I SURVIVED: She absolutely lost her mind

Summary

Cold Case Files: Episode Summary – "I SURVIVED: She Absolutely Lost Her Mind"

Released on February 10, 2025

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Cold Case Files, host Paula Barros delves into two harrowing survival stories that exemplify human resilience in the face of unimaginable terror. The episode, titled "I SURvived: She Absolutely Lost Her Mind," primarily centers on Stacy’s traumatic encounter with a sadistic attacker in Queens, New York, while also highlighting the harrowing survival tales of Scott and Sean on the Appalachian Trail and Tim’s brutal encounter with a grizzly bear in Idaho. Through detailed narratives, Paula Barros sheds light on the psychological and physical ordeals these survivors endured, offering profound insights into survival instincts and the human spirit.

---

Stacy’s Ordeal: A Nightmare Unfolds

Background

In June 1983, in Queens, New York, Stacy and her best friend, both recent college graduates in their early twenties, move into their first apartment. Their newfound independence is abruptly shattered when Stacy becomes the target of a vicious attack by her neighbor, Eric Barnes.

The Attack

Stacy recounts the terrifying sequence of events with harrowing clarity:

[19:31] Stacy: "All of a sudden I heard a really loud jolting noise... I immediately felt myself detach from my body because I became so paralyzed with fear."
(Timestamp: 19:31)

Stacy describes waking to the sight of her attacker wielding a knife, his menacing presence filling the room. Overwhelmed by fear, she voices her instinctual response:

[19:38] Stacy: "I didn't scream because I knew that if I screamed, I would die."
(Timestamp: 19:38)

The attacker, Eric Barnes, uses psychological manipulation to exert control, repeatedly seeking Stacy’s approval to maintain his dominance:

[19:48] Stacy: "He was like, really? Am I that great? Are you glad I came?"
(Timestamp: 19:48)

Stacy’s strategic compliance becomes a key factor in her survival, allowing her to minimize further violence:

[22:14] Stacy: "I knew my job now was to keep her calm and composed and to keep him to continue to keep him calm."
(Timestamp: 22:14)

Aftermath and Investigation

Following the brutal assaults on both Stacy and another young woman in the same courtyard, Eric Barnes is apprehended. Stacy provides crucial evidence by identifying him in a lineup, leading to his conviction:

[29:32] Stacy: "I identified him at the lineup... And I guess the fingerprints at some point matched."
(Timestamp: 29:32)

Barnes is sentenced to 25 years in prison, bringing a semblance of justice to affected victims:

[29:47] Marissa Pinson: "Eric Barnes, age 23, was sentenced to 25 years in prison."
(Timestamp: 29:47)

Stacy’s Reflections

Stacy reflects on her survival, attributing it to her composure, faith, and innate instincts:

[29:53] Stacy: "I think I survived because of my composure, my faith, and this sixth sense of intuitiveness and instinct which took over my life has been permanently altered because of this."
(Timestamp: 29:53)

She emphasizes the importance of psychological resilience, highlighting that fighting back isn't always feasible:

[30:43] Stacy: "It seems to help other people knowing that there are other ways to survive other than fighting back. Because a lot of times for women, fighting back physically is not even an alternative."
(Timestamp: 30:43)

---

Additional Survivor Stories

Scott and Sean’s Camping Nightmare

In May 2008, Scott and Sean embark on a fishing trip along the Appalachian Trail in Dismal Creek, Virginia. Their peaceful excursion turns deadly when a drifter armed with a firearm attacks them.

The Attack

Scott vividly describes the sudden violence:

[05:03] Scott: "The blood was just pouring out of my neck... I just stuck my finger in the hole and plugged it."
(Timestamp: 05:03)

Sean narrates the relentless assault:

[06:40] Sean: "My window was down. I actually put my hand out and blocked the gun at that point... the shooting stopped."
(Timestamp: 06:40)

Survival and Escape

Despite severe injuries, Scott and Sean manage to survive through quick thinking and sheer determination, eventually contacting authorities and ensuring their safe passage to medical facilities.

Tim’s Bear Encounter

In April 2007, Tim and his family enjoy a tranquil stay in their cabin in Tetonia, Idaho. The serenity is shattered when a grizzly bear attacks Tim during a routine outing with his dog, Ladybug.

