Gone to the Dogs

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor: Episode Summary - "Gone to the Dogs"

Release Date: December 16, 2024

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Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Gone to the Dogs," Fear Thy Neighbor delves into a harrowing true story of how seemingly minor disputes between neighbors can spiral into unimaginable tragedy. Set in the picturesque coastal town of Port St. Lucie, Florida, this episode unravels the complex and ultimately devastating conflict between the Handsman family and their new neighbors, the Del Cerros.

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The Handsman Family: An Idyllic Life

The Handsman family epitomizes the quintessential American household. Led by parents Guy and Monique Handsman, they have nurtured a close-knit family atmosphere over the years in Port St. Lucie, a community known for its beauty and friendliness.

Zach Handsman reflects on their upbringing:

"Growing up here, it was great, you know, we had a huge family atmosphere. We knew everybody, everybody knew one another and we spent time and saw just about everybody in our community." (03:39)

Guy and Monique raised four children, including their adopted daughter Harper and son Patrick, after their biological sons had moved out. Monique shares a particularly strong bond with Harper:

"Harper and Monique had a very special relationship. They were kind of buddies. They went everywhere." (05:01)

The family's harmony is further exemplified when they welcome a new puppy, Ruka, adding joy and warmth to their already thriving household.

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Arrival of the Del Cerros: New Neighbors with a Hidden Agenda

The tranquility of the Handsman household is disrupted when Ron and Sandra Del Cerro, a retired couple with a poodle named Ruka, move in next door. Initially, both families get along well, bonding over their mutual love for poodles. Zach Handsman recounts:

"When the Del Seros first moved in, they had a very cute little fluffy dog that my little brother and sister loved to play with." (06:00)

However, tensions begin to surface when Ron Del Cerro discovers a historical connection between their families. Ron realizes that the Handsman name is connected to his father, Larney Hansman—a respected jockey with a spotless reputation in horse racing.

Ron Del Cerro expresses his resentment:

"The upshot of it is Ronald Del Cerro was left with pretty much the opposite kind of reputation in horse circles that Larry Hansman had. Now, as soon as he found out who his next door neighbor was, that must have kind of burned a hole in his stomach..." (07:56)

This revelation ignites a simmering animosity within Ron, as he grapples with feelings of inadequacy and envy towards the esteemed Handsman legacy.

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Early Conflicts: Property Disputes and Code Complaints

The first signs of discord emerge over minor property issues. Zach Handsman shares:

"I like to sail, and that's one of the things that I aspire to be great in... My dad would help me on a lot of our projects, including my own boats to work on." (09:11)

Ron becomes increasingly troubled by the Handsmans' use of their driveway for Zach's boat storage, perceiving it as an eyesore that marred the neighborhood's aesthetics. Determined to enforce his perspective, Ron repeatedly summons city code officers to lodge complaints, despite finding no actual violations.

Zach Handsman describes the ongoing harassment:

"As soon as one case closed, another case would open... Ron Del Cerro was looking for anything and everything that he could find just to make a complaint about our family." (10:11)

Monique eventually reaches her breaking point and confronts Ron and Sandra:

"No, I'm tired of looking at your crap outside all the time. You need to move it." (11:08)

The confrontation escalates with threats of legal action, further straining the relationship between the two families.

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The Dog Attack: From Poodles to Peril

Seeking peace, the Handsmans believe their relationship with the Del Cerros is amicable—until tragedy strikes. The Del Cerros replace their poodle, Ruka, with a much larger and aggressive bull mastiff named Roxy.

Monique Handsman warns:

"They went from a harmless poodle to a very large dog that would be intimidating to people. Mastiffs are not meant for protecting the family. They're not family dogs. What they are are fighting dogs." (15:19)

During a routine morning walk, Roxy, initially leashed, is unleashed by Sandra Del Cerro, leading to a vicious attack on Monique and her dog. The severity of Roxy's aggression results in Monique sustaining life-threatening injuries.

Monique Handsman describes the attack:

"Monique threw herself on top of Ruka to protect her. Roxy wasn't particular who she bit, but she was attacking not only Ruka, but she was also attacking Monique in a very vicious way." (16:02)

11-year-old Harper witnesses her mother's ordeal:

"To have my sister watch that, to have my mom being drugged around by this dog and being fighting for her life, I'm sure was panic and chaos." (16:56)

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Legal Battle and Escalation: The Fight for Safety

In the aftermath of the attack, the Handsman family demands that Roxy be muzzled or removed from the property to ensure their safety. However, Ron Del Cerro vehemently opposes any restrictions, leading to an intense legal confrontation.

Animal Control initially steps in, placing Roxy under strict quarantine and imposing regulations such as mandatory muzzling and leashing. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 protocols, these restrictions are temporarily lifted, allowing Roxy back on the streets and reigniting the family's fears.

Zach Handsman expresses the mounting anxiety:

"It definitely felt even more weaponized when the dog came back that, you know, there was going to be consequences for the dog being taken away from them." (21:34)

Despite multiple interventions from Animal Control, Ron's defiance only grows, intensifying the hostility between the two families.

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The Final Confrontation: A Tragic Climax

Everything comes to a head during a family birthday party at the Handsman home. Ron Del Cerro escalates his aggression by unleashing Roxy in the yard, causing chaos and fear among the family members and guests.

