On a harrowing New Year's Day in 2021, Morgan Metzer fell victim to a grave assault in her home in Canton, Georgia.
Rodney Metzer, her ex-husband, disguised his appearance and voice as Batman as he perpetrated the attack, Daily Mail Online reported.
Rodney assaulted Morgan physically and sexually, leaving her bound with a pillowcase over her head on her deck. Ironically, Rodney pretended to discover and rescue Morgan following the attack. He untied her and called the emergency services, playing the role of a concerned ex-husband.
However, Rodney's account to the authorities seemed inconsistent, arousing suspicions due to his immediate presence and knowledge of the incident. Cherokee County officers noted discrepancies in his narrative compared to the circumstantial evidence.
Rodney and Morgan had ended their marriage just a month prior, in December 2020. The history of their relationship included instances of manipulation by Rodney, such as faking a cancer diagnosis. Rodney was ultimately arrested on the same day as the attack following further police interrogation. The police's doubt was initially triggered by the oddly convenient timing of his intervention.
Rodney faced swift justice due to overwhelming evidence, including CCTV, incriminating searches, and possession of items used during the assault. In August 2021, he pleaded guilty to charges encompassing sexual assault, battery, and kidnapping. His sentence resulted from a plea deal, which led to him being sentenced to 70 years, with 25 of those years spent behind bars.
Rodney told police during his arrest, "I know what I know, I told my truth." His attempt to dissociate himself from the crime was met with skepticism by law enforcement. A detective pointed out the improbable nature of his claimed spontaneity in coming to Morgan's rescue.
Despite his initial pretense recently, Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon Wallace highlighted Rodney's manipulative tactics. "This man is a master manipulator. In the days leading up to this attack, he faked a cancer diagnosis in an attempt to gain sympathy from his ex-wife," she stated.
Morgan expressed the terror she felt during the assault, believing she would not survive. "I could feel his finger on the trigger of the gun. And I was like, 'This is it. I'm gone,'" she recounted.
Her realization that Rodney may have been the assailant, despite his disguise and altered voice, was a testament to her intuition. "Even looking and sounding like Batman, I had an inkling, somehow, that he might be my attacker," she later revealed.
Morgan's harrowing experience was compounded by her realization of Rodney's constant psychological manipulation. "No one had ever believed he was a bad person; it was a relief. He would always blame stuff on me, too, to make me think that I was in the wrong. That was the gaslighting," she explained.
This traumatic event not only highlighted the dangerous lengths to which Rodney went to control and terrorize his former spouse but also marked a pivotal moment of survival and justice for Morgan. Her courage in facing her assailant has been a significant aspect of her recovery process.
Ultimately, the resolution of this case brought Rodney's deceitful and violent tendencies into the public eye, resulting in a lengthy prison sentence designed to prevent further harm.
