I SURVIVED: I Was Looking Right At The Devil's Face

Summary

Cold Case Files: Episode Summary
Title: I SURVIVED: I Was Looking Right At The Devil's Face
Release Date: August 2, 2025
Host: Paula Barros

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Cold Case Files, host Paula Barros delves into three harrowing survival stories. Each narrative showcases the resilience and courage of individuals who faced unimaginable horrors, providing deep insights into their strength and determination to overcome life-threatening situations. This summary encapsulates the key events, emotions, and conclusions drawn from each survivor's experience.

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Kara's Kidnapping and Escape

Location: West Columbia, South Carolina
Date: June 2002
Survivor: Kara, 15 years old

Summary:

Kara recounts her terrifying experience of being abducted by a serial killer while staying at a friend's house. The incident began innocently with a stranger offering her magazines, which quickly escalated to threats and violence.

Key Events:

• Initial Encounter ([02:08]-[02:23]):
  Kara describes the abductor as a "clean-cut, middle-aged white guy" who approached her under the guise of selling magazines.

  "If I had to give the devil a face, I would say I was looking right at the devil's face who faced death."
  ([02:08])

• Abduction ([02:29]-[05:03]):
  The man forcefully led Kara into his car, locking her in a plastic container in the backseat. Kara remained calm despite the dire situation, observing the vehicle's movements to deduce their location.

• Capture and Assault ([05:44]-[10:32]):
  Once at the abductor's residence, Kara was restrained and sexually assaulted. She meticulously gathered information about her captor's household, noting details like the presence of a red-headed woman and various animals, which later proved crucial.

• Prisoner's Dilemma and Escape ([10:53]-[12:39]):
  After being drugged and restrained further, Kara managed to free herself by methodically unlocking her handcuffs and leg restraints. She fled the scene, alerting nearby individuals and eventually leading police to her location.

  "I survived because I was able to keep a calm demeanor. I was smarter than him in the long run."
  ([14:49])

Conclusion:
Kara's unwavering composure and strategic thinking enabled her to escape her abductor. Her bravery not only saved her own life but also led to the discovery of a serial killer responsible for multiple murders. The reward she received empowered her to pursue higher education and a fulfilling career as a sheriff's deputy, turning a traumatic experience into a force for good.

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Dan's Earthquake Ordeal in Haiti

Location: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Date: January 2010
Survivor: Dan

Summary:

Dan shares his harrowing survival story during the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti. Tasked with documenting aid efforts, Dan found himself trapped under debris with severe injuries and limited hope.

Key Events:

• Impact and Initial Survival ([17:07]-[18:38]):
  Dan describes the moment the earthquake struck, the chaos, and his immediate injuries from falling debris. Despite being trapped in darkness, he used his camera's flash to navigate his surroundings and assess his situation.

• Rescue Efforts ([20:30]-[23:37]):
  With a bleeding leg and head injuries, Dan utilized a first aid app to stabilize himself. As time passed without rescue, his hope dwindled, leading to a moment of despair. However, a breakthrough moment occurred when he saw a rescuer's signal through the elevator shaft, reigniting his determination to survive.

• Aftermath and Recovery ([28:50]-[29:57]):
  Dan was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he received treatment for his injuries. Reflecting on his survival, Dan attributes his resilience to his mental fortitude and the will to return to his family despite the overwhelming odds against him.

  "I survived because God gave me the presence of mind to use the resources I have to get out of a hard situation."
  ([29:57])

Conclusion:
Dan's story is a testament to human endurance in the face of natural disasters. His ability to remain calm and utilize available resources played a crucial role in his survival. The emotional and physical scars from the earthquake highlight the profound impact such events have on individuals, yet Dan's positive outlook underscores the human spirit's capacity to overcome adversity.

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Tameka's Abduction and Assault in Texas

Location: Lancaster, Texas
Date: January 1995
Survivor: Tameka

Summary:

Tameka narrates her dreadful encounter with an assailant known as "T," who brutally attacked her after a seemingly benign interaction. Her story underscores the sudden shift from safety to life-threatening danger and her extraordinary effort to survive the assault.

Key Events:

• Initial Encounter ([31:25]-[32:49]):
  Returning home alone after a New Year's Eve party, Tameka interacted with her neighbor's boyfriend, T, who claimed to be locked out and needed to use her phone. The situation took a dark turn when T became aggressive.

