1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: This podcast discusses sexual assault. Please take care while listening. 2 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: On December thirtieth, twenty twelve, Spencer Heron and Jennifer Fason 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: were married. 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: Let us pray, God of all love and mercy, make 5 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 2: this a sacred place wholly by your presence and by 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 2: the love that we celebrate today. Help us to find 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: in this couple's love and laughter the love and laughter 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 2: you share for us. 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 3: Amen, Jennifer. 10 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 4: Ever since I saw you walk into that hotel lobby 11 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 4: last year, I've known what I'm supposed to do with 12 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 4: the rest of my life. I feel beyond honor to 13 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 4: know you, to love you, and to accept the most 14 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 4: privilege of all things being your husband. 15 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: Nearly six years later, on August sixteenth, twenty eighteen, Heron 16 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: was indicted on five counts of sexual assault by a 17 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: teacher on school property in Cobb County, Georgia. 18 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 4: You will never have to question my love devotion to you, 19 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 4: because there's nothing else that I want to spend my 20 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 4: time doing except showing you those things. I am so 21 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 4: in love with you. 22 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: Nearly nine months later, on April eighth, twenty nineteen, Spencer 23 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: was indicted for sexually assaulting the same student in a 24 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: hotel in Turkey County, Georgia. Spencer told the victim to 25 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: stay down in an effort to hide her while driving 26 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: her from Kel High School to a hotel. 27 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 2: Having witnessed the covenant that you have made today and 28 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: celebrated the love that you share, it is my privilege 29 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: to pronounce you husband and wife. 30 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 3: You may kiss. 31 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: I'm Andrea Gunning and this is a trayal Episode two. 32 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: The aftermath. 33 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 5: The judge set a fifty five thousand dollars cash bond, 34 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 5: so we couldn't get him out if we tried, couldn't 35 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 5: put the house up or anything like that. Fifty five 36 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 5: thousand dollars is a lot of money, so he stayed 37 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 5: in jail. It was almost like a wake, almost like 38 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 5: someone had died, because people just kept coming over. 39 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: In the days after the news broke, Jennifer and Spencer's 40 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: friend group were in disbelief and rallied around her. Her 41 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: friend Danielle was one of the first people Jennifer reached 42 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: out to, and upon hearing the news, Danielle drove straight 43 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: to Jennifer's house. 44 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 6: Oh what the fuck. I couldn't wrap my head around 45 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 6: there being any truth to it. All I could do 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 6: was just be there for her and let her know 47 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 6: that she had a huge community who was not going 48 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 6: to let her down. 49 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:59,519 Speaker 1: Jen's neighbor Jail knew Spence, and she just couldn't process it. 50 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 3: Like no, no, no, no, nope. 51 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 5: It was like her calling me and speaking to me 52 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 5: in Mandarin because I was just like, I don't know 53 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 5: what you're saying to me right now. 54 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: Spencer's moogshot was all over the news, not just an Atworth, 55 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: but nationally and internationally. There was no hiding it. Jennifer 56 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: had to deal with the shame of what her husband 57 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: had done. The victim told investigators that during the summer 58 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: of twenty sixteen, Spencer met with her at school several 59 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: times for a non existent school club meeting. She said 60 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: that he would text her and tell her when he 61 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: would be at the school and where to find him. 62 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: That would give her a reason to be at Kel 63 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: High School. Spencer began groping the victim on several different occasions, 64 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: and his behavior continued into the fall semester. Law enforcement 65 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: also learned that in twenty seventeen, Spencer started having sexual 66 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: relations with the student inside the school on multiple occasions. 67 00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: She was a sophomore. She provided some devastating des details 68 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: that were contained in the criminal warrant as a warning. 69 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: Some of them are difficult to hear. For example, when 70 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: she began crying because it hurt, Spencer told her to 71 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: be quiet. Also, he insisted that he not used protection 72 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 1: because he was quote unquote fixed. 73 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 6: You know, it was sickening to know that the accusation 74 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 6: was coming from someone the same age as his youngest. 75 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 6: That was really difficult for us. How do you wrap 76 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 6: your head around that? 77 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 1: And there were plenty of people who couldn't channel. 78 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 7: Woos Lauren pos and talked to one of his former 79 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 7: students tonight. She's live outside the Cobb County jail, was 80 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 7: what she learned. 81 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 8: People we spoke with are skeptical of the charges because 82 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 8: you don't always know what's the truth is. The two 83 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 8: former students who did not want to go on camera 84 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 8: told me Haron was a great coach and teacher. The 85 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 8: other student added Haron was a professional and kind hearted. 