The Attack

Tim recounts the initial surprise and subsequent brutality:

[33:38] Tim: "The bear was approximately between 350 and 400 pounds... I could hear my skull kind of pop."
(Timestamp: 33:38)

Survival Tactics

Drawing on his knowledge of bear behavior, Tim employs survival strategies to survive multiple bear attacks:

[37:53] Tim: "As soon as I stood up, I heard the bear approaching again... I immediately dropped back down into a ball."
(Timestamp: 37:53)

Aftermath

Despite severe injuries, Tim survives the attack, attributing his survival to his preparedness and his dog’s attempts to fend off the bear:

[40:34] Tim: "I survived because of having some knowledge on what to do in a bear encounter... my dog certainly helped me out."
(Timestamp: 40:34)

---

Conclusion

"I Survived: She Absolutely Lost Her Mind" offers a profound exploration of survival against extreme odds. Through Stacy’s harrowing experience with Eric Barnes and the additional accounts of Scott, Sean, and Tim, the episode underscores the multifaceted nature of survival—where physical resilience intertwines with psychological fortitude. Paula Barros masterfully presents these narratives, providing listeners with not only chilling tales of terror but also inspiring stories of endurance and the indomitable human spirit.

Notable Quotes

• Stacy on Survival Strategy:

  "It seems to help other people knowing that there are other ways to survive other than fighting back. Because a lot of times for women, fighting back physically is not even an alternative."
  (Timestamp: 30:43)

• Scott on the Moment of Attack:

  "I never saw the gun. It was a small caliber .22... and all I saw was his arm pointed out."
  (Timestamp: 04:51)

• Tim on Overcoming Fear:

  "I thought, you know, geez, this bear might want to pull me further down into the woods and use me as a food source... That's one of the dumbest thoughts I've ever had."
  (Timestamp: 35:15)

---

Key Takeaways

1. Psychological Resilience: Survival often hinges not just on physical strength but on mental strategies and emotional control.
2. Strategic Compliance: In situations where resistance may escalate violence, strategic compliance can be a lifesaving tactic.
3. Preparedness and Knowledge: Understanding how to respond to life-threatening encounters, whether with humans or wildlife, significantly increases chances of survival.
4. Support Systems: Quick access to help and the presence of supportive individuals or animals (like Ladybug) play crucial roles in survival scenarios.

---

Episode Resources

• Podcast Availability: Cold Case Files is available on the AE Crime and Investigation channel on Apple Podcasts and Apple Plus.
• Related Recommendations: Paula Barros suggests Extreme Peak Danger by the BBC, a podcast that recounts survival stories from deadly mountaineering disasters.

---

Listener Advisory

This episode contains graphic and distressing content that may be unsettling for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

Transcript

[Sponsor Voice]

This is a message from sponsor Intuit TurboTax Taxes was dealing with piles of paperwork and frustrating forms and then waiting and wondering and worrying if you were ever going to get any money back. Now taxes is easily uploading your forms to a TurboTax expert who's matched to your unique tax situation. An expert who's backed by the latest technology which cross checks millions of Data points for 100% accuracy. While they work on your taxes, you get real time updates on their progress and you get the most money back guaranteed. All while you go about your day. No stressing, no worrying, no waiting. Now this is taxes intuit turbotax get an expert now on turbotax.com only available with TurboTax live full service real time updates only. An iOS mobile app. See guarantee [e-mail] guarantees hi, I survived listeners.

[Marissa Pinson]

I'm Marissa Pinson and if you're enjoying this show, I just want to remind you that episodes of I Survived as well as the A and E classic Podcast, Cold Case Files, City Confidential and American justice are all available ad free on the new AE Crime and Investigation channel, on Apple Podcasts and Apple plus for just $4.99 a month or 39.99 a year. And now onto the show. This program contains subject matter that may be disturbing to some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

[Scott]

The blood was just pouring out of my neck. I felt the bullet hole and I just stuck my finger in the hole and plugged it.

[Marissa Pinson]

Real people.

[Sean]

The skin on my head was de gloved and pulled forward from ear to ear. Basically like being scalped.

[Marissa Pinson]

Who faced death?

[Attacker]

I mean, this guy was psycho. He had like female undergarments, 20 knives and a hatchet. He had satanic ritual stuff and lived to tell how.

[Stacy]

He said, if you move while you scream, I'm gonna take this knife and cut you up into lots of pieces.

[Marissa Pinson]

This is I survived. It's May 2008 in Dismal Creek, Virginia. Scott and Shawn are camping on the Appalachian Trail on a two day fishing trip. Sean is alone at the campsite when a drifter arrives.

[Attacker]

He said that, you know, he had met Scott, you know, fishing and they had caught some trout and Scott had told him to meet him back at camp. My impression of that man wasn't nothing out of the ordinary. He was really thin. His dog was really thin too. It was very thin. You could see its ribs. Scott showed up right after he did.

