, but he was trying everything to make her feel bad.
Morgan Metzer
It was a few days before his birthday, and he's like, well, no one's going to take me out for my birthday. Can you please go out and make my birthday? So I said, okay, I'll go to dinner for your birthday.
Andrea Gunning
The dinner was uncomfortable. The entire time Rodney was begging her to take him back, she tried to set boundaries between them again. Then a few Days before Christmas, Morgan was at a friend's house when she got an email from Rodney. He was writing to let her know that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He attached a doctor's note to his email. The cancer had already progressed to stage four by the time they found was a terminal diagnosis. Morgan was stunned. She rushed over to Rodney's house right
Morgan Metzer
away, and I was like, I am so sorry. I'm here for you. You're the father of my children. I'm always going to love you.
Andrea Gunning
She spent the day at his apartment trying to support him as he wrapped his mind around the diagnosis. When the day came to an end, Rodney told her he was scared to be alone that night. She told him he could come to her house and sleep on the sofa if he needed to.
Morgan Metzer
And the following morning, I said, okay, you know, I think it's time we call your parents. He's like, I don't want my parents to know. And I was like, rod, you got pancreatic cancer.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan wanted to support him, but she was frustrated that Rodney only wanted support from her and nobody else. Even though she still cared for Rodney, they were divorced now.
Morgan Metzer
I was feeling like, you know, this isn't really on me, like this isn't my responsibility anymore.
Andrea Gunning
It was a tough decision, but she knew she couldn't be Rodney's only support system for her sake and for his. So she called his parents, told them about his diagnosis, and then told him it was time for him to go back home.
Morgan Metzer
I was like, that's it. You're not putting all of this on me. I didn't feel responsible for him anymore.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan tried to take a step back
Morgan Metzer
and he was still messaging me. He's like, let me take you out for New Year's Eve. Let's do the New Year's Eve together. And I was like, no, I'm not doing it. I don't want to do it.
Andrea Gunning
So she made up an excuse. She told him she was spending the night at her parents house so he wouldn't try to come over. Her kids were out of town, so Morgan decided to go to a friend's New Year's Eve party.
Morgan Metzer
I was there for a little bit and I was like, you know what? I don't really want to be here. I'm tired. This is my first new Year by myself. I don't feel like drinking. I just wanted it to be relaxing. And I didn't have my kids. I was like, I just want to go home.
Andrea Gunning
Her kids were at her sister's house. In Florida for the week. And Morgan had the house to herself. She went home, changed into her pajamas, and put on a movie.
Morgan Metzer
I fell asleep on the sofa that night. I woke up, I think it was just about a minute before midnight. And it was a firework I heard in the neighborhood. And it woke me up. And so I was like, oh, gosh. Okay. It was just for a second. And then I bent down and I kissed my dog. And I was like, happy new year.
Andrea Gunning
She pulled herself off the couch, went to her room, and went back to bed. As a note for listeners, Morgan is about to describe an instance of graphic violence.
Morgan Metzer
It was like 30 minutes later or something like that. I woke up again. There's always been a creak by my door when you walk by it.
Andrea Gunning
She heard the floorboard creak and her eyes snapped open.
Morgan Metzer
It was just loud. And I saw this figure standing in the doorway. He was an all black and had a Batman mask and just covered head to toe in black clothing.
Andrea Gunning
The light in the living room was on behind the intruder. He was silhouetted in the doorway. She didn't have a clear view of him.
Morgan Metzer
I kept closing, opening my eyes, like, am I really seeing this or not? The moment that I think he realized my eyes were opened is when he pounced at me. And I remember letting out this blood curling scream. A scream that you never thought would possibly be able to come out of your body.
Andrea Gunning
The intruder used zip ties to restrain her the whole time. He had a gun in her face and he used it to hit her. The attack felt like it lasted forever.
Morgan Metzer
When you're strangled, it is the worst feeling of you entire world. I mean, it's so personal. You're looking up at this person and you can't breathe. I got to the point where I literally felt like my body was shutting down and I was done. I was thinking in my head, he was going to take my kids.