  "If I had to give the devil a face, I would say I was looking right at the devil's face."
  ([33:37])

• Assault ([33:52]-[37:37]):
  T began attacking Tameka with scissors, inflicting multiple stab wounds. Despite severe injuries, Tameka employed survival tactics such as playing dead and limiting her movements to avoid further violence.

• Rescue and Aftermath ([37:48]-[39:36]):
  Tameka's inadvertent call to 911 succeeded, leading to police intervention. T fled the scene but was apprehended shortly after. She endured extensive medical treatment to remove the scissor blade from her ear and survived numerous stab wounds.

  "I survived because I believe that God has another purpose for me. I believe that my prayer of raising my son came to fruition and because of my will to live, that's why I survived."
  ([39:04])

Conclusion:
Tameka's ordeal highlights the fragility of safety and the abrupt nature of violent attacks. Her quick thinking and deliberate actions during the assault were pivotal in her survival. The psychological and physical resilience she exhibited serves as an inspiring example of overcoming extreme trauma and finding purpose beyond suffering.

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Final Reflections

Each survivor's story in this episode of Cold Case Files emphasizes different facets of human resilience:

• Kara demonstrates strategic thinking and emotional control under duress.
• Dan showcases the importance of calmness and resourcefulness in natural disasters.
• Tameka highlights survival instincts and the will to live amidst extreme physical trauma.

These narratives collectively underscore the extraordinary strength individuals can summon in the face of life-threatening challenges, offering listeners profound insights into the human capacity for endurance and hope.

---

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Mmm.

[Kara]

Oh, whatcha eating?

[Tameka]

The new Banana Split cookie from AM pm. All freshly baked with real butter with banana, chocolate and strawberry flavors.

[Kara]

Wow.

[Dan]

That sounds amazing. Can I have a bite?

[Tameka]

I'm sorry but no. But you can't split the banana split.

[Kara]

Not even a little?

[Tameka]

Not even a crumb. What if no, please. Mine when it's too legit to split. That's cravenience.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Get a 3 pack for 99 cents.

[Tameka]

With our app ampm.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Too much good stuff plus tax where applicable. Prices and participation may vary.

[Tameka]

Terms and conditions apply.

[Dan]

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[Kara]

He put me in the container again and gagged me and tied me and put the lid on real people.

[Tameka]

If I had to give the devil a face, I would say I was looking right at the devil's face who faced death.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

In the exhaustion and in the despair I I thought I'm gonna die here. This is it.

[Dan]

And live to tell how he would.

[Kara]

Force me to do things that were shocking to a 15 year old at the time.

[Dan]

This is I survived. It's June 2002 in West Columbia, South Carolina. 15 year old Kara is staying at a friend's house for a few days. She is alone outside in the yard when she notices a car driving by.

[Kara]

I noticed the car because it was a car that I liked and I saw it driving on the way out of the neighborhood. Not too much later, the same car drove back by, like coming back into the neighborhood and pulled into the driveway. The guy got out and he was clean cut, middle aged white guy, and he was carrying some magazines in his hands. And he came over to me and he said, I'm selling these magazines today. And he asked me if my parents were home. I told him that it wasn't my house, it's my friend's house. And he said, okay, well, what about her or her parents home? I said, well, she's actually inside. I said, but her mom's working right now. He said, well, maybe I could just give you these magazines. And he came towards me with the magazines and he had the magazines in his left hand and. And he reached out to give them to me. He stepped into my personal space and came around with his right hand with a small pistol to the side of my neck. He told me if I screamed, he would shoot me. And I was just. It was disbelief. It was kind of, this isn't happening. I couldn't really believe it. And then the second thing that went through my mind is I'm in a neighborhood, there's tons of houses that can see me right now. And of course, you know, it's the middle of the day, so people were probably working, but all these houses, nobody sees this. He walked me around to the driver's side of his car and opened the door and put the seat forward. And he told me to get in the car. And I looked in the back seat and there was a big plastic container in the backseat. And it took up the whole back seat, basically. And I said, where do you want me to go? And he said, get in the container. So I got in the container in the backseat and kind of had to curl up. And then he put the seat forward, got in the car and closed the door and just drove out of the neighborhood. I couldn't see out the windows or anything because I was in the container. But I was just paying attention to the turns he was making so I could figure out where I was going. I felt the car get on the interstate. Once I got on the interstate, I knew there's really no point. I wasn't going to be able to figure out where we were going from there.