[Scott]

Here's the guy that I had met that day talking to Sean in the dog sitting there. They had built a Fire. Already they were sitting around the fire talking. He had a big beard, sort of straggly looking. I mean, he had on clean clothes and he had on nice, like, fatigues or camouflage clothing. Real expensive hunting boots, you know. And, I mean, he didn't look like, you know, just some bum, but he looked like he'd been out in the woods for a few days. And he sort of had to look to me, he was sort of frail looking, so he had to look. Maybe he was an alcoholic. I said, well, you know, we're going to grill some hamburgers and some of the trout we had caught. And I said, would you like to just stay and have dinner with us? And he says, sure. And we all sat and ate together. I even grilled a couple of trout and fed it to the dog. It started getting up toward the edge of dark. He stood up and walked around between Sean and I.

[Attacker]

Walked behind me, went over to the dog, said, all right, boy, we better go. Slapped his leg for the dog to get up. Next thing I know, bam. My head is just ringing. My left ear is ringing like crazy. I hear just, boom, you know. And that's when he shot me right here in the side of the face. He shot me so close I had powder burns all over the side of my face. And I, you know, stood up really quick and turned. And when I turn towards him and Scott, I hear another pop. And I see, like, fire coming from his hand, you know, towards Scott.

[Scott]

I never saw the gun. It was a small caliber.22. And, I mean, it was just as big as his hand, you know. And that's all I saw was his arm pointed out. And I just heard the shots.

[Attacker]

You know, we were face to face at that time. And I guess it was a moment of just being frozen. I was frozen. I was cussing at him and screaming. And he was totally silent, no expression. He just looked like just someone who was going, you know, out for murder. He wanted to kill me, and it was gonna do it. I mean, this guy was out for blood. And then Scott ran. He turned and ran through the woods.

[Scott]

I ran for cover. I knew behind my tent there was a clump of cedar trees and a little dirt mound. And I knew if I got back behind there that he couldn't shoot me, you know, he'd have to come after me to shoot me. I got behind the trees, and that's when I realized I was shot. I never felt the shot. I never felt anything. And, like, the blood was just pouring out of my neck every time my heart beat the blood would squirt like six inches out of the side of my neck. And I went and I stuck my finger and I just stuck my finger in the hole and plugged it. And then I saw him shoot Shawn in the chest.

[Attacker]

And I ran, maybe took a step or two towards the killer. And when I did, he turned back and shot me in the chest. And at that time, I'm probably still maybe 10ft away from him. So I ran for my car. And when I did that, he ran after me. He actually circled around Scott's truck and came at me from the front of my car. And this guy didn't say a word. He's doing this cold blooded, like, no word, no expression. I started my jeep, peeled out, and as I'm driving away, he's right by the window.

[Scott]

When I saw Sean pull out, I knew I had to get down to the road to get in there so we could get out of there and get to somewhere where we were safe. You know, at the time, I didn't know I was shot in the back. I just knew I was shot in the neck. I knew if I didn't get help that we were going to bleed to death and die up there.

[Attacker]

My window was down. I actually put my hand out and blocked the gun at that point. I don't know if his gun locked up or he ran out of bullets or what, but the shooting stopped. And that's when I jumped down, got my head down, you know, and just ford the gas.

[Scott]

And I knew if I got to the road, Shawn would find me there. And so, I mean, I just took off. I mean, it was right at dark and the brush there is really heavy and dense. So I mean, you're, you know, pushing branches out of your way and trying to climb through everything. And I mean, I just did what I had to do. I knew I had to get to that point and it was life or death if I didn't.

[Attacker]

And as soon as I got around the corner, he was standing there by the side of the road. So I lock the brakes up, he jumps in, he's bleeding like crazy. He was probably worried about me because I couldn't talk, because when the bullet went in here, it made my mouth swell up, my face swell up, my jaws swell up like I couldn't say anything. I was just lucky to breathe, really. So, you know, Scott's like, we've been shot, let's go.

[Scott]

I just knew when I jumped in that we had to get to the bottom of the mountain. It's about five to Six miles to even to a house, and then it's another 40 miles to a hospital. So, I mean, we're 40 to 50 miles from any help whatsoever. And when I jumped in, I looked over at Sean and I could see he was shot in the face, you know, and I was like, oh, man, you know, he shot in the head. I couldn't believe he was even driving.

[Attacker]

I punched it. I was going 35, 40 off the get go. And as soon as I picked him up, we're on. There's a straight stretch there before you get out to the main road. And that's when I realized, you know, my vision and my right eye is going.

[Scott]

It's a small, small dirt road in the mountains. It winds down, you know, there's embankments and on the other side, it's just a drop off.