Zach Handsman recounts the terror:

"The dog was let loose in the yard, and the dog would charge the fence and start barking... Everybody inside now." (23:21)

Fuelled by rage, Ron arms himself with concealed handguns, turning the situation deadly. As tensions reach their peak, Ron enters the Handsman home, leading to a harrowing hostage situation.

11-year-old Harper bravely contacts 911 amidst the chaos. Dispatcher Raven Kelly navigates the crisis with Harper's composed responses:

"Listen, I need you to stay as calm and as quiet as you can, okay? What does the male look like?" (35:51)

Inside the house, a desperate struggle ensues. Ron fires at law enforcement, resulting in a violent shootout that culminates in the tragic loss of Harper and Ron's own demise by suicide after being fatally wounded.

Monique Handsman reflects on her loss:

"I didn't deserve this I should have just let him shoot me. I should have just let him shoot me because he wanted me... I have an 11 year old." (42:37)

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Aftermath and Tragedy: Healing Amidst Hurt

The community reels from the tragic events, with the Handsman family grappling with profound loss. Sandra Del Cerro departs the neighborhood, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief.

In honor of their daughter Harper, the Handsmans establish a foundation to memorialize her life and support others affected by similar tragedies.

Zach Handsman poignantly shares:

"When we lost my dad, he was the strongest person I ever met... my sister, my sister, she was just like a firecracker. She was the brightest, funniest, happiest little girl you've ever seen." (43:39)

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Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale

"Gone to the Dogs" serves as a stark reminder of how unresolved conflicts and unchecked aggression can devastate lives. The Handsman-Del Cerro saga underscores the importance of community, communication, and timely intervention in preventing such tragedies.

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Notable Quotes with Attributions and Timestamps

• Zach Handsman on family atmosphere:

  "Growing up here, it was great, you know, we had a huge family atmosphere..." (03:39)

• Monique Handsman on her bond with Harper:

  "Harper and Monique had a very special relationship..." (05:01)

• Ron Del Cerro on the Handsman legacy:

  "...Ron Del Cerro was left with pretty much the opposite kind of reputation..." (07:56)

• Monique Handsman confronting neighbors:

  "No, I'm tired of looking at your crap outside all the time..." (11:08)

• Zach Handsman on ongoing code complaints:

  "Ron Del Cerro was looking for anything and everything that he could find..." (10:11)

• Monique Handsman after the dog attack:

  "I didn't deserve this I should have just let him shoot me..." (42:37)

• Zach Handsman on losing his sister and father:

  "When we lost my dad, he was the strongest person I ever met..." (43:39)

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Reflection

"Gone to the Dogs" is a powerful exploration of how neighborly disputes can escalate beyond control, leading to irreversible consequences. Through personal accounts, real 911 calls, and court audio, Fear Thy Neighbor paints a vivid picture of fear, loss, and the fragility of community bonds.

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This summary aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the episode "Gone to the Dogs" for listeners and non-listeners alike, encapsulating the key events, emotional turmoil, and ultimate tragedy that befell the Handsman family.

Transcript

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Narrator]

Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, cr of passion, or clashes among underworld figures. Yet some of the most shocking and deadly conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors in ordinary neighborhoods. These stories about people like you and me who just happen to move in beside each other and fall out over often minor and likely resolvable issues are stranger than fiction. Their seemingly minor quibbles escalate until violence erupts and it impacts an entire community. What makes a good neighbor go bad? We may never truly know, but heed this warning about the terrible things that can happen when even the pettiest disagreements pass the point of no return and good neighbors become worst enemies. Because how can you sleep at night when the person you fear or hate the most lives right next door? We're in a beautiful, wealthy enclave on the southern coast with a happy family enjoying the good life, and it's all thanks to the hard work and dedication of two parents who put their kids above all else and a puppy is the latest addition to their thriving household. Soon a well to do retired couple becomes the latest addition to the street when they move in next door with their own adorable little pooch in tower. Things go great between the new neighbors until a quirky historical connection is discovered that starts to sour things, at least on one side. And when a small dog is replaced with a big one, a series of events are set in motion that ends in unspeakable tragedy and heartbreak. This is fear thy neighbor gone to the dogs. The coastal town of Port St. Lucie, Florida is one of the oldest and most beautiful in America.

[Zach Handsman]

There's a lot of older retirees and people that are trying to raise a family here in Port St. Lucie, everything is very small town, you know, everybody got along.

[Narrator]

That's the voice of Zach Handsman. His family is at the center of this story.

[Zach Handsman]

Growing up here, it was great, you know, we had a huge family atmosphere. We knew everybody, everybody knew one another and we spent time and saw just about everybody in our community.

[Narrator]

Zach's parents, Guy and Monique Hansman, are both in their 50s and have been together as long as anyone can remember, having fallen in love when they were practically kids. Over time, they have raised four children in Port St Lucie in two phases. They spent years working as retail managers while tending to two sons, including Zach. A few years later, when their two older sons had flown the cooperation, they adopted daughter Harper and son Patrick.

[Zach Handsman]

Patrick and Harper were introduced to our family after me and my brother had left the house. My parents were older and more financially stable and well off. My mom, she's a very hardworking person. Definitely states her point. She's done everything for us as kids, everything that we could possibly want growing up, she made sure happen with us.

[Narrator]

While Monique loves all her children equally, she no doubt shares a special bond with her daughter.

[Monique Hansman]

Harper and Monique had a very special relationship. They were kind of buddies. They went everywhere.

