Transcript

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Baron Lee (0:30)

Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence and is not intended for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Dee Dee Fomoon (0:44)

My arms are sharp, Mama. Literally. My chest.

Narrator / Host (Mike Boudet) (1:04)

Bellevue, Washington is a clean suburb just outside Seattle, where tech wealth keeps the housing costs high and the lawns neatly trimmed just how I like them. It's a family oriented town filled with gorgeous parks and trails. A place of true Pacific Northwest tranquility. But on the morning of July 10, 2020, that tranquility was broken. As the sun shone over the neat hedges and parked cars, gunshots rang out in an apartment parking lot. There was a man down, gasping for air.

911 Dispatcher (1:48)

We just heard several gunshots and some screaming right there. It sounds like it's right outside.

Dee Dee Fomoon (1:55)

I live in a residence in Lakemont behind the apartment. So about five or six shots. It sounded like a light caliber weapon.

911 Dispatcher (2:04)

I think I just heard seven gunshots. Someone screaming outside. Help. It sounds like it's outside building 16 and we can hear screaming.

Dee Dee Fomoon (2:16)

I just heard seven shots and it looks like somebody has been shot.

911 Dispatcher (2:20)

I'm in the overlook at Le Mont.

Narrator / Host (Mike Boudet) (2:23)

The calls were all coming from the same complex. Neighbors peered through blinds, clutching their phones, straining to make sense of it all by the sound alone. Then, amidst the beeping dispatch board, the most crucial 911 call finally got through.

911 Dispatcher (2:41)

Okay, is this that Overlake at Lakemont?

Dee Dee Fomoon (2:44)

Summary

Sword and Scale – Episode 322 Summary

Date: October 13, 2025
Host: Mike Boudet
Main Theme:
A harrowing true crime story of attempted murder, family court dysfunction, and the insidious lengths one woman went to for greed. This episode follows Baron Lee, a car salesman and father, who is ambushed and shot nine times outside his Washington home. As he survives against the odds, the police unravel a plot reaching back years—one steeped in custody battles, medical abuse, and a murder-for-hire orchestrated by his ex-wife. The story serves as an indictment of the family court and social services systems, while exploring resilience, fatherhood, and the lived reality of domestic abuse against men.

1. The Attack on Baron Lee

Timestamps: 01:04–16:09

Setting and Incident:
Mike Boudet sets the scene in the tranquil suburb of Bellevue, Washington, shattered one summer morning by gunshots that leave Baron Lee fighting for his life in the apartment parking lot.
911 Calls and Immediate Chaos (01:48–06:22):
- Multiple frantic 911 calls are played; neighbors and Baron's wife Dee Dee Fomoon describe the gunshots and chaos.
- Dee Dee, trembling, tries to help her bleeding husband:
  
  “My arms are shot, Mama. Literally. My chest.” – Baron Lee relayed by Dee Dee (00:44, 03:25)
- A neighbor uses a first aid kit; the shooter is described as slim, in a gray hoodie, green gloves, who picked up his own shell casings before fleeing.
Baron’s Account of Surviving (10:45–16:09):
- Baron recalls the ambush, misunderstanding the first shot for a firework until he sees his attacker—a masked figure in green gloves—“just shooting at me.” (11:35)
- He shields himself behind the car and under the steering wheel:
  
  “If they’re going to shoot me, they got to shoot my body or my legs, not any fatal parts, hopefully.” (13:27)
- Baron's wife and neighbors rush to his side as he prepares for death, asking Dee Dee to look after their kids.
Medical Details:
Barron is shot nine times—arms, legs, hip, and chest. Despite being written off for dead, surgeons save him, and Barron miraculously survives.

2. Investigation and Early Suspicions

Timestamps: 16:09–29:58

Initial Suspects (16:09–19:37):
- Under police protection in the hospital, Baron instantly suspects his ex-wife, Sharon Kelly:
  
  “When they interviewed me the first time, I basically said that it was Sharon. Without a doubt, it was her.” – Baron Lee (16:49)
- Dee Dee and police initially dismiss this.
Key Evidence and The Getaway Car (19:37–33:21):
- Police obtain CCTV, identify a red Ford F-series truck as the getaway vehicle, and trace it to Arthur Mendez—and then his teenage son, Quincy.
- Tracking traffic cams, they see a passenger (the shooter) with a gold chain, tucking his seatbelt under his arm.
The Teenage Accomplices (33:21–43:47):
- Detectives identify Quincy’s friend Joseph Good as the probable shooter.
- Interrogations show neither teen realizes the seriousness of their crime, and Joseph quickly “lawyers up.”
- An investigation into their digital lives turns up evidence of Joseph purchasing a GPS tracker—found still attached to Baron’s car, registered to Sharon Kelly.
  
  “I want to reactivate that device... I would like to reactivate it.” – Sharon Kelly on call with GPS company (37:31)

3. The Plot Uncovered: Sharon Kelly’s Role

Timestamps: 37:31–62:22

The Murder-for-Hire Arrangement (40:40–45:29):
- Quincy claims he was high on “shrooms” but agreed to drive Joseph to Bellevue for $5,000, with Joseph to receive $13,000—money promised by Sharon.
  