86 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 8: She told me she does not believe the allegations are true. 87 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: But Jennifer knew they were true. Spencer had admitted it. 88 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: Now she was confronted with something else. Two days after 89 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 1: Spencer's arrest, Jennifer uncovered a dark secret life. Her husband 90 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: had been living a trove of her husband's lovers, sex partners, 91 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: and prostitutes that dated back to the beginning of their 92 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 1: marriage and beyond. He kept everything, photos, videos, emails, and 93 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: text exchanges between him and at least fifty other women 94 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: littered his computer. 95 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 6: She had gotten into his email to reset the password 96 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 6: for his Facebook, and that's when she was able to 97 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 6: shut down his social media. She was just looking to 98 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 6: protect him, protect him, protect the family. But once she 99 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 6: logged into his email, it was over and there's just 100 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 6: no going back. I don't think that anybody expected for 101 00:05:54,160 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 6: her to find what she found. I call it his 102 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 6: trophy case. It was an entire catalog of emails and 103 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 6: correspondents with women years and years and years. I mean, 104 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 6: he saved everything. He saved the rejection emails, he saved 105 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 6: every photo, He backed up the photos that he got 106 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 6: from his Facebook. He was not who we thought he was. 107 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 9: She told us that she was going to file for divorce. 108 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 5: Spence was literally living a double life. On one hand, 109 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 5: he's living as the perfect, doting, loving husband, great father, 110 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 5: teacher of the year. Air Force banned he was even 111 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 5: an Eagle scout. 112 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: Jennifer's sister Chrissy, was the voice of reason and probably 113 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:01,679 Speaker 1: understood Jennifer better than anyone. 114 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 9: She had discovered all of the other women and the emails, 115 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 9: and I think she was obsessed about that because it 116 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 9: was easier than actually being sad about it. She only 117 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 9: showed me one thing because I just don't want to 118 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 9: see I didn't need to see it, but I think 119 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 9: she had to because it was Spencer. You still don't 120 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 9: believe it. 121 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: Jennifer and Spence got married on December thirtieth, twenty twelve. 122 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: She found photos of fourteen different women, many of them nude, 123 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: within the first year of their marriage. 124 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 6: There were two that I knew. One is someone who 125 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 6: became friends of ours through the wine bar. Her and 126 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 6: her husband would come in pretty regularly. 127 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: The wine bar. It was a big part of Jennifer 128 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: and Spence's life. It had been a dream of Jennifer's 129 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: to own one. 130 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 5: Spencer and I talked about opening a coffee shop when 131 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 5: we first moved here, because Atworth has this small town 132 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 5: feel and it's got this great main street. It somehow 133 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:12,239 Speaker 5: evolved into a wine bar, which we opened and had 134 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 5: for two years. This was a place where the neighborhood 135 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 5: really came together. All we had to do was open 136 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 5: up the doors and the neighborhood just came in and 137 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 5: they introduced themselves and they hung out and we all 138 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 5: just became friends and this really great community. Having that 139 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:39,599 Speaker 5: wine bar was a way to play hostess to the neighborhood. 140 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: And it turns out it was also a sexual playground 141 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: for Spencer, who found new prospects, seduced women, and even 142 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 1: had sex here. 143 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 5: I think we just have this great bar, and Spence 144 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 5: was basically using it as his I have seen messages 145 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 5: where he says, while that blowjob you gave me in 146 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:13,319 Speaker 5: the bathroom last night was amazing, or photos of somebody 147 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 5: in the bathroom taking a picture of herself and sending 148 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 5: it to him. He used to put a sign on 149 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 5: the door apparently that said back in five minutes or 150 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 5: back in ten minutes, and then would have sex in there. 151 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: Jennifer's mother, Gail just couldn't wrap her head around the audacity. 152 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 2: It's like in my business too. 153 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 5: I mean, is there no place sacred? 154 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 2: Unbelievable? It's absolutely unbelievable. 155 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: But there were dozens and he met them in all 156 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: kinds of ways. Jennifer discovered evidence of a year long 157 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: affair with a woman from his running. 158 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 6: Club, and then another one was in the military with him. 159 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 6: They were all very different from who Jennifer is as 160 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 6: a person. 161 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: Spencer juggled multiple conquests at the same time. The affairs 162 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 1: he was having with the women overlapped, and he stayed 163 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: in touch with them through sordid text exchanges. It's fair 164 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: to assume that people behave differently with secret lovers during 165 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: affairs than they might with their own spouses, but reading 166 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: his text was like reading a novel. He was a 167 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 1: fictional character. The messages showed that Spencer had secret fetishes. 