[Dan]

A few minutes later, the gunman pulls over and stops.

[Kara]

It was the kind of car that has a hatchback and so I could See a little bit out of the top of the hatchback. I could see some trees. And so I guess he pulled off the side of the road somewhere. And at that point, he tied my hands and my feet and gagged me and put the lid on. It was like a supernatural calm came over me, and I was able to keep a level head. He wanted my fear, and he wanted me to cry, and he wanted me to yell and scream, and I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

[Dan]

The gunman drives back onto the interstate highway. Twenty minutes later, the car stops again.

[Kara]

And when he stopped, he got out of the car and put the seat forward and picked up the whole container with me in it. The lid on, picked it up and carried it. And I could hear people, like the sounds of people, cars, people talking. I could hear that outside of the container. And it was the absolute worst feeling knowing that I'm in this container, this close to people, and they have no idea that I'm here. He carried the container a short way, not too far. And then I could feel it be set down on concrete. And. And then he drug it a little ways, and I could tell he drug it over a threshold and shut the door. And I knew where it was going from there. I realized that I was in his house, and I knew what was coming next. He opened the container and he untied my hands and my feet and my mouth and explained to me that he had a gun and that I was not to scream or do anything foolish. And at that point, he walked me into his bedroom. I noticed whenever he walked me from the front door to the bedroom, there were lots of little animals. I think there were hamsters, and there were fish and birds and I believe a guinea pig. There was lots of little animals in the apartment. It's like an entertainment center filled with little cages.

[Dan]

The gunman orders Kara to undress and take a shower. He then sexually assaults her.

[Kara]

There was all sorts of S and M equipment and adult paraphernalia kind of around and in drawers that he used while I was there. He would, you know, ask me to do things. And obviously, I felt like I had no choice because there was a gun within arm's length from him at any given time. He mentioned at one point that I was calm. He said, you don't seem upset. And I said I was scared, but I just knew that I had to stay calm. He told me throughout, you know, multiple times, he told me, I'm gonna let you go. When this is over, I'm gonna let you go.

[Dan]

Kara's abductor is an unidentified serial killer. He has already kidnapped and murdered three young girls.

[Kara]

He told me that he was going to ask me some questions about myself. And so he got out some paper and began asking me questions like, are you a virgin? How old am I? Where do I live? What school do I go to? Do I have a boyfriend? Then he wrote down all the answers on this piece of paper. I guess I thought maybe she was writing it down for his own record. He would make me do things that I didn't want to do and he would, you know, threaten me with punishment or pain. And he always had that gun somewhere nearby. So he would always force me to do things that I didn't want to do that were shocking to a 15 year old. @ the time. I knew that I had to continue to gather as much information as, as I could. Whenever I was in the bathroom, I noticed things that a woman would have if a woman lived there. It's like a lady's hairbrush, hairspray, ladies razors, things that a woman would leave behind if she was living somewhere. I also realized, you know, there were long red hairs in the brush. So I knew it was a red headed lady. I discovered he had a wife. Whenever he told me he had to call her and that I was gonna have to go back into the container and that I was not to make any sort of noise or he would kill me. And so he took me in the bedroom and the container was on the bed. And he put me in the container again and gagged me and tied me and put the lid on. I was in there for at least 30 minutes and I began frantically sobbing at one point because I couldn't breathe. He came in there and was very angry and asked me, what is the problem? Why are you sobbing? You know, I told you, you can't make noise. And I told him it's because I couldn't breathe. So at that point he took the gag out of my mouth and he left the top off and he said, you know, I'm going to do this, but you can't scream. And so he went back and continued his phone conversation. And I didn't make a noise and I just stayed there.

[Dan]

After the phone call, the gunman makes Kara take a Valium.

[Kara]

It made me very sleepy and the marijuana that he made me smoke did the same thing. He had smoked marijuana and he'd taken a Valium. So I knew that I was feeling relaxed, so I figured he was too.

[Dan]

In the bedroom, the gunman puts handcuffs on Kara. He attaches a rope to the cuffs with a C clamp and ties the rope to the bed.

[Kara]

He had some restraints on my ankles. It's just like a. A leather buckle restraint. That was his way of ensuring that I couldn't go anywhere. And then he fell asleep. And so did I.