[Narrator]

That's Kimberly Wagner, the former tutor of Harper and Patrick. To many, it seems that the Handsman family are as close to idyllic as it gets.

[Zach Handsman]

My dad, he did everything with us. He traveled with us, took us to sporting events, took us to our activities. Just an all around perfect, perfect dad.

[Narrator]

In fact, there's so much love to go around that the Handsmans decide to add a new family member, A little poodle named Ruka. And it's not just a furry friend that's new. The Handsmans are also about to gain new neighbors. Shortly after a moving truck pulls into the driveway next door, the Handsmen set their sights on Ron and Sandra Del Cerro, a recently retired couple who have been drawn to the neighborhood by its renowned reputation. As the senior couple step out of the truck, Harper and Patrick immediately notice that they have the same taste in dogs.

[Zach Handsman]

When the Del Suras first moved in, they had a very cute little fluffy dog that my little brother and sister loved to play with.

[Narrator]

Mister, is your dog a poodle?

[Ron Del Cerro]

Yes, he is.

[Narrator]

You like poodles? Yeah, we have one. He's pretty friendly. After raising three children and now both in their 70s, Ron and Sandra have come to Florida to kick back and savor their good fortune. Here is journalist Merritt Clifton, who covered this story.

[Ron Del Cerro]

The Del Ceros had made quite a lot of money in home construction, landscaping and so forth.

[Narrator]

In Pennsylvania, Guy and Monique joined their youngest kids, Harper and Patrick, in greeting the new neighbors.

[Zach Handsman]

Sandra and Ron were pretty nice to the kids. The kids, you know, they always treated well. My little brother and sister would run over to their yard and the dog would run around and they would play with it.

[Narrator]

Yet in a strange twist of fate, the Handsman family name is familiar to Ron Del Cerro Handsman.

[Zach Handsman]

Any relation to Larney Hansman?

[Narrator]

Well, yeah, that was my dad. Why do you ask? No reason. And it's not long before he questions Guy about it. But Guy can sense that perhaps Ron does have his reasons and he's immediately on edge. Guy's father, Larney Hansman, had a distinguished career as a jockey and racing judge, riding twice in the Kentucky Derby. Merritt Clifton remembers the elder Handsman as being highly regarded.

[Ron Del Cerro]

He was known as an honest jockey. He also was very rarely penalized for any kind of an offense on the track. He was a solid guy.

[Narrator]

In a remarkable coincidence, Ron Del Cerro also has ties to the horse racing world, but his connection is far more tainted. Ron owned a thoroughbred racing stable, one that was well known in the horse racing community for less desirable reasons, with one trainer even being suspended for drugging a horse.

[Ron Del Cerro]

The upshot of it is Ronald Del Cerro was left with pretty much the opposite kind of reputation in horse circles that Larry Hansman had. Now, as soon as he found out who his next door neighbor was, that must have kind of burned a hole in his stomach because somehow he'd ended up living right next door to a family whose family name was what he had aspired to and didn't get to.

[Narrator]

As he settles into his new surroundings, Ron is reminded every day of the glowing Handsman record versus his own.

[Ron Del Cerro]

He was now retired. He had no occupation other than mulling over what had gotten him to that point. And he's looking next door and he's seeing a happy family, he's seeing happy kids, he's seeing happy dogs. It would be very easy for him to have focused on the Handsman's happiness as a source of aggravation to himself.

[Narrator]

It's bad enough that the family beside him reminds Ron of things he'd prefer to forget. Now, to make matters worse, he's starting to worry about property value. As his neighbor's driveway begins filling up, Zach Handsman explains.

[Zach Handsman]

I like to sail, and that's one of the things that I aspire to be great in. We do a lot of races down here in Florida. After I moved out and moved into my own home, I would leave one of my boats parked at my parents house because I just didn't have the storage space for it. My dad would help me on a lot of our projects, including my own boats to work on.

[Narrator]

But not everyone shares the Handsman's love of sailing. And to the Del Cerros, Zach's boat is an affront to the view of their yard. How long has the boat been there? The whole weekend. It's like living beside a marina.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I'm not putting up with this one more second.

[Narrator]

True to his word, Ron summons a city code officer to lay down the law for his neighbors. Zach is right. The code officer finds no infraction and Ron's umbrage is dismissed.

[Zach Handsman]

Nothing came about it because there was nothing for them to complain about with the city and that was the end of it.

[Narrator]

Yet as it turns out, Ron is just getting started.

[Zach Handsman]

As soon as one case closed, another case would open. My dad and my mom used to call me and say, we have another notice from the city about the boats. And the code enforcement would leave notes saying we've closed this case because we don't see any active issues with it.

[Narrator]

Ron seems to have found a new hobby in his retirement and becomes fixated on the boat next door, making repeated attempts to have it moved.

[Zach Handsman]

And it was bi weekly, monthly that we were having these visits from code enforcement. Ron Del Cerro was looking for anything and everything that he could find just to make a complaint about our family. You know, whether it was from my boats or from the trailer that my father parked for his business in the driveway, every license plate and every tire and every piece of every piece of equipment that we had around our house was checked.

[Narrator]

Nearing her breaking point, Monique decides to confront Ron and Sandra about their nonstop harassment. Hey, would you two lay off?

[Ryan Reynolds]

No, I'm tired of looking at your crap outside all the time. You need to move it.

[Narrator]

Are you crazy? Our property is pristine. Hey, don't call my husband crazy. Hey, lay off my mom. You need to move that piece of garbage now or I'll make you move it. How?