[Attacker]

Scott's screaming at me to hit the brakes and I'm locked it up sideways in the road.

[Scott]

We came in too fast into the curve and we slid and almost went over the bank. The wheels were about six inches from going over. Just, I mean, like a 30 foot.

[Attacker]

Drop off, you know, wrecking the car. I mean, that was the least of my worries. I thought we were just going to die. We didn't know if he was behind us and we knew there was another vehicle there with keys in it because, you know, the music was playing, it was turned on. So we didn't know if he was coming after us or not. To tell you the truth, I just had to focus on getting help.

[Scott]

We make it about a half a mile and we have to make this sharp left hand curve. Shawn drives up on the embankment and we almost flip. There's rocks flying into the windshield. It busted the windshield.

[Attacker]

That's when I guess I blacked out or, you know, everything went haywire.

[Scott]

And I grabbed the steering wheel and I'm holding my neck at the same time, I grab the steering wheel and I'm like, shawn, Shawn. And I said, well, let me drive, let me steer and I'll tell you when to work the gas and the brake. Shawn couldn't talk where he was shot in the face. And so he wasn't really saying anything. And I was really concerned about him. We are doing like 40 to 50 miles an hour on a road that you can normally do 20.

[Attacker]

You know, I thought, hey, I'm gonna just die right here. I'm not even gonna make it down the mountain. You know, they're gonna find us in this car dead.

[Scott]

When we got to the bottom of the mountain, there's Only about five houses there. And the house we stopped at, it just had the lights on. When I said, stop here. These people will help us. That's exact. My exact words to Shawn. Well, he just stops in the road. I jump out and I go up and I bang on the door as hard as I can. And I said, Call 911. Call 91 1. Me and my friend have been shot. And they come to the door and they see me standing there and I am covered in blood. And they sat me down on the porch. And then they went out and got Sean out of his Jeep and walked him back over to the porch and.

[Attacker]

Sat him down and we sat there and they called 911. They got us some towels and some, you know, some, I think, water, and just tried to, you know, be there with us and try to, you know, hold pressure on our wounds.

[Scott]

I was like, man, you know, my friend is going to die right here on this porch in front of me. I thought I was okay.

[Attacker]

And I remember looking over and Scott's got his hand like this, like, you know, one finger here, one finger there holding the holes.

[Scott]

No, I said, if I pull my finger out of here, I said, I'm going to bleed to death right here. So I waited till the ambulance got there, and there was two helicopters there, and they loaded me into one of them. Well, then I was laying there and I was watching them work on me, the two women over top of me. And I heard one of them say, I don't think he's going to make it to the hospital. And I'm sitting there thinking to myself, man, maybe I'm. I'm getting ready to die in this helicopter, you know. Then I started thinking, maybe that's why I can't feel my body. Maybe I am dead. Well, then I hear her say that like, I don't have a pulse.

[Attacker]

I knew that he was a lot worse than I was, especially once he had to have surgery and I didn't, miraculously. They told me. They were like, look, you know, you had a lot of muscle mass in your chest. It pushed the bullet over to the side. It's in your ribs. It didn't penetrate anything. He said, the bullet in your face went into your nasal passages and just ricocheted around. I was in recovery room by 4:00 in the morning, and the police officers come in to interview me. And they told me, they said, well, from what we understand, he saw the police and he just shot the truck up a bank and flipped it over on its hood. Basically, you Know, I guess trying to kill himself or whatever. And then they also said that he did live, and they've got him in custody in the hospital, the same hospital we're in.

[Scott]

The day after I got out of surgery, one of my family members brought the newspaper into my room. The headlines of the paper said, the AT Killer strikes again. The AT would be the Appalachian Trail. And that's when I really said, oh, man, this guy, you know, he was a serial killer.

[Marissa Pinson]

In 1981, Randall Smith had killed two hikers on the trail. He had served 15 years in prison for the crime. The murder scene was just a mile from where he attacked Scott and Sean.

[Attacker]

He was found with, you know, like, six pairs of eyeglasses, bloody clothes, female undergarments. He had, like, 20 knives and a hatchet. He had satanic ritual stuff. He had Wiccan religion stuff. Based on what they found, I mean, I would assume that he had done that to some other people. And that's a huge area and very mountainous. I mean, they may never find them, you know, if they're up there.

[Marissa Pinson]

Four days after being arrested, Randall Smith died in jail from natural causes.

[Scott]

And I sorta thought, well, maybe this is like karma, you know, this was karma. This guy had it coming to him for doing all this stuff to these people.

[Marissa Pinson]

Scott and Sean still fish together at Dismal Creek.