[Dan]

At dawn the next morning, Kara suddenly wakes up.

[Kara]

I just kind of laid there for a second and I knew it was like a light bulb being turned on. I knew this is it and this is the only chance you're gonna get. I slowly began to explore how I was restrained. He was in the same bed as me, so I knew any fast, sudden or, you know, drastic movements and he would be awake and it was going to be bad.

[Dan]

Kara's handcuffs are secured with a C clamp, which is tied to the bed with a rope.

[Kara]

The first thing I did was work on the C clamp where my hands were restrained. And it was. It was difficult for me to twist it at that angle. So I actually ended up having to use my teeth to untwist the C clamp to loosen it up. And once I loosened it, then I was able to undo it with my hands and slide it slowly out.

[Dan]

Kara manages to pull one hand out of the handcuffs and then undo the leg restraint.

[Kara]

And then I just slowly kind of slid out of the bed just to smoothly as I could. And I went into the living room and I found my shoes and all of my clothes and I got everything on and got dressed and I flung open the door and I just ran. And I saw a white car driving across the parking lot, and I had handcuffs dangling from one hand and I had, you know, a leg restraint on one of my legs. And I jumped out in front of the car and there were two men in it. They were bewildered. They looked at me like, what is going on? And I said, I was just kidnapped. I was raped. I said, take me to the police station.

[Dan]

A police officer calls Kara's mother to tell her Kara has been found.

[Kara]

And I could hear her over the phone. And he said, we have your daughter here. And I could hear her voice, and she was like, kara, you have Kara? She was hysterical. She was like, I'll be there as soon as I can.

[Dan]

Kara is taken back to the apartment block by the police officers. She is unable to identify the apartment.

[Kara]

While we were riding around, we saw like a maintenance guy and a golf cart driving around the apartment complex. And we told the guy about all the things that I knew, that some middle aged guy, that there was a woman, a Younger woman living there with little long red hair. There's animals and just the things that I'd gathered. And he was like, I think I know what apartment you're talking about. And he spouted off a number. And so just from that, they already had an idea of who it was.

[Dan]

Kara's abductor had fled, but was caught three days later at a roadblock. Before he could be arrested, he shot himself in the head and died.

[Kara]

At first, when I heard that he killed himself, I. The first thought was, gosh, I just got cheated. I wanted to sit across from him in a courtroom, and I wanted him to look at me and realize that I was the biggest mistake he ever made. But then, probably within a day or two, I started to think about it, and I realized that that was the best thing, because going to court and dredging up all the. All the gory, you know, details. Just that my parents didn't need to hear that.

[Dan]

After his death, evidence was found in the man's apartment that linked him to the murders of three young girls.

[Kara]

There was a reward for anyone who could find information leading to the capture or the identification of who killed these girls. And it was a $150,000 reward, and they gave it to me, which is how I put myself through college. It's how I paid my bills when I was in college, and I happened to find a job that I absolutely love.

[Dan]

Kara is now a sheriff's deputy in Richland County, South Carolina.

[Kara]

Being kidnapped is a horrible thing, but it's something that happened to me. It's what made me who I am, and it led me to where I am today. I survived because I was able to keep a calm demeanor. I was able to find a way out, and I was able to overcome this person who wanted to harm me. And I was smarter than him in the long run.

[Dan]

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[Tameka]

Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[Dan]

Could you be more specific when it's Cray venient.

[Tameka]

Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just.

[Kara]

A second at AM pm. I'm seeing a pattern here.

[Tameka]

Well yeah, we're talking about what I.

[Dan]

Crave, which is anything from AM pm.

[Tameka]

What more could you want?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Stop by AMPM where the snacks and.

[Tameka]

Drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience AM PM Too much good stuff.

[Dan]

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[Kara]

Used by millions of families helping kids.

[Dan]

Learn how to save, invest and spend wisely. Parents can send their kids money and track their spending and saving while kids build money, confidence and skills in fun ways. Start your risk free Greenlight trial [e-mail] wondery that's greenlight.com wondery it's January 2010 in Port au Prince, Haiti. Dan has been commissioned by an aid agency to photograph their work in Haiti.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

We chose Haiti because we knew it was the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. And so we knew that would be a great place to really understand the impact of poverty on mothers and children and to see the impact of the work.