[Zach Handsman]

He was screaming at me. I'm going to take you to court because I have more money than than you're ever going to be able to fight me against.

[Narrator]

You won't even know what hit you. At this point, Guy Hansman, the eternal peacemaker of the family, appears and breaks up the fight. Okay, all right. Enough. Okay, let's go. Come on.

[Zach Handsman]

My father just didn't want to, you know, antagonize or get involved with, you know, Ron and have that battle with him back and forth. Whereas my mom was a little bit more boisterous.

[Narrator]

Monique may be defiant now, but the petty dispute is teetering on the edge of becoming toxic. And it's about to cross the threshold into being downright life threatening.

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Narrator]

The next chapter in this conflict begins when the Del Seros little poodle dies. While the couple mourns the loss of their pet, it's not too long before they bring home a new dog, one with a much bigger bite.

[Zach Handsman]

It was a bull mastiff and the dog grew to a massive size. It was just huge. I don't even know if I could control that dog. The dog was most likely well over £100.

[Narrator]

Beth Clifton is another journalist who covered this story and happens to be Merritt Clifton's wife. Both know all about dogs and Beth raises a red flag about the Del Seros replacement pet.

[Monique Hansman]

They went from a harmless poodle to a very large dog that would be intimidating to people. Mastiffs are not meant for protecting the family. They're not family dogs. What they are are fighting dogs.

[Narrator]

The Del Ceros name the mastiff Roxy and the Handsmans are about to learn just how dangerous this can creature can be. Monique's day usually starts with taking her poodle Ruka for a morning walk.

[Monique Hansman]

Unbeknownst to her, Sandra Del Cerro had also brought her dog Roxy out and there was this chance meeting.

[Narrator]

Roxy is leashed, but Sandra informs her neighbor she's about to remove it. Expecting a friendly greeting, Monique keeps Ruka off leash so the two furry neighbors can become acquainted. But she's badly mistaken. As soon as the mastiff is freed, it runs straight towards Ruka and instinctively.

[Monique Hansman]

Monique threw herself on top of Ruka to protect her. Roxy wasn't particular who she bit, but she was attacking not only Ruka, but she was also attacking Monique in a very vicious way. She caused an injury to her arm which went right through the bone. She grabbed Monique's head and she was being dragged.

[Narrator]

11 year old Harper Hansman hears her mother's screams and steps outside to witness the unfolding horror.

[Zach Handsman]

To have my sister watch that, to have my mom being drugged around by this dog and being fighting for her life, I'm sure was panic and chaos.

[Narrator]

Sandra is totally powerless to stop the animal's attack. And to make matters worse, Monique's attempts at escape are only making Roxy more aggressive. Sandra grabs a nearby fishing net and hits her dog with it to try and stop her from mauling Monique. Fortunately, the effort succeeds. Roxy is removed from the scene and Harper rushes to her mother.

[Zach Handsman]

When my dad saw my mom, he immediately drove my mom to the hospital to get her medical help because her wounds were so bad.

[Narrator]

Merritt Clifton recounts Monique's injuries.

[Ron Del Cerro]

Roxy badly tore up. Monique bit her left wrist to the bone. The other bite just missed her carotid artery in the back of her head. Either one of which could have been fatal.

[Narrator]

The wife and mother recovers at home while her attacker remains right next door. Despite the bad blood brewing between the two households, Sandra Del Cerro comes over to make peace. Or so it seems. How are you? What can I say?

[Ryan Reynolds]

I'm sore.

[Zach Handsman]

After the mauling, my mom never initiated any kind of lawsuit against the Del Ceros and never even really threatened them with any kind of lawsuit.

[Narrator]

But Monique has one objective. She will not compromise her family's safety. I just want one thing. I don't want to face that dog again, ever. What's that supposed to mean?

[Zach Handsman]

Whether it was to just make sure that the dog was muzzled when it was outside and behind the fence, or whether it was to take the dog away and have it put down because it was too aggressive for anyone to control.

[Narrator]

There is no room here for middle ground. Ron and Sandra Del Soro will do everything they can to stop their neighbors from taking Roxy away. Guy and Monique Hansman fear their family will live under constant threat of more attacks. Son Zach weighs in.

[Zach Handsman]

The only thing that we really wanted was to make sure that an issue like this couldn't happen again.

[Narrator]

And despite Monique's resolve to not take any legal action against her neighbors, it's too late. That decision has already been made by others.

[Zach Handsman]

When my mom got into the hospital and when the medical staff realized that it was an animal bite, they immediately got Animal Control involved in the situation.

[Narrator]

For the Del Ceros, the arrival of animal control officers at their home could be their worst nightmare come true. Lucky for them, they get a reprieve.

[Monique Hansman]

Animal Control decided to home quarantine because as far as they're concerned, Roxy did not have any priors, at least that were documented.

[Narrator]

The orders are for Roxy to be reined in, literally. Roxy must now remained leashed, muzzled and confined to the Del Cerro property. Ron is relieved, but still resentful. The Handsmans hope they won't have to worry about the neighbor's dog anymore. But sadly, things aren't that simple.

[Monique Hansman]

They were not to take Roxy off of the property. She was to be on a leash at all times and muzzled. And according to Monique, they defiantly broke those promises.

[Zach Handsman]

Harper. She was deathly afraid of what could happen to her because she had already seen the aftermath of what had happened just a few days earlier.