Andrea Gunning
He put a pillowcase over her head and he sexually assaulted her. Then the intruder began to speak. It sounded like he was using a voice changer. The altered voice was deep and gravelly. It sounded just like Batman.
Morgan Metzer
That was definitely the scariest thing. The Batman voice sound. That is what still haunts my dreams. He would just make all these comments of like, you've messed with the wrong person. You're gonna pay for this.
Andrea Gunning
The intruder demanded that she share her phone password. Scared for her life, she told him. Morgan's mind was racing, trying to figure out who was behind the mask.
Morgan Metzer
I'm thinking in my head, like, I do not have enemies. Like this. What is going on? Then he makes a comment. If you're really going to miss your husband.
Andrea Gunning
She had to make a split second decision of how to respond. Something in her knew what the intruder wanted to hear.
Morgan Metzer
And I was like, oh, no, please don't hurt my husband. I love him very much. And I think that's what saved me. Because the mood of the entire room changed. It wasn't as heavy, it wasn't as dark, it wasn't as deep. His whole Persona changed.
Andrea Gunning
Just seconds ago. The intruder's violence had been life threatening. But now his focus shifted from Morgan to her valuables and what he could steal.
Morgan Metzer
Like he was a burglar more so than there to murder me. He's like, where's your jewelry? And he started ripping out stuff from my drawers and things like that.
Andrea Gunning
Then the intruder lifted Morgan off of the bed.
Morgan Metzer
He kept the pillowcase over my head and then took me outside on the back patio, laid me on my outside sofa. And he was like, don't move until you hear three car honks.
Andrea Gunning
She complied and listened as the intruder's footsteps faded away.
Morgan Metzer
I heard the car leave, but I didn't hear any three car honks.
Andrea Gunning
There was still a pillowcase over her head. She didn't know for sure if the intruder had left or if anyone else was watching her.
Morgan Metzer
I don't know if there's more than one person. I couldn't see anything, and I was trying to keep myself awake because I can feel the blood running down my face.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan was severely injured. She focused all of her energy on coaching herself through the pain. She needed to survive this, not only for herself, but for her children.
Morgan Metzer
And I was like, you can have a concussion. Try to stay awake. Try to stay awake. But the same time I'm thinking in my head, okay, where are your keys at? You're going to run to the car. Like I was planning things out in my head.
Andrea Gunning
She laid on the back patio for 40 minutes waiting. But then she heard something.
Morgan Metzer
We had river rocks in our backyard and I heard someone stepping on them. And then I heard footsteps going up the back deck stairs. And I was like, somebody else is here,
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Andrea Gunning
Morgan was asleep at her house on New Year's Eve when an intruder broke into her home. He was wearing a Batman mask, black clothing, and disguising his voice with a voice changer. He violently attacked her before leaving her on the back porch, her head covered with a pillowcase. He told her not to move until she heard three honks of a car's horn. But the sounds never came. So she stayed there for 40 minutes until she heard footsteps approaching.
Morgan Metzer
I was like, somebody else is here.
Andrea Gunning
She wasn't sure if this was helpful or the start of a second attack.
Morgan Metzer
And then I heard footsteps going up the back deck stairs.
Andrea Gunning
The pillowcase was lifted off her head and Morgan looked up to see who had arrived. It was Rodney.
Morgan Metzer
He looked very surprised.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan was also surprised. How did Rodney know she needed help?
Morgan Metzer
He said, well, Morgan, someone can tapping on my window and saying, you better go check on your wife or something like that.
Andrea Gunning
Then Rodney began to tend to Morgan.
Morgan Metzer
I'm still naked and my hands are tied and I was crying. And he took me inside, put me by the fireplace. He was consoling, but also like, trying to act like he was saving the day. He's like, I'm going to check the house out, make sure everything's good and make sure everyone's gone.
Andrea Gunning
He walked around the house opening closet
Morgan Metzer
doors, but he still hasn't undone my handcuffs or gotten me my clothes that I needed.
Andrea Gunning
Then Rodney called the police. Morgan listened, still handcuffed, as he told the 911 dispatcher, he's gone now and
Morgan Metzer
it's no big deal. We don't need the sirens or the lights or the big old ordeal or anything like that. And I'm sitting there like, what?