[Dan]

Dan and a colleague finished filming and returned to their hotel in Port au Prince.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

So we were walking through the lobby toward the stairs and then all of a sudden I heard the sound before anything else. Just explosive sounds all around and I could even feel the sounds in my chest. They were just the loudest sounds I'd ever heard. And I started to feel the ground move underneath me and I started to see the walls ripple and things started to fall around me. Having grown up in Southern California. I knew that it was an earthquake right away. Then within three seconds, the hotel had collapsed around me, and I was plunged into darkness.

[Dan]

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck 16 miles west of Port au Prince.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

At first, because everything was so completely dark, I actually wondered if I was alive. But I felt pain in the back of my head and on my leg, and so that told me that I was alive. And then I wondered if I was blind, because no matter what I did, I couldn't see anything. In the midst of the crashing, in the midst of the breaking sounds, I did hear some other voices. And I was hoping one of them was my colleague, but I never heard his voice. I yelled out for help. I yelled out to God for help. And it was just all so chaotic, going from being able to see into this blue sky, gorgeous blue sky, to just absolute darkness. There was chaos. And I'm yelling out and just crying out for my colleague, yelling out to God, God save us.

[Dan]

Dan's head and leg have been badly injured by falling debris.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Then I wondered if I was blind, because no matter what I did, I couldn't see anything. I feel a wall or the ceiling actually to the back of my head. While I'm doing that, my hand bumps into my camera, and I realize that I still have my camera around my neck. And so I touch one of the buttons on the camera, and I see the light on the camera, so I realize I'm not blind. So I start to shine the camera around me using the focus flash. And then I took a picture and then looked on the back of the camera and realized, okay, this is a new way that I can see. There's just broken concrete and glass and wood everywhere around me. My first concern was I knew that there would be aftershocks. I've got six stories of cement floors that could push this down and could crush this. And so I realized I need to get out of here.

[Dan]

Dan remembers he has a cell phone with him.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I pulled that out, and of course, right away I tried to get a signal and I tried to send a text message, but there was no signal on the phone. There was a support beam next to me that had kind of hemmed me in. And so I leaned my camera underneath the beam and took a picture into the space beyond. And I looked at the back of the camera, and I saw what I thought was a shower stall. And I realized that it was the elevator car, and that miraculously, the elevator was on the lobby floor and was stuck open. So as I looked at the picture of the Elevator car. I felt that could be a safe place. I put my camera around my back and I just crawled across the rubble. Within seconds of reaching the elevator, there was a major aftershock, and I heard rubble fall in the space that I had been. It lasted for a couple seconds, and I just held onto the side of the elevator and listen to things crash around me.

[Dan]

Dan's leg is bleeding heavily and he fears it is broken.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I flashed the camera on my leg and I pulled up my pant leg and just saw a cut wide open, a slit wide open. I knew I was also bleeding from my head, so I thought, I've survived a major earthquake, but now I could die from bleeding to death or die from my injuries. It's pure darkness, darker than anything I've ever experienced in my life.

[Dan]

Using the flash on his camera for a light, Dan manages to drag himself into an elevator. He is bleeding heavily from injuries to his leg and head. Dan's phone has no signal, but it has a first aid application.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I looked up excessive bleeding and it just said, wrap, wrap my leg. So I took my shirt off and I wrapped it around my leg and. And then I found a piece of wire in the elevator and I ripped that off and I tied it around my leg to hold it on and to continue the pressure on my leg. And then I was bleeding from my head as well. I pulled off my right sock and put it on the back of my head, and then I pushed the back of my head against the wall of the elevator. And so that was my way of stopping the bleeding there. And I just hope that that would be enough. I start to feel a sense of kind of a clamminess, and my thoughts turn a little bit blurry, and I start to shake a little bit. And so I think this seems like it's shock. So again, I pull out my phone and I look up shock. And sure enough, I'm going into shock. And shock is very serious.

[Dan]

Severe shock and bleeding are causing Dan's blood pressure to drop dramatically. Without normal blood flow, his organs will soon begin to shut down.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

The main thing the app tells me to do is to put my legs above my heart. And then really just to relax, I started thinking about my family and assessing that it was likely that I was not going to make it out of here.

[Dan]

Dan has a journal and pens with him. Using the camera flash, he writes messages to his wife and two sons.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

As I thought of my wife and the challenges she would face, I just cried for her. And as I wrote messages, I just tried to express all the love I could. I also realized that my thoughts were going to be a challenge to me, because I found my thoughts turning very quickly to despair. And I knew that if I allowed despair to win, that there was a great chance that I would make a mistake or that I would stop fighting and that would be the end. So, except when I flashed my camera, everything's still pitch black.