[Attacker]

It's a beautiful area. I mean, I've been going there for years, and I have. I've been fishing over there since then.

[Scott]

All the people you meet on the Appalachian Trail, they're sort of the same type of characteristics in everybody. They're, you know, they're usually trustworthy people. I guess I just ran across the wrong one at the wrong time.

[Attacker]

I mean, this guy was psycho, so I'm just glad he's dead and, you know, glad it worked out great for Scott and I. I mean, we. Other than a few scars, you know, we're fine.

[Marissa Pinson]

Are you feeling buried under credit card bills, personal loans, or medical debt? It's like your money is working harder for your lenders than it is for you. But it doesn't have to be that way. With PDS debt, you can take control of your financial future. PDS debt goes beyond just managing your debt. They empower you to take control. Their platform dives deep into your unique financial situation, crafting a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle. No more one size fits all solutions. Just a clear path to financial freedom tailored specifically for you. And the best part, there's no minimum credit score required. Whether your credit is bad or fair. PDS debt is here to help you save more, Pay off your debt faster, and start building your savings. I have some friends who were drowning in credit card bills a few years ago, feeling like they'd never see the light at the end of the tunnel. Getting out from underneath debt is liberating, which is why I'm excited about PDS Debt. Their approach isn't just about crunching numbers. It's about understanding your personal financial journey and giving you the tools to succeed. Getting started is easy. Go to pdsdebt.com survived to complete your free debt assessment to see what options are available to you. Every day you wait, it's costing you money. Get started with your free debt analysis in just 30 [e-mail] survived. That's pdsdebt.com survived. Take back control today by visiting pdsdebt.com survived this show is sponsored by BetterHelp. You know, we often hear about relationship red flags, but what about the green flags, those positive signs that tell us we're on the right track? For me, a big green flag is when someone actively listens and remembers the little details you share. It shows they genuinely care. But identifying these green flags isn't always easy. That's where therapy comes in. It can help you recognize positive patterns in relationships, practice healthy behaviors, and even embody that green flag. Energy yourself. Whether you're navigating the dating scene, strengthening a marriage, or just working on personal growth, therapy can guide you towards forming relationships that truly love you back. I know firsthand how therapy can be a positive influence in people's lives. And it's not just for major traumas. It's a powerful tool for any anyone looking to improve their communication skills, set healthy boundaries, or simply become the best version of themselves. What makes BetterHelp stand out is its convenience and accessibility. With over 30,000 credentialed therapists available online, you can find the right match for your specific needs. And if you feel like switching therapists, you can do so easily at no extra cost. It's no wonder they've helped over 5 million people worldwide. So if you're ready to focus on those green flags to build healthier relationships, why not give better help a try? It might just be the support you need to call. Cultivate the connections you deserve. Discover your relationship green flags with better help. Visit betterhelp.com survived to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com survived it's June 1983 in Queens, New York. Stacy and her best friend have just graduated from college in their early 20s. They have just moved into their first apartment.

[Stacy]