[Narrator]

Animal control returns to see Roxy roaming free. The agency quickly takes the high risk dog away to be quarantined off site. The Del Seros attempt to protest, but it backfires.

[Zach Handsman]

And that's when my little sister Harper stepped forward and showed them the videos of the dog being loose.

[Narrator]

In response to Roxie roaming free and Harper's video proof, Animal Control takes Roxie away. The agency informs the Del Ceros that they've started an investigation. As part of this case, their pet may receive a dangerous dog designation which could prove fatal for Roxie. Ron becomes enraged and loses it on the Handsmans.

[Zach Handsman]

The Del Ceros just thought that they were above any kind of law that pertained to them. When it came to Roxie, it was terrifying. I know our family felt a little bit safer with knowing that the dog was away in a facility away from the Del Ceros.

[Narrator]

But in another twist of fate, the emergence of COVID shatters the Handsman's family's hope. Pandemic protocols mean Animal Control is forced to return Roxy to the Del Ceros.

[Ron Del Cerro]

All across the country, Pounds were having staffing shortages and were trying to reduce the amount of traffic in and out. So they returned Roxy to the home quarantine situation.

[Narrator]

Ron Del Cerro might be thrilled with the return of his pet, but for the Handsmans, it's a terrifying prospect.

[Zach Handsman]

It definitely felt even more weaponized when the dog came back that, you know, there was going to be consequences for the dog being taken away from them.

[Narrator]

The once happy family feel like prisoners in their own home and for good reason.

[Zach Handsman]

Every time that my little brother and sister would go outside, there was the dog. Harper, you know, would take video to show my mom and say, hey, you know, I can't go outside because this dog is out there.

[Monique Hansman]

Roxy was not allowed to leave the property, period. And the Del Ceros knew this.

[Narrator]

As the Del Ceros continue to ignore Animal Control's orders, things fall into an ugly pattern. Fearing for her family's safety, Monique has no choice but to regularly call Animal Control only for them to show up and order Roxy back inside, infuriating Ron even more. They won't let me walk her. How's she supposed to go? They don't care about Roxy. They only care about themselves.

[Monique Hansman]

He was defiant. He felt that they were being victimized rather than the actual victims.

[Narrator]

In fact, it's Ron who has been actively taunting and victimizing his neighbors, using his dog as the weapon. When Guy and Monique throw a family birthday party in their fenced in backyard, Ron takes things to the next level.

[Zach Handsman]

The dog was let loose in the yard, and the dog would charge the fence and start barking.

[Narrator]

Hey, kids.

[Zach Handsman]

Everybody inside now.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Go inside.

[Zach Handsman]

My dad was terrified that this dog was gonna be let loose again and we were gonna have a major bloodbath on our hands. Are you happy?

[Narrator]

There are kids here. Hey, you won't let my dog go for a walk? This is on you.

[Zach Handsman]

As time went on, Ron got more and more aggressive towards any one of our family members, you know, especially my dad, who, you know, was our backbone of our family.

[Narrator]

As the court date that will determine Roxy's fate nears, Ron Delcero's rage only increases. While the Handsmans eagerly await being freed from the fear of the vicious dog next to door. It's important to remember that the charges against Ron and Sandra were never brought by the Handsmans.

[Zach Handsman]

This wasn't something that our family had initiated. This was, you know, straight from the county, from animal control going after the Del Ceros to deem the dog a dangerous dog to make sure that there was a little bit more control on it. My mom and my sister Harper went because they were subpoenaed to go talk in front of the judge.

[Narrator]

Present in front of a judge are Monique and Harper Hansman, along with Sandra and Ron Del Cerro. You're about to hear the real archive audio from that court case along with some commentary from journalist Beth Merritt. First up is Monique voicing her concerns about the Del Serros bullmastiff.

[Monique Hansman]

The dog threw me around like I.

[Narrator]

Was a rag doll. You have no idea mentally what that has done to me.

[Monique Hansman]

And I'm very worried that if it's not labeled a dangerous dog, that that dog will roam free. And when school's back in August, that dog's gonna get somebody else and it could be my kid, and I don't.

[Narrator]

Want that dog to hurt anyone else. Now here's 11 year old Harper describing her reaction to Roxy's attack on her mother to the judge. I was in my bedroom and I heard my mother screaming. And then I woke up and then I walked downstairs because I was. I didn't know what was happening. So I saw the dogs by the door barking. And then I opened the door and I saw blood all over my mom.

[Monique Hansman]

And she was holding Ruby.

[Narrator]

And then she told me that she kept screaming, get inside. Get inside.

[Monique Hansman]

Monique and Harper were calm, cool, collected. They came across as being very sincere and honest.

[Narrator]

But Sandra Del Cerro disputes the severity of Monique's injuries in this courtroom. Exchange.

[Monique Hansman]

You said my dog had a hold of you and was shaking you. Yes, ma' am. My dog has the biggest mouth and the biggest teeth in the world. You would have extreme injuries. I have a $20,000 plus medical bill. Your dog. I was supposed to have staples in my head. I have. Your dog bit my wrist to the bone.

[Narrator]

Those are bad injuries.

[Monique Hansman]

Did my dog attack you or did my dog attack the dog? Ma' am, you attacked me. My dog did not attack her. My dog attacked the dog. Well, and we jumped in. Sandra had no clue what she was talking about. She was focusing on things and saying things in court that had no relevance at all.