Andrea Gunning
The police made their way to the house at a leisurely pace. Based on Rodney's account, they didn't think it was that serious of a situation.
Morgan Metzer
The policeman walks in the front door and he stops in his tracks and backed right back out outside and called her back up.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney sounded calm on the phone, but one look at Morgan told a different story. She had been physically assaulted. She was bleeding from a head wound. Her face was swelling and starting to turn purple.
Morgan Metzer
I mean, I Can't even see out of, like, one eye. The cop was kind of like, what do you mean? This is not this big of a deal.
Andrea Gunning
The police took Rodney aside for questioning. In the meantime, they searched the house. Occasionally, someone came over to talk to Morgan. But all of their words faded into one loud humor.
Morgan Metzer
I just felt like I was medicated or something. It was all a blur. My brain was just going, you know, a thousand miles a minute, and I couldn't even keep up with what detectives were saying.
Andrea Gunning
But then one of the detectives said something that cut through the noise. He told her they were arresting Rodney. Morgan's head was spinning. She remembered the look on Rodney's face when he first saw her injuries. He had looked surprised, but they had been together since they were teenagers, and Morgan knew Rodney's expressions intimately.
Morgan Metzer
It was a genuine shock, but I think it was a genuine shock of like, holy crap, what did I do to her?
Andrea Gunning
Her thoughts were racing. Could Rodney really have done this?
Morgan Metzer
Maybe it was said, maybe it wasn't. I don't know. I didn't know if he'd hired anybody else.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan was taken to the hospital. Luckily, her kids were still out of town, staying with her sister. Rodney was the prime suspect, but authorities needed solid proof if they were going to charge him with the crime. So they got a warrant to search Rodney's apartment. That's when the picture began to come together. Detectives found a book in Rodney's apartment. 7 Ways to Be her Hero, A self help book for men. And Rodney's search history told a disturbing story.
Morgan Metzer
They took his computer, and they found searches of how to strangle somebody and writing a suicide letter.
Andrea Gunning
He also searched for how to change the sound of your voice, how to get sympathy from your ex, and how long to choke someone unconscious. Then they found physical evidence. Zip ties that looked just like the ones used to restrain Morgan.
Morgan Metzer
And they took the zip ties to forensics to see if it was a match.
Andrea Gunning
Forensics came back quickly. It was a match. The evidence was overwhelming. Rodney was the intruder.
Morgan Metzer
I just dropped to the ground and just started crying. Finally someone saw that it wasn't my fault.
Andrea Gunning
For years, Rodney had been gaslighting Morgan, telling her she was to blame for his violence. Now it was finally over.
Morgan Metzer
I was just thrown back like, oh, my gosh, I can't believe he was honestly this stupid to look it all up online.
Andrea Gunning
In the weeks before the attack, Rodney told Morgan he had terminal cancer. But in their investigation, police discovered a forged doctor's note, proof that Rodney's story was a lie.
Morgan Metzer
It Was just so mind boggling. I guess I never really truly thought he would go that far.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney had been desperate to regain control of Morgan's life and to get her back. He started by trying to gain her sympathy. When he first told Morgan about his cancer, she was distraught. But even though she was worried for him, she still didn't want to get back together with him.
Morgan Metzer
That is when I think he finally made his decision. Okay, he's going to go through with what his end game was.
Andrea Gunning
Morgan had let Rodney sleep on her couch. He said he was scared about his terminal diagnosis, but in reality, he had ulterior motives.
Morgan Metzer
During that time I was sleeping, he went downstairs in the basement and took a window sensor off the window. So he was, like, planning his next steps.
Andrea Gunning
With the window sensor removed, Rodney had an easy way to enter Morgan's house without activating the alarm system. On the night of the attack, he'd asked for Morgan's phone password and gone through her phone. Police discovered he'd been deleting security footage. Rodney metzer was charged with 14 counts related to the attack, including kidnapping, Home invasion, Armed robbery, Aggravated assault, and sexual battery. But one question remained. Why would Rodney do this to her? Why take it this far? Morgan thinks it's because he wanted to create a villain so that he could
Morgan Metzer
be the hero, because he wanted to gain back that guy next door type of vibe. Everyone like him. Just the epitome of the perfect person.