Right after we moved in, my roommate's father came over for brunch, and he made a comment to my roommate and said, the next time I come, I'm getting you bars on your windows. My treat. And my roommate said, why? Because I guess we were kind of naive and young. And he said, because you're on the ground floor. Outside the living room window, there was a small playground and a lot of trees, and it was quite dark. Two weeks later, I'm in this beautiful apartment with my best friend, and I have this job that I love. And it was just that peaceful Sunday night, kind of drifting off to sleep feeling. And all of a sudden I heard a really loud jolting noise. And I didn't see anything, and the noise stopped. So I quickly recovered, and I thought in my head, don't be paranoid. That must just be a car door outside or something happening, because you're on the ground floor and you're going to hear noises. So I started to drift back off to sleep. This presence, this feeling, something made me open my eyes, and there he was. I could see his eyes very close to my face, and I could see the tip and the shining of a knife. He was about 5 8, clean cut, medium build, kind of stocky, nice build. He had an unusually calm, soft voice. And he said, if you move or you scream, I'm gonna take this knife and cut you up into lots of pieces. I didn't scream because I knew that if I screamed, I would die. I immediately felt myself detach from my body because I became so paralyzed with fear. I couldn't believe that this was happening, this couldn't be happening. He proceeded to rape me and sodomize me. And every few minutes, it seemed like he would take the knife and make it apparent that it could easily go into my throat and slice me up and kill me. At that point, I knew what I was dealing with. And I knew that if I didn't feed this sick, twisted mind and give him what he needed, I was going to die. I needed to keep him calm. And to keep him calm, I had to tell him he was great. He repeatedly said to me, you like this, don't you? You think I'm good? And I kept feeding him answers like, you're great. It's great that you chose me. He was thrilled. He was like, really? Am I that great? Are you glad I came? He was almost like a little kid getting approval From a parent, like, he was thrilled. He loved these comments. Lights were coming through every once in a while, hitting his face while he was raping me. And I remember thinking, if only the people and the passerbys outside knew what was happening to me. And it was a very intense feeling of helplessness and frustration. I felt all alone because nobody knew. He said, now I want your money. And I remember him taking me by the hair with the knife in my throat and bending down, and I was using this old trunk that I had had for sleepaway camp years prior. And in the trunk was an envelope with, like, $12. And I remember giving that to him and thinking, when he finds out it's only $12, is he gonna get mad and kill me after all this? And he then said to me, I know you're not here alone, and if you lie to me, I will kill you. And at that point, he said, take me to your friend. I kind of knew I had to comply. And in a way, there was, like, comfort, because I knew that maybe the burden would be off me for a few minutes. As he was taking me from my bedroom to my roommate's, he took me and was kind of pulling me. I had a lot of hair, pulling me by my hair in the dark with a knife, kind of playing games, like poking it a little bit, never all the way in. But there was a real sensation of the knife back and forth on my throat, and I was totally numb. I didn't feel any bodily sensation, and that was my way of protecting myself, obviously. But just the nature of his mental illness and his craziness, I realized that at any moment, I could die. He asked me if I was married, and I told him, no, I wasn't. And I said, are you? And he said, yeah, I just got married about a year ago. Then I said, does she know where you are right now? And I think he said, no. And I said, well, you know, you're gonna go home to her soon, because I'm sure she misses you because look how great you are. And, like, those comments did so much for him, it made it even more apparent how dangerous he was and how sick Something wasn't right. I knew instinctively when he and I were about to enter her room and I was gonna tap her gently to wake her up, that she was going to scream and freak out and be horrified. And I knew that she wasn't going to be able to contain her emotions the way I had. And I knew my job now was to keep her calm and composed and to keep him to continue to keep him calm. We entered the bedroom, and I tapped her. And in a really composed, calm voice, I said, you need to wake up. You need to wake up. There's a nice man here that wants to rape you. And I'm fine, and you're going to be fine. And he just finished with me. You just need to cooperate. And at that point, she absolutely lost her mind. She just started wailing. And I saw he started to become agitated. And I knew that him becoming agitated was going to probably be the death of us. We were on the edge of that knife going into our throats and killing us. And he had the knife on my throat and a hand over her mouth, and he proceeded to rape her. And he was getting pleasure out of me, watching and saying things to me like, do you think it's good? Do you think I look good? Eventually, eventually, after what seemed like hours, when he was finished with her, there seemed to be, like, a stopping point. Maybe he was tired after all this. I said to him, you know, this was great, but why don't you go now so we could get some rest and maybe we'll see, you know, about another time, because it was really great having you. And I'm saying this to him and knowing how twisted and bizarre that is, that I'm saying that, but knowing that that's how I'm going to live through this, and that's what's gonna save my roommate and myself. And it worked. He said to me, it was great. I said, was it great? Of course it was great, but we all need to rest now, don't you think? And he bought into that like a little kid in a candy store. And he backed out of the room, and he got a little violent and said, don't get up yet, though, until I'm out. And he backed out of the room with the knife. And I remember hearing the front door shut. My roommate's reaction was like, let's get up. And I was like, no, I just didn't feel safe yet. And after a few minutes, I said, now we could get up and call the cops. The next thing I remember, we were in the ER being examined. We never went back to. That was it for the apartment. Although the next day we did have to go and meet with detectives and police officers, and they had to dust the window sills and all the logistics of that. But my stuff was immediately moved out of the apartment. I never slept there, and I moved back in with my parents that lived nearby. When the cops came to our apartment and did fingerprints and dusting. We did find out that he entered our apartment by taking a bar or a crowbar and jamming on the living room window. We later found out that his apartment shared that same courtyard. And that was really eerie knowing that this is a man that was my neighbor and has been watching us, stalking us. He a few weeks later wound up raping another young woman that shared the same courtyard. And he said to her, I've just raped two others.

[Marissa Pinson]

Stacey's attacker was arrested soon after.

[Stacy]

I identified him at the lineup, and then this woman who was raped a week or two later identified him. So both of us had a positive ID on him, and I guess the fingerprints at some point matched.

[Marissa Pinson]

Eric Barnes, age 23, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

[Stacy]

I think I survived because of my composure, my faith, and this sixth sense of intuitiveness and instinct which took over my life has been permanently altered because of this. But it did give me a sense of, well, maybe there's a purpose that this happened to me. Maybe it's so I could share my story with other people. It seems to help other people knowing that there are other ways to survive other than fighting back. Because a lot of times for women, fighting back physically is not even an alternative.