[Narrator]

The judge says as much to the Del Ceros.

[Monique Hansman]

I haven't gotten the impression from either of you that you are taking it seriously.

[Zach Handsman]

The judge decided that the dog was a dangerous dog and ordered the Del Seros to pay the $500 fine and to make sure that the dog was muzzled whenever it was taken out of the home and that a sign was posted that it was a dangerous dog on their property.

[Narrator]

Furious at the outcome, Ron is determined to challenge the judge's decision. His reaction is caught on tape.

[Monique Hansman]

Now we've got to go to court, right? That's the next step. Ron Del Cerro just seemed extremely frustrated that day.

[Zach Handsman]

At one point, he had threatened my mom so bad that an officer ended up walking my sister and my mom back to their car.

[Narrator]

Even though Roxy will still be next door, the Handsmans hope the new legal restrictions will keep them safe. Meanwhile, the Del Ceros feel they've been abused by their neighbors and betrayed by the legal system. And Ron is not backing down. In fact, he's about to show the Handsmans that his bark is just as bad as his bite. After a lengthy back and forth within the courts, the Handsmans are finally one step closer to living life without fear of their next door neighbor's vicious dog. But first, they'll need the cooperation of Ron and Sandra.

[Monique Hansman]

Animal control went to enforce the dangerous dog ordinance that the judge had ruled. He refused to sign it. So Sandra stepped in and she did wind up signing it.

[Narrator]

The Del Serros may have agreed in writing to keep Roxy muzzled and leashed, but there's no guarantee they'll actually comply with the law.

[Zach Handsman]

My mom definitely got more afraid that at any moment something would happen. And the aggressiveness was just crazy.

[Narrator]

At the same time, Monique informs her husband that she's enlisted an attorney to insure Ron. And Sandra's insurance company pays the medical bills that followed Roxie's attack. Guy is concerned she may be poking the bear, but Monique insists it's only what anyone should expect. Her attorney writes a letter to the Del Ceros requesting their insurance company's contact information. On July 6, 2020. Sandra retrieves the letter in the mail and as Beth and Merritt Clifton tell us, is anxious that even this banal request might set her husband off.

[Ron Del Cerro]

Sandra Del Cerro did not inform Ron of this right away. She waited until after lunch. So she was apparently waiting to what she thought would be an opportune time to tell him when maybe he wouldn't be so volatile.

[Narrator]

Ron reads the request from the Handsman's lawyer and as his wife feared, it makes him furious. In fact, it's the last straw. His neighbors know Ron's rage all too well, but they have no idea of the extreme lengths he will go to express it.

[Monique Hansman]

Ron Del Cero is what we would call a gun nut. He had guns spread out all over the house.

[Ron Del Cerro]

He appears to have been a fairly paranoid guy. You're talking about a three bedroom house and five guns.

[Narrator]

Ron takes the letter from animal control that declared his dog was dangerous and scribbles a disturbing message. Zach Handsman remembers it well.

[Zach Handsman]

He wrote on the letter, you know what I'm about to do is because of this. And that's when the whole incident ensued.

[Ryan Reynolds]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[Narrator]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee full [e-mail] this podcast is brought to you by Aura. Imagine waking up to find your bank account drained, bills for loans you never took out, a warrant for your arrest. All because someone stole your identity. Hackers aren waiting. Why are you? That's why we're thrilled to partner with Aura. Your personal data is a goldmine for hackers and Aura helps lock it down. Aura monitors the dark web, blocks data brokers from selling your information. Includes a VPN for private browsing and a password manager to secure your accounts before criminals break in. For a limited time, Aura is offering our listeners a 14 day free trial plus a dark web scan to check if your personal information has been leaked. All for [e-mail] safety that's aura.com safety to sign up and start protecting yourself and your loved ones. That's a R A.com safety terms apply. Check the site for details.

[Narrator]

Ron Delero arms himself with two concealed handguns and past his wife Sandra as he goes to leave the house. Where are you going? I'm going to take care of the fire ants.

[Monique Hansman]

His excuse was that he was going to check out the the fire ant situation. He had put down fire ant poison the day before.

[Narrator]

Over at the Handsman home, Harper is playing with her brother's daughter Lainey. Guy is in the attached garage repairing a water heater. Monique is on a work call and Patrick is with his math tutor Kimberly Wagner. Here's Kimberly now to share what happened.

[Monique Hansman]

Patrick and I started working and we were just kind of going through things and just getting things organized. All of a sudden we hear pop, pop, pop.

[Narrator]

What was that?

[Monique Hansman]

I looked at him and he looked at me and I said, I wonder what that is. And he said, maybe it's fireworks. The next thing I know he comes running back through the hallway screaming. So we ran across the living room into Monique and as we're running through she's coming out. Because she had also heard the commotion.

[Narrator]

Monique and Patrick managed to escape the house. But Kimberly Wagner isn't so fortunate.

[Monique Hansman]

I heard another gunshot and I was going to run, but I thought since the gunshot was pretty close that I wasn't going to make it out in time. I ran to the right, which was into a little bathroom. He turns right and comes right into the bathroom and stands in the doorway. And he has his gun pointed at me and he's looking right at me.

[Narrator]

I don't know who you are.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I don't know why you're here.

[Monique Hansman]

And he just looks at me, kind of tilts his head a little bit and walks off.