[Dan]

Dan is severely injured, but has taken refuge in a hotel elevator.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Once I was in the elevator, I felt like that was my safe place, and I never wanted to go out of it. I was still calling out for my colleague and calling out for help in case anyone was out there. I would bang, and I would yell, and I started to hear other voices. At first I thought, oh, maybe that's a rescuer, someone coming. But found out quickly that they were trapped as well.

[Dan]

There are six Americans trapped under the rubble in the lobby.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

A little after I made contact with the other Americans, I heard noises of someone moving. It sounded up and to the left of me, and so I wondered what that was. I called out. Eventually a man answered. There was a man who was trapped in the elevator car right next to me, but his car was stuck closed, and he was an employee of the hotel. Once we realized that we were all stuck in this situation together, we really just tried to encourage each other.

[Dan]

It is 24 hours since the the earthquake happened. With no food or water, Dan is becoming dehydrated.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

My mouth was completely coated in dust from the collapse of everything around me. I mean, the thirst combined with the darkness just was torturous. I knew it was possible to die of dehydration within three days. And I remembered seeing on a survival show someone suggesting how to drink your urine. And then that.

[Kara]

That.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

That can prolong the impact of dehydration. And I actually had. I had to urinate. I was starting to feel my body get ready for that. So I pulled off my T shirt, and I caught it in my T shirt, and then I squeezed it into my mouth and almost choked. It was very distasteful. But immediately I felt relief of just the dryness in my mouth and the dryness in my throat. So I'm not gonna let squeamishness about something like this get in the way of survival. There was no sense of day or night. It just was all complete darkness for me. But sometime in the early morning hours, we heard the sound of helicopters.

[Dan]

A French rescue team arrives at the hotel and begins digging for survivors.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

So the French rescue team starts to work their way towards the Americans who are trapped nearby. And within a few hours, they're able to get the first of them out and start moving each of them out in turn. They call to me and say, hey, you're next. We know you're there. And so I'm very relieved and grateful. But then everything goes quiet, and I no longer hear the sounds of rescue coming from that area.

[Dan]

Dan and the man next to him wait for eight hours with no sign of rescue.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

We both start yelling and we start banging together trying to figure out, okay, what's going on? Is anyone out there? And we get the attention this time of an American. He yells out to someone outside, hey, I've got two new contacts here, and I'm wondering what's going on. I'm not new. I yell to him, we're not new. We're on the list. I'm starting to lose the battle for my mind that I carried on this whole time trying to hold on to hope, trying to hold on to sanity. I started to hear rescuers say things that they would never say. I heard one person say, we don't have enough resources to rescue that one. We can't put our resources just on rescuing two people. You know, let's move on. And in the exhaustion and in the. I believed those voices. And it was in the midst of that despair that eventually I finally gave up. I crawled out of the elevator car into the rubble, and with the rubble cutting into my back, I just looked into the darkness above me, and it was actually right in that moment that I saw a light coming down the elevator shaft, and I heard a voice, and it was a rescuer saying, I'm here for you. I'm coming for you. We're going to get you out of there. And I knew at that moment, I'm actually, I'm going to get out of here, and I'm going to be able to go home to my family.

[Dan]

Dan has flown to the Jackson memorial hospital in Miami, where doctors treat his injuries.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

My major injuries were the cut on my leg, which they were amazed to find that after nearly 70 hours of debris being stuck in there, my dirty shirt being stuck right in my injury, that I had no infection in my leg. I had fractures in my foot. I had cuts all over my upper body and deep bruises. But all told, considering the situation I'd been in, I was really in pretty good shape.

[Dan]

Over 220,000 people died in the Haitian earthquake, With over a million made homeless. Over 60 people died in the collapse of the Montana hotel.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I survived because God gave me the presence of mind to use the resources I have to get out of a hard situation. And I survived because I was going to do anything I could to get back to my wife and my two young boys.

[Dan]

Hi, I'm Jesse Perry. And I'm Andy Cassette welcome to Love Murder where we unravel the darkest tales of romance turned deadly. Our episodes are long form, narrative driven and deeply researched. Perfect for the true crime aficionados seeking.