Andrea Gunning
But the assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case Believes Rodney's motivations were even more sinister. In a press release about Morgan's case, she gave this quote, which we've had read by a voice actor. This man is a master manipulator. In the days leading up to the attack, he faked a cancer diagnosis in an attempt to gain sympathy from his ex wife. When that didn't work, he created a convoluted plan that the investigators in this case and our office truly believe involved a plot to kill her and then himself. When he couldn't go through with that plan, he instead devised a new plan to rescue her. In the weeks following the attack, Morgan's sister agreed to take care of her kids While she focused on recovering. She checked herself into an inpatient rehab for ptsd recovery. But even with professional help, she found herself struggling to return to the life she had before.
Morgan Metzer
I didn't want to be left alone in the house, But I didn't want to leave my house Because I worked very hard to pay for that house. At that time, I was too afraid to work because I didn't want to go to random people's houses. I was scared.
Andrea Gunning
Nights were the hardest. She didn't feel safe letting her guard down in her own home.
Morgan Metzer
There was a month that I would sleep in my son's room and just sit in the corner of the room and stare at the door. I just wouldn't sleep. I couldn't find comfort in it. But I refused to let him beat me.
Andrea Gunning
Meanwhile, the state built their case against Rodney and prepared for trial.
Morgan Metzer
I was just talking to the DA Constantly, just constant questions. They came to get a server at my house. They went through his phone. It was just reliving that moment every second for, like, eight months.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney pled guilty to 14 counts related to the attack. On August 4, 2021, Rodney was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 45 years of probation. Morgan wanted to go to a sentencing hearing. She prepared a victim impact statement, which she read in the courtroom.
Morgan Metzer
In my last statement to him, I said, you know, Rod, the pain you have given me has turned into so much power. I walked off that stand feeling like weight was lifted off my shoulders. I just felt like I could breathe a little bit more. I felt like some things of it were at peace.
Andrea Gunning
In that same press release about the case, the prosecutor wrote a line that stood out to our team. Here's what she wrote.
Morgan Metzer
This is a classic example of how
Andrea Gunning
the most dangerous time for a domestic violence victim is when she decides to leave an abusive relationship. Morgan had to find a way to explain to her kids why they couldn't see their father anymore.
Morgan Metzer
I told them, do you guys know when you get in trouble, there's a consequence for your actions? They said, yes. I said, well, dad did something very bad, and he has to have a punishment, and he's going to be away for 20 to 25 years.
Andrea Gunning
She did everything she could to process her trauma and heal for herself and for her kids. It took months, but slowly I felt
Morgan Metzer
like I was more myself, letting the kids go to school more. Okay, we're getting back into a routine.
Andrea Gunning
Rodney was a defining figure in Morgan's life since she was 14 years old. Without him around, even the smallest things felt new.
Morgan Metzer
I was trapped by him for so long that I was getting to know my real self, too. I had to reintroduce myself. I felt like I had to relearn how to walk and talk and, like, do the basics. Eventually, I started learning to get up every day and learn who the new me was going to be.
Andrea Gunning
In her victim impact statement, she told Rodney she would turn the pain he inflicted into power. And she did that power.
Morgan Metzer
It's gotten me through figuring out how to provide for my children, how to figure out how to do daily life.
Andrea Gunning
Today, Morgan's interior design business is thriving. She reclaimed the house where she was attacked and turned it into a loving home. And as for her twins, she's proud of the people they're becoming. We end every weekly episode with the same question. Why do you want to share your story?
Morgan Metzer
I'm very lucky. Unfortunately, a lot of women in my situation don't get out alive. And I just want women to know that it's important to speak to each other and to be open and, and to talk about things. I never said anything out loud. I never really went to a lot of my friends because I wanted to paint this beautiful picture of my family and nothing was wrong. And we as women are each other's biggest supporters. And if we say what's going on, maybe would have been able to get help earlier.