[Marissa Pinson]

Hey, I survived. Listeners, the BBC have asked me to share a podcast recommendation with you. This is Extreme Peak Danger. Let me ask you a question. How much would you be prepared to push your mind and body to feel truly alive? In August 2008, around 30 climbers took on K2, but 11 of them would never return home. Presented by historian Natalia Melman Petruzella. Extreme Peak Danger hears from survivors of one of the deadliest mountaineering disasters the world has ever seen. When a devastating avalanche scatters high altitude climbers across K2's steep slopes, life and death rescue missions quickly get underway. Who can be saved before time runs out? This is a story of humans versus nature and survival. Against all the odds. What does it take to push yourself to the brink of human possibility? How does it feel to stand with the whole world at your feet? And is it worth risking death in order to feel like you're living your life to the max? Find Extreme Peak Danger from the BBC wherever you get your podcasts. One of the smartest apps you can have on your phone in 2025 is upside. It's become my go to for earning cash back on everyday purchases, and I can't believe how much I've saved. I use Upside every time I fill up my tank at the gas station near my house. The app is incredibly user friendly. It takes just a few taps to claim an offer and start saving. But it's not just gas. I've been racking up cash back at my favorite local restaurants and grocery stores too. On average I'm earning 8% back on these purchases. And what's even better is this cash back stacks on top of my credit card rewards, so I'm essentially double dipping on savings. With over 100,000 participating locations, there's always an opportunity to save nearby. I'm planning to use my cash back to treat myself to a nice dinner out next month. It's like getting paid to eat. Upside users are earning hundreds of dollars a year, which explains their impressive 4.8 star rating on the App Store. Download the free Upside app and use promo code ISURVIVED to get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas. That's an extra 25 cents back for EVERY gallon on your FIRST tank of gas. Using promo code ISURVIVED. It's April 2007 in Tetonia, Idaho. Tim and his family are staying in their cabin in the woods.

[Sean]

Where we live is the north end of Teton Valley, which is a horseshoe shaped valley and the horseshoe opens to the north up to Yellowstone. Nice area. In our area predominantly is more black bear, but there are grizzly bear around that stay high in the mountains. Typically a bear doesn't want to mess with you as much as you don't want to mess with a bear.

[Marissa Pinson]

At dusk, Tim let their dog Ladybug out for a run.

[Sean]

It's right at dusk of where when you're walking out in the woods you can just barely see the trunk of trees. When you look up to the sky you can see the branches of the trees kind of silhouetted against a real dark blue sky.

[Marissa Pinson]

Tim heard Ladybug barking and went to get her.

[Sean]

This time of year, still pretty cold in Teton Valley. Probably about in the evenings, probably about 30 degrees, 2530 degrees. So I had on a big down jacket and my PJ bottoms. The only lights that we had on the cabin, which I could just make out from where I was, were Christmas lights that we still had up. So I could just see those through the woods. I walked about 150 yards maybe and got down into trees. Ladybug stopped barking at that point. I kept calling for her, looking around and that's when I saw the bear on the snow patch charging me from about 50ft away. I could tell it was a grizzly. A big part of it was the size of the bear, but also the way the bear loped. And grizzly bears have a large mass of muscle over their front shoulders. At that point, the bear was probably 50ft away or so, which startled me to the point of I didn't think of the correct thing to do, which might have been to stand my ground. Instead, I turned on my heel and maybe took one or two steps, and that's when the bear toppled me. The bear was approximately between 350 and 400 pounds. So it was a reasonably sizable bear, and it didn't have any problem picking me up. The first place the bear grabbed me was on my back. It picked me up and kind of flopped me around a little bit like a rag doll, Banged me on the ground a little bit. It released me, snapped me a couple more times on my butt, and then it grabbed ahold of my head at that point and gave it a pretty good squeeze. I could hear my skull kind of pop. That happened over a period of maybe two to three minutes. I definitely thought about my wife and my boy Henry, of, you know, that it wasn't really time for me to go. I thought, you know, geez, this bear might want to pull me further down into the woods and use me as a food source. I used to have this perception of being killed by an animal was somehow a noble way to go. And when that was going on, I was thinking to myself, that's one of the dumbest thoughts I've ever had. The bear picked me up, thumped me against the ground a few times. As he took my head and had a hold of my head, he did kind of a shaking it into the ground. At that point, I did realize that I needed to play dead. I had to convince this bear that I was no longer a threat. You know, whether or not the bear truly believed I was dead, as long as the bear believed that I was submissive. I could hear ladybug barking in that area, and she was definitely trying to pull the bear off of me or distract the bear. And then the bear released me and started to walk away. I think at that point, too, the beginning, the bear felt that it had to deal with ladybug. It felt that I had been dealt with, and it wanted to try to deal with ladybug and push her out of the area. So that's kind of why it left me alone. I could hear the bear starting to walk away in the woods, and I made the assumption that the bear had no longer interest in me. I assumed that it had thought it had done its job. And it was leaving the area. So I laid there for about 30 seconds to a minute. And that's when I made the move to stand up.