[Kara]

Stories beyond the headlines like the chilling.

[Dan]

Case of Blanche Taylor Moore, the so.

[Kara]

Called black widow who left a trail of poisoned lovers.

[Dan]

Or the shocking murders of Chad Shelton and Dwayne Johnson where family ties masked a sinister plot. Subscribe to Love Murder on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

[Kara]

Audible ignites your next action packed adventure.

[Dan]

With thrills of every kind. On your command, dive into the Silent.

[Kara]

Patient by Alex Michalitis A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

[Dan]

Masterfully narrated by Jack Hawkins and Louise Freely. From electrifying suspense and daring quests to spine tingling horror and romance and far off realms, unleash your adventurous side with gripping titles. Discover exclusive Audible originals, hotly anticipated new releases and must listen bestsellers that hook.

[Tameka]

You from the first minute because Audible.

[Dan]

Knows there's no greater thrill than the one that speaks to you. Discover what lies beyond the edge of your seat. Start your free 30 day trial at.

[Kara]

Audible.Com wonderepod that's audible.com wonderypod It's January.

[Dan]

1995 in Lancaster, Texas. Tameka lives in a second floor apartment in a large complex. She arrives home alone from a New Year's Eve party she attended with her cousin.

[Tameka]

It was probably about 2:30am on New Year's Day. Protocol normally would be she and I would spend the night with one another for safety purposes, especially when I had to travel to my home alone. But the next day I wanted to cook for New Year's so I told her I'd take her home and I proceeded to my apartment.

[Dan]

A neighbor known as T is standing outside the apartment block.

[Tameka]

T was the boyfriend of a girl that I went to high school with and I knew her rather well but I didn't know him as well. But because of their relationship we were neighborly, his car parked next to mine and so I had a sense of comfort come over me because I'm seeing someone I know and didn't feel a need to rush into my apartment. So I took my time, got out of the car, I spoke to him and I said hello T. What'd you do tonight he spoke back and said hello, told me that he didn't do much of anything. And it was vague conversation, but by the time I reached my stairwell, he had walked up behind me. And I didn't realize it. And I let him know that he had, you know, kind of scared me a little bit. And he told me at that time that he had been locked out and he wanted to use my telephone. And at that time, I told him, okay. And we proceeded up the stairwell to my apartment.

[Dan]

In the apartment, Tameka gives T the phone and sits on the sofa.

[Tameka]

I remember him being somewhat agitated when he went to use the phone. And I believe I just kind of assumed it was because he was locked out, which is what he told me. And so the first two attempts, again, was like he was dialing the wrong number. And then the third time, he just held the phone to his ear, and I could just hear it ringing. And so he gave up on the call and handed it over to me.

[Dan]

T then sits down next to Tameka.

[Tameka]

Well, when he sat down next to me, I thought maybe he thought he was welcome to stay until he could get in the house. And so I was a little nervous with what his assumption was. Before I got a chance to ask him what else I could help him with, he took his fist and he struck me in my face. My reaction was shock. And so I'm looking at him like, t, whoop, whoops. What's going on? Why are you doing this?

[Dan]

T punches Tameka in the side of her head again.

[Tameka]

If I had to give the devil a face, I would say I was looking right at the devil's face. T was about maybe 5ft 10, small frame guy, much taller than me, but not a big guy.

[Dan]

Suddenly, T sits next to Tameka and punches her in the side of her head.

[Tameka]

And so I'm looking at him like, t, what's going on? Why are you doing this? And I can remember saying, what do you need? What do you want? Do you want my keys? Do you want my car? I'm thinking, offer him something so he can leave. I turned to fend him off with both hands and realized that I still had the phone in my hand. And at that time, I hit the talk button, just started aiming in the direction of 911, hoping that I was hitting the numbers, but lost control of it during the struggle. So as I turned around to fend him off with both hands, I noticed a sharp edge coming towards my face. And so I grabbed him by his wrist. And at that time, this sharp edge punctures me right in my face. And then my whole face is open from here to here, and blood is everywhere.

[Dan]

T is stabbing Tameka with a pair of scissors.

