Today's episode contains descriptions of domestic violence.

Listener discretion is advised.

In most court junkie episodes, you hear about the defendant accused of a crime, a judge

keeping order, the prosecutor and the defense attorney, both trying their best to sway

the jury.

But at the trial, often sitting quietly on the courtroom benches, are the family members

of the victim or victims.

In today's episode, we talk to a son who couldn't help but feel helpless.

I was a nut by the outside in the black hide, I was sick of my mom crying and I wanted to

take care of it.

And a daughter who was terrified for her mom.

I just need you to write down this story because he's going to kill me.

Ryan Vandoren and Laura Bennett are listeners of Court Junkie and contacted me about their

mother's case.

A case that demonstrates the difficulty of leaving an abusive relationship, of a system

that failed to protect a vulnerable victim, and a callous murderer who shouldn't have

been able to do what he did.

This is Jillian and in partnership with the Law and Crime trial network, you are listening

to Court Junkie, episode 145.

Waterloo, a sleepy village in Senna County, New York.

A village of about 5,000 people.

A relatively safe village, where according to the Associated Press, there hadn't been

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