  “He told me at the end, like, do you want five grand? … That was it.” – Quincy Mendez (41:11)
Police Find Smoking Gun Evidence:
- Texts and emails connect Sharon to the plot and payment arrangement.
- Detectives arrest Sharon; she doesn’t feign ignorance but screams for her lawyer.
A Pattern of Attempts & Abuse (47:44–56:42):
- Baron details Sharon’s previous attempts to kill him—including running him over twice (“she had me on her hood and … drove, you know, a couple hundred yards before I was able to roll off the car and get away from her.” – Baron Lee, 47:44) and repeated abuse and neglect of their special-needs son, Eric.
- Sharon was diagnosed with Munchausen by proxy after seeking unnecessary medical interventions for Eric, culminating in a do-not-resuscitate order.
The Broken System:
- Courts side with Sharon again and again despite warnings from nurses, social workers, and Barron himself.
  
  “The family court system ignored it all … the courts never listened.” – Baron Lee (58:43)

4. Motive and Fallout: Greed and Custody

Timestamps: 54:57–64:30

Financial Motive:
- Sharon’s primary motivation was to gain sole custody of Eric and access to his seven-figure settlement in a special needs trust.
  
  “She thought she would have access to it.” – Baron Lee (59:50)
- The trust is structured so that even with sole custody, Sharon would not receive a windfall.
Custody Battles and Legal System Critique:
- Despite Sharon’s conviction, Baron still struggles to gain full legal custody.
  
  “Technically, Sharon still has custody. …So I can still fight for custody. I still don’t have custody.” – Baron Lee (63:59)
- Barron rails against the incompetence and bias of the family court and child protective services.

5. Resolution, Reflection, and Life After

Timestamps: 60:56–End

Justice Served?
- Joseph Good: 13 years in prison.
- Quincy Mendez: 8 years in juvenile detention.
- Sharon Kelly: Accepts plea deal, gets around 13 years—less than the would-be hitmen, and less than prosecution sought.
  
  “She deserves a lot more than what she was given.” – Baron Lee (63:32)
Baron’s Second Chance:
- Surviving the shooting gave him credibility and a platform to highlight the challenges men face in family law.
  
  “As horrible as you may think that the shooting was, [it] was the best thing that happened to me. The shooting gave me a voice. A lot of men go through this and this is one of the hardest things as a man sitting on an island by yourself.” – Baron Lee (60:56)
Ongoing Advocacy:
- Now on the advisory board of Route 21, a nonprofit for foster children; advocating for legal reform to protect fathers and vulnerable children.
- Baron’s daily efforts are for his son Eric, and the family Sharon tried to destroy.
Lingering Threat:
- Sharon will be released when Eric is legally an adult. Barron fears for his son’s future and their safety when she is freed.
  
  “In 2036, she’ll be out. Free to roam, free to plot. … in 13 years, he’ll need to disappear before she finds him again and does even worse.” – Mike Boudet (64:30)

Notable Quotes & Key Moments

On Survival:

“Total nine shots … I end up pulling myself behind the car door while the person’s firing at my car, riddling it with bullets. … I decide I’m going to throw my head and body under the wheel well.” – Baron Lee (10:59, 12:21)
On The Attack's Aftermath:

"Every time I'm breathing, is this my last breath? … Am I dead now? You know, that type of thing." – Baron Lee (14:38)
On Broken Systems:

“They said that … we just need to learn to co-parent better.” – Baron Lee recounting police and family court responses (48:29)
On Motive:

"She was after Eric ... It looked to me like she wanted him to die, but in a way that no one was going to question her." – Baron Lee (58:10)
On Sentencing:

“She should get 165 … months which allow me to set up guardianship … Eric will already be 18 by the time she gets out.” – Baron Lee (62:22)
On Needing to Flee Again:

“Maybe he'll move to another state, another country, whatever it takes. Because in 13 years, he'll need to disappear before she finds him again and does even worse.” – Mike Boudet (64:30)

Episode Structure (Timestamps Highlights):

[01:04] Crime and 911 calls: Discovery of Baron’s shooting
[10:45] Baron’s recovery and firsthand account
[16:09] Police suspicion, Sharon as suspect
[19:37] Surveillance & red pickup truck evidence
[33:00] Interrogation of teenage suspects
[37:31] GPS tracker evidence exposed
[47:44] Sharon’s history of violence and neglect
[54:57] The trust fund and Sharon’s financial motive
[60:56] The aftermath, sentences, and Baron’s ongoing legal struggle

Tone and Style

True to Sword and Scale’s unflinching, raw approach, the story is told with dark humor, direct personal testimony, and transcripted audio from interviews, 911 calls, and interrogations. The narrative is unflinching in its criticism of social systems, and empathetic towards Barron as both victim and survivor.

Final Notes

This episode is a chilling exploration of calculated domestic violence, the failures of the family court system, and one father's miraculous survival. It exposes how biases can blind the system—and the importance of listening to victims, no matter their gender. The ending leaves listeners with an uneasy sense that even lengthy prison terms may not be enough to protect the vulnerable from those determined to harm.