[Narrator]

Ron spies a door to the attic and believes Monique may be hiding up there. He fires into the ceiling to try and flush her out. The noise draws Harper and Lainey from the bedroom.

[Monique Hansman]

They heard a lot of screaming, so they both went down the stairs to see what was going on.

[Narrator]

Seeing the door from the house to the attached garage open, Harper peeks inside and discovers her father shot and bleeding out.

[Monique Hansman]

Guy Hansen told the girls to run.

[Ron Del Cerro]

Perhaps.

[Monique Hansman]

These were two little girls, very bright little girls, but they were still little girls. They were still children. What they felt was the safest thing to do was run into the bedroom and hide. What children do. So the first thing they did was they ran back upstairs.

[Narrator]

Lainey hides in the closet while Harper gets on the phone to 911 dispatcher Raven Kelly vividly remembers answering Harper's call. When I first got on the phone with her, I thought it was a prank call. I thought it was a kid playing on a phone. But, you know, my job is to.

[Monique Hansman]

Take everything seriously until proven otherwise.

[Narrator]

What follows is Raven Kelly's actual voice and Harper Hansman's actual words. Out of respect for the family, they are spoken here by the actor playing Harper.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Listen, I need you to stay as calm and as quiet as you can, okay? What does the male look like?

[Narrator]

He's a bald headed dude and he has two black guns. She kept me grounded from how strong and brave she was. I was terrified. But Harper, it was just from the very second that I got on the.

[Monique Hansman]

Phone with her, she was calm and.

[Narrator]

She knew exactly what it was that she needed to do to get me what I needed in order to get somebody there.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Did he see you while you were in the house?

[Narrator]

I think so, but we're hiding now. He's coming upstairs.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Is there a window you can get out of?

[Narrator]

Yeah, but it's a two.

[Monique Hansman]

It wasn't something that she was Comfortable.

[Narrator]

Doing going out of the window.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I have everybody coming to you that I could possibly have coming to you.

[Narrator]

Sorry. She was my eyes and ears inside that home. She could pretty much tell me where he was just by the sound of his footsteps. He's in my brother's room.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Is it right beside your room?

[Narrator]

Yeah. And moments later, he finds Harper. I could hear him come in the room.

[Monique Hansman]

Please don't shoot me.

[Narrator]

Please. I'm so sorry. She asked him not to kill her. She said that she wanted to live, she didn't want to die. And then the phone hung up.

[Monique Hansman]

Ron Del Cero enters the room with two guns like he's a gunfighter and points them at Harper. At that point, Harper is scared to death.

[Narrator]

At the same time, a desperate Monique is out in the street with no idea what is happening inside her home. Here's an excerpt of her actual 911 call.

[Ryan Reynolds]

My daughter's upstairs with my friend. My husband, I think, is dead in the garage. I think he shot my husband three times. Who is it?

[Monique Hansman]

I don't know who it is.

[Ryan Reynolds]

He's my neighbor.

[Narrator]

He. He pierced because their dog attacked me.

[Ryan Reynolds]

And I'm suing them. Please get my daughter.

[Narrator]

While she pleads for assistance, Ron Del Cerro barters with his young hostages. I want you to listen closely.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I'm not going to hurt you as long as I can get out of.

[Narrator]

Here before the police arrive, okay?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Okay.

[Narrator]

Only now, thanks to Harper's earlier call, law enforcement is here. Cruisers pull up as Sandra Del Cerro comes out of her residence to witness the drama. Monique is understandably furious at her neighbor and goes off on her. You need to arrest her. You need to put her in gun.

[Ron Del Cerro]

She caused this.

[Narrator]

Is he still in the house? Authorities enter the Handsman home and start making their way upstairs to Harper's room, alerting range their presence.

[Monique Hansman]

He was furious because I don't believe that he realized when Harper was on the phone that she was on the phone with the police. Lainey saw an opportunity to run while Ron Delcero was distracted with Harper. And it worked. She was lucky that she was able to escape.

[Narrator]

Lainey is whisked out of the house by officers as Ron is ordered to surrender. But instead, the Handsman's neighbor opens the bedroom door and blindly unleashes a hail of gunfire on the police.

[Monique Hansman]

He basically just reached his arm around and started wildly shooting.

[Narrator]

Police return fire. Neither they nor Ron have a clear shot. Bullets begin tearing through the walls of the Handsman family home, all while Harper cowers in fear. The horror is Captured In Monique's continued 911 call outside the house.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Oh, my God, they're shooting. There's a shootout in my house. Oh, my God.

[Narrator]

Come on, lady.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Where's Harper? Lady, where's Harper? Ma' am, you have to take a daughter. My daughter.

[Narrator]

Oh, my God. My daughter. Inside, an officer is wounded. Officer down. Officer down. Shots fired. We need backup. And Ron is also struck.

[Ron Del Cerro]

Ron suffered three gunshot wounds in the exchange of fire, none of which were fatal.

[Narrator]

Through it all, 11 year old Harper fears for her life and becomes desperate to make an escape, just like Lainey did.

[Monique Hansman]

Harper thought that if she doesn't get out of there, if she doesn't run, that she was going to be killed.

[Narrator]

Harper makes an incredibly brave decision. She sees an opening in the gunfire and bolts from the bedroom. She succeeds in making it to the stairs, the front door in her sight. But tragically, as Merritt Clifton explains, she doesn't make it.