[Marissa Pinson]

Through the trees. Tim could see the Christmas lights on his cabin.

[Sean]

I could just see those through the woods. And that's kind of what I keyed in on. But yeah, the adrenaline had definitely kicked in of where I knew I had to get back to the cabin. As soon as I stood up, I heard the bear approaching again through the woods, kind of crashing through the woods. And I immediately dropped back down into a. Into a ball. The bear got on me again and snapped at my back. I was essentially scalped from one ear to the other. My skin was de gloved and pulled back up over my head. Had large lacerations that went down to my rib cage from my shoulder down and around my back. I had blood trickling down my face. My back, left side was, you know, kind of numb and not working quite as well as I wanted it to. After the bear left the second time, I laid there for maybe two to three minutes. But there was that concern of I'm bleeding fairly heavily, so I do I need to work my way back. And I kind of understood at that point that I was probably going into shock. So what I decided to do was get on my hands and knees and crawl. As I was crawling towards the cabin, Ladybug, I could tell, was not far off in the woods and paralleling me up through the woods, barking. She was just kind of acting as a. As a, you know, a bodyguard at that point. Jenny heard the dog, heard ladybug barking, and she thought it was kind of unusual that the dog was barking right outside the cabin. As soon as I got onto the porch and was going to go in, she opened the door. By the time I got to the cabin, I was definitely light headed from loss of blood. And they started getting real. She got me a pillow and a blanket to cover up with, and she called 911. The skin on my head was de gloved and pulled forward from ear to ear, basically like being scalped. There was laceration coming down from my left shoulder all the way down and around my rib cage. And then another large laceration that traveled from the same side and then down across my. My buttocks. Total in for about 300 stitches or so. I survived because of having some knowledge on what to do in a bear encounter. My dog, even though she got me into the encounter in the first place, she certainly helped me out.

[Marissa Pinson]

Tim later found out that the bear had stashed a moose carcass nearby.

[Sean]

This was just a natural event. The bear had no mal intent whatsoever. You know, it was, it was just defending its territory. It was more working me over and trying to state the fact of this is this is my kill, this is my territory. You know, lick your wounds and go home.

[Marissa Pinson]

Six days after the attack, the bear was caught and destroyed by wildlife officers. It was captured 100 yards from the cabin.

[Sean]

It was, I feel to some degree unfortunate that the bear had to be destroyed. We, you know, kind of petitioned to have it moved if they could, but they felt that for safety the best thing to do was to put the bear down. I don't think bears just kill things for killing things. And be quite honest, I still probably feel safer in an area in the woods where it's dark than I would, you know, maybe in a large urban area.

[Marissa Pinson]

Pluto TV is the place for movie fans like me and TV fans like me.

[Sean]

They've got something for everyone and it's totally free. You can binge laugh out loud sitcoms.

[Marissa Pinson]

Like Frasier and rewatch cult classics like Higher Learning.

[Sean]

Whether you're in the mood to to.

[Stacy]

Solve a little crime before bedtime with.

[Sean]

NCIS or Tracker or curl up with.

[Marissa Pinson]

A surefire hit like Forrest Gump.

[Sean]

Run Forrest.

[Stacy]

Pluto TV has thousands of movies and shows all for free.

[Attacker]

Pluto TV stream now pay never.

[Sponsor Voice]

This is a message from sponsor Intuit. TurboTax Taxes was waiting and wondering and worrying if you were ever going to get any money back. And then waiting, wondering and worrying some more. Now taxes is matching with a TurboTax expert who can do your taxes as soon as today. An expert who gives your taxes their undivided attention as they work on your return while you get real time updates on their progress so you can focus on your day. An expert who will find you every deduction possible and file every form, every investment, Every everything with 100% accuracy. All so you can get the most money back. Guaranteed. No waiting, no wondering, no worries. Now this is taxes. Get an Expert now on TurboTax. Com only available with TurboTax Live full service real time updates only in iOS mobile app. See guaranteed details at TurboTax. Com guarantees.