Andrea Gunning
On the next episode of Betrayal Weekly.
Morgan Metzer
Suddenly the knock is on my door. I open the door. These two men in street clothes are claiming to be U.S. marshals. My whole body is hot. I feel like my stomach is dropped. And they show me a picture. Yeah, that is my fiance.
Andrea Gunning
If you'd like to share your story on betrayal, please email betrayalpodmail.com that is betrayalpodmail.com Please note that we are not a mental health organization. If you are in crisis or currently experiencing domestic violence, we encourage you to seek local help or dial 91 1. Please contact organizations that offer immediate support. In our show notes, we've included a list of US based resources. You can follow us on Instagram, betrayalpod or find me itsandreagunning to access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the betrayal community, join ourselves substack@betrayal.substack.com we're grateful for your support. One way to show support is by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts. And don't forget to rate and review Betrayal. Five star reviews go a long way. Big thank you to all of our listeners. Betrayal is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group in partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show is excellent. Executive produced by Nancy Glass and Jennifer Faison, hosted and produced by me, Andrea Gunning. Written and produced by Olivia Hewitt. Our story editor is Monique Laborde. Also produced by Ben Fetterman. Our associate producer is Leah Jablo. Production management by Kristin Melchiori. Booking support by Curry Richmond. Voice acting by Teresa Christine Brabson. Our I Heart team is Ally Perry and Jessica Krynczyk. Audio editing by Tanner Robbins with additional editing and mixing by Matt d'. Albicchio. Betrayals theme composed by Oliver Baines. Music Library provided by MyMusic and for more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pod. Reese Witherspoon here. Checking into my favorite hotel in Paris. Bonjour.
Morgan Metzer
Bonjour.
Andrea Gunning
I'm traveling with my Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card, so I earn rewards wherever I book. Travel five times points with hotels, four times with airlines, three times on restaurants and other travel and one point on other purchases. Phew, that was a lot. I need to lie down. Is the room Ready?
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What?
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Andrea Gunning
Just make sure we protect each other
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Andrea Gunning
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Podcast: Betrayal Weekly by iHeartPodcasts | Glass Podcasts
Host: Andrea Gunning
Release Date: July 2, 2026
Guest: Morgan Metzer
This harrowing episode of Betrayal Weekly centers on the life of Morgan Metzer, whose marriage to her high school sweetheart, Rodney, devolved from a picture of domestic bliss into a nightmare of abuse, manipulation, and ultimately a life-threatening attack. The episode peels back the layers of Rodney’s double life—from emotional and financial betrayal to physical and psychological violence—culminating in an assault that nearly cost Morgan her life. Through Morgan’s compelling first-person account, listeners journey through the fog of gaslighting, the aftermath of trauma, and the resilience it takes to reclaim one’s life.
This episode covers explicit details of domestic violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion advised.
Early relationship:
Family and community:
Growing together:
First tragedy:
Life after loss:
Financial stress:
Morgan becomes the provider:
Changing roles:
Emotional and verbal abuse:
Physical violence:
Gaslighting:
Struggle for clarity:
Rodney’s fake illness:
The attack (graphic violence warning):
Psychological tactics:
‘Rescue’ and revelation:
Investigation and evidence:
Rodney’s motive:
Legal resolution:
Trauma recovery:
Explaining to her kids:
Rebuilding self and life:
Survivor’s perspective:
On gaslighting and doubt:
On physical terror:
On resilience:
On the risk of leaving an abuser:
Throughout, the conversation is honest, empathetic, and direct. Morgan’s voice is both vulnerable and strong, providing the raw perspective of a survivor. Andrea Gunning gently guides the narrative, always respecting the gravity of Morgan's story.
Morgan’s story is a powerful cautionary tale about how the “guy next door” can mask a far darker reality, and how leaving an abusive situation can be the most dangerous—and ultimately the most liberating—step. Her resilience and openness serve as both a warning and a message of hope: the pain inflicted by betrayal can eventually become a source of power and self-discovery.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, resources and support organizations are provided in the show notes.