[Ron Del Cerro]

And unfortunately, Ronald Del Serra was able to shoot her through the clavicle in the heart. As she ran down the stairs. It was a single shot hit her. She turned and she fell toward Officer Tracy and she caught Harper as Harper fell. Officer Tracy then carried Harper out the door, administered cpr, but there was really nothing that CPR could do. She had been shot through the heart.

[Narrator]

Harper Hansman is rushed to the hospital, but dies from her wound. And sadly, this brutal day is still not over. Again, here's Zach Hansman.

[Zach Handsman]

One of the officers approached me and I just said, you'd better not tell me my dad is gone. And he just had this look in his eye like he was going to tell me something bad. And he said, I'm sorry, your father didn't make it. He's been shot and he's in the garage.

[Narrator]

A SWAT team arrives and secures the house, which has gone silent. Deeming it too risky to send in personnel, they instead pilot a drone to search for the assailant. It makes a grisly discovery.

[Ron Del Cerro]

The drone gets the image of Ronald Del Cerro lying on the bed where he has shot himself through the chest and killed himself.

[Zach Handsman]

You know, part of me is happy that Ron can't do this to anybody else and that no one else has to suffer. But I just feel like he's a coward for taking his own life after what he did to our family. And to not be able to confront him is the worst possible feeling in the world that that was taken away from our family.

[Narrator]

Monique's recorded statement to the police captures the depths of her despair. I didn't deserve this I should have just let him shoot me. I should have just let him shoot me because he wanted me. I told everybody over and over and over again that there was something wrong with those people and nobody listened to me.

[Monique Hansman]

Why?

[Narrator]

Why don't you guys listen?

[Monique Hansman]

And I have an 11 year old.

[Narrator]

I paid the ultimate price. Sandra Del Cerro also gives a recorded post shooting statement and possible excuse to law enforcement.

[Monique Hansman]

He did a horrible thing.

[Narrator]

Why did he do that?

[Monique Hansman]

Nobody in their right mind would do something like what? He could say he was on the fund to be getting some dementia because he would go someplace and not know.

[Narrator]

You know, he'd tell me I didn't.

[Monique Hansman]

Know where I was.

[Narrator]

I guess now I'd have to call one of my kids. The day after her husband's death, Sandra has their dog Roxy euthanized. It's an attempt to put the horrific events behind her. But it's far too late. The damage has been done. Sandra has since left the neighborhood. While the Handsman family continues to deal with the devastating tragedy. A foundation in memory of Harper has been created to help commemorate their loss and the life of the beloved young girl.

[Zach Handsman]

When we lost my dad, he was the strongest person I ever met. He was my best friend. You could ask him to do anything and he was there. It didn't matter when didn't matter, you know, how he would make it happen. And my sister, my sister, she was just like a firecracker. She was the brightest, funniest, happiest little girl you've ever seen.

[Narrator]

Fear Thy Neighbor is produced by Cream Productions in association with Fremantle Media for ID at Warner Bros. Discovery ID executive producers are Lamar Smith and Kayla Woodard. Executive producers at Cream Productions are Johnny Calangas, Jeffrey Hirschfield, Kate Harrison Carman and David Brady. Our audio producers are Asha Dillon and Chris Cobain. Our mix engineer is Mike Bassanti. Our music was composed by Simon Poole. The Fear Thy Neighbor theme was composed by me and John. Our producer is Dan Magness. Our associate producer is Betty Johnson. Our writers are Jeffrey Hershey, Armin Kazazian, Mark Ellis, Betty Johnson and Johnny Calangas. Subscribe and take a moment to leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts and watch Fear Thy Neighbor on ID and Max. Hey, it's Marc Maron from WTF here to let you know that this podcast.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.

[Narrator]

And I'm sure the reason you're listening to this podcast right now is because you chose it well. Choose Progressives, name your price tool and you could find insurance options that fit your budget so you can pick the best one for your situation. Who doesn't like choice? Try [e-mail] and now some legal info. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.

[Ryan Reynolds]

This podcast is brought to you by Aura. By the time you hear about a data breach, your information has already been exposed for months. On average, companies take 277 days to report a breach. That's nine months where hackers have access to your personal data. That's why we're thrilled to partner with Aura. Aura is an all in one digital safety solution that monitors the dark web for your phone number, email and Social Security number, sending real time alerts if your info is found. It also includes a vpn, password manager and data broker removal to help keep you safe for a limited time. Aura is offering a 14 day free trial plus a dark web scan to check if your personal information has been leaked. All for [e-mail] safety that's aura.com safety to sign up and protect your loved ones. That's a u r a.com safety terms apply. Check the site for details.

[Narrator]

ACAST powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend hey guys, we have an exciting announcement about our podcast. For the past seven years, the Holderness Family Podcast has been the most favorite thing we do. We love getting to talk to experts, we love having meaningful conversations just the two of us. And we also love hearing from you. But the thing we love most is being a place where you can laugh. A lot has changed in the last seven years and we feel very lucky that our audience is growing older with us. So in the spirit of that, we are relaunching our podcast. We are excited to introduce Laugh Lines with Kim and Penn Holderness.

[Zach Handsman]

The Laugh Lines podcast will be all about aging together better and also being able to laugh about getting older.

[Narrator]

We hope you'll join us. Search Laugh Lines with Kim and Pen Holderness New episodes every Tuesday. ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcast everywhere. Acast.com.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Hey prime members, you can listen to this show ad free on Amazon Music.

[Narrator]

Download the Amazon Music app today.