Hi, I Survived listeners. 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&E Classic Podcast, Cold Case Files, City Confidential, and American Justice, are all available ad-free on the new A&E 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 episode contains subject matter that may be disturbing to some listeners.

Listener discretion is advised.

They grabbed me by my hair and put guns to my head and forced me face down on the floor.

Real people. We had cuts both of us all over our bodies.

I mean, just the pain we were in just was excruciating.

Who faced death.

You'd be in the water for 20 minutes and next you know you'll see sharks swimming around you.

And live to tell how.

They said, you're going to clean out the vault for us,

or your daughter will be murdered, and you will watch, and you will be next.

This is I Survived.

It's November 2000 in East Vista, California.

Michelle is an assistant vice president of a bank and a single mom.

It started out as a very normal day, rushing out the door, getting my daughter to school, getting to work. A lot of loan documents that day I remember. And one thing really stood out during the day is a

gentleman came in that just seemed odd. And that was really the only thing that stood out. And after he left,

I didn't think anything else about it.

After work, Michelle picked up her seven-year-old daughter, Brea, from school.

Before making dinner, I thought it would be a good idea to just relax on the couch and have a little fun.

And we sat down on the couch and she took my boots off and we were just laughing and giggling.

And the next thing I heard was the most unbelievable, loud, thundering sound,

...