[Tameka]

I don't realize what I'm being stabbed with, but I notice that he continuously tries to use the object. And we're struggling, and my face is just mangled, so it's cold. And I know that there's blood and there's flesh, and I'm just fighting him and trying to fend him off. I tried to stand up, and he had the back of my blouse and just kind of throwing me around like a rag doll. And just. It seemed as if he was just demonic. When he first punctured me, I realized that everything went blurry. I couldn't see anything. This dark vision, you know, was over me. And we're fighting and we're struggling. I was screaming and I was praying. He just kept telling me to shut up and die. There's just pain in the side of my head where he's starting to hit me in the side of my ear. I'm not sure if he's still using the object, but I just know that he's hitting me in the side of my head. I'm regurgitating blood, and things are just going everywhere, and I'm trying to run. And so came to mind, play dead. Which is something that I've always, you know, kind of kept consciously in mind if I were ever in a situation where blood was involved. So at that time, I was like, I just need to get him to think that I'm out of here and he can leave. And I noticed that there was a pool of blood right in the middle of the floor. So I just threw myself down in it and decided to try to slow my breathing pace down. And I had more energy than a raging bull. But I didn't want him to think that I could move or do anything. I really wanted him to think I was fully incapacitated. I noticed that he walked around the room, and rather than him leave, he got down on the floor with me and he took my pants and he moved them from my waist to my knees. And I noticed that he leaned back and took his pants apart and started to disrobe as well and prep himself as if he was going to try and rape me. And I said, if he does this to me, I'm not going to make it. So at that point, I screamed out, jesus, please help me. And he leaned over and hit me in the side of my head again with that object. And I just Knew at that point it was over.

[Dan]

The scissors break in half and T stabs one blade into Tameka's ear.

[Tameka]

Didn't feel any pain, just knew that it was something really bad. And I just was very cold, very uncomfortable. And I said, oh, God, this is it. So at that point, I'm thinking, I'm not going to make it. And I started thinking about my son at the time who was 4 years old, and he was at my mom's that night. He didn't come home with me, and I didn't pick him up. So I was glad he wasn't there, but that was my hope in living. And I kept praying, God, you know, if you can just leave me here for my baby, I'll be fine. And all I could think of was him at the time. So I continued to just pray and was hoping that he would stop. And as I was praying, I could hear sirens. And I said, oh, God, please let someone be coming to help me. But I laid there, and my breathing was. But I was just holding my breath as much as I could.

[Dan]

Unknown to Tameka, her attempt to call 911 during the struggle has succeeded. The operator has traced Tameka's address. Police officers run up the stairs and bang on the door.

[Tameka]

He jumped up and went to the door, and there was kind of a struggle between him trying to keep the door closed and the police officer trying to enter. And I'm like, somebody's got to know I'm in here. So I'm screaming and I'm screaming, and the door finally gets a police officer.

[Dan]

Runs in, and t jumps out a second story window, and I just got.

[Tameka]

Up and ran to my neighbor's door that was across the hall. And when she opened, she just kind of looked at me like this and was like, oh, my God, what happened to you? And then she had a friend spending the night with her that night, and when she came to the door, she just started screaming. She has a pair of scissors in her head.

[Dan]

Tameka doesn't realize a scissor blade has been pushed through her ear.

[Tameka]

When the scissors went in, they went into my left ear canal and they exited behind my right earlobe. And the point was here, where the actual handle was here.

[Dan]

Tameka is rushed to the hospital. Doctors successfully operate to remove the scissor blade.

[Tameka]

Based upon what I was told, there may have been a total of maybe 15 stab wounds from my face area to my ear canal and in my chest area.

[Dan]

When t jumped out the window, he was arrested by a police officer, Emmanuel Moffitt. Known as T, was sentenced to life in prison with a non parole period of 30 years.

[Tameka]

The only permanent damage that I have right now is just the limpness in my eyelid. Other than that, I see fine, I hear fine. There's no repercussions from a physical perspective at all. I survived because I believe that God has another purpose for me. I believe that my prayer of raising my son came to fruition and because of my will to live, that's why I survived.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

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[Kara]

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[Unknown Speaker 1]

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[Kara]

I will have my vineyards. Good burger.

[Tameka]

This is what I do.

[Kara]

Fast food, Beverly Hills Cop, the Girl.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

With a Dragon Tattoo and Julie and Julia.

[Kara]

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[Tameka]

Pluto TV Stream now pay.

[Kara]

Never.

[Dan]

There's a time and a plate for.

[Kara]

A filet of fish but breakfast is for sausage biscuits.

[Tameka]

McDonald's breakfast comes first.