168 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: Just a warning. The texts are explicit, and maybe the 169 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:29,199 Speaker 1: most alarming part is realizing that your own partner wrote them, 170 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 1: and that's what jen faced when she discovered these text messages. 171 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,959 Speaker 1: Note all of the following were sent to adult women. 172 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 7: Will you actually punch me this time? I'm not fucking around. 173 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 7: I need you to hurt me. That's the point, the 174 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 7: entire point. 175 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: Was he into pain or was it the rush? Jennifer 176 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: had no idea because she had no clue that he 177 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 1: liked to be hit Spencer also liked his lovers to 178 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 1: refer to him as Daddy. Send outy a picture was 179 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 1: a frequent request in his fantasy life. Jennifer noticed he 180 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: seemed to enjoy a playful and sometimes not so playful, 181 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: dominating persona. There were other texts where Spencer was in 182 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: touch with former students. Here he keeps trying to persuade 183 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 1: one of them to get together. 184 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 7: I remember you being in class. You're always so much 185 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 7: fun and so sweet. I hope you could tell that 186 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 7: I was always super fond of you. We have a 187 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 7: cool connection, your gorgeous fact. We need to hang out. 188 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 7: I can't wait. 189 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 3: I dig you. 190 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:50,600 Speaker 1: Eventually, the young woman asks how are you and your wife? 191 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 3: Though? 192 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 7: Okay, I guess you know how relationships are. Can you 193 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 7: see how I might have a crush on you? 194 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: You know how relationships are. He barely acknowledges the question 195 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: and brings it back to the conversation he really wanted 196 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: to have. In another exchange, he mentions with holding sex 197 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: from Jennifer. 198 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 7: When I know that we're going to meet, I like 199 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 7: depriving myself, so I avoid sex with her if it 200 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 7: even comes up. 201 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: And to another he references tension at home for more excitement. 202 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 7: By the way, Jen and I are fighting right now, 203 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 7: so I am in an even freakier and more amped 204 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 7: up mood to test the waters. And then there was 205 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,559 Speaker 7: this I am a single man for the next six days. 206 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 7: If you want to hook up, I'm still very interested. 207 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: That's a tech spencer sent when Jennifer was traveling for work. 208 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: But the person Jennifer saw when she returned with someone 209 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: happy to see her. 210 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 5: He'll be jumping up, you know, saying hi, wife, welcome home. 211 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 5: It's almost like an outer body experience, because you can't 212 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 5: prepare yourself for something like that, especially when it's the 213 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 5: last thing you expect to happen. 214 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: Jennifer needed to get away from it all, so she 215 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:27,200 Speaker 1: went to stay with her sister in La. 216 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 9: During the time that she stayed with me, she went 217 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 9: from angry to. 218 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 3: Really, really fat. 219 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 9: She started thinking it was because of her that she 220 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 9: wasn't enough. And I didn't cry when she was here, 221 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 9: but as soon as she left, I cried, I think 222 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 9: for two days straight because. 223 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 1: She hated herself. 224 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 9: You know, like we did have plans to go and 225 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 9: need some friends, but she didn't want to go because 226 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 9: she didn't want people to think she was a loser, 227 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 9: and a loser turned into ugly, a loser turned into fat. 228 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 9: She's none of those things. Her self esteem, I mean, 229 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 9: the saddest part is the effect it had. No matter 230 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 9: how many times you say that it wasn't her fault, 231 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 9: she couldn't hear it. It was so sad just to 232 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 9: watch someone who was so beautiful and vibrant and confident 233 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 9: and smart turn into someone so small or thought that 234 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 9: they were so small and unlovable. 235 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: Christy remembered something from a past conversation she had with 236 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: Spencer at a dinner party. 237 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 9: I had asked Spence and his friend. I said, you know, 238 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 9: do you guys ever get nervous with the young girls 239 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 9: these days? And Spencer had this look on his face 240 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 9: because he was being thoughtful about it. And Spence said, well, 241 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 9: I never meet any of my students alone. I do. 242 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 9: I always have the door open. But there was a 243 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 9: pause there that made me think. It didn't make me 244 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 9: pause because I thought he had done something, but it 245 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 9: made me pause because I thought he wasn't saying something 246 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 9: he wanted to say. And I'm not gonna lie. That 247 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 9: was the first time that I thought, say it's Spence Spence. 248 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: Never made bail, and although all of his friends and 249 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: family knew that he was incarcerated for sexual assault with 250 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: a student, he was determined to stay in touch and 251 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: make amends however he could. 252 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 9: Jennifer mentioned that he wanted to write me an email 253 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 9: if he wants us all to love him. He has 254 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,640 Speaker 9: this need for everyone to love him. He wants to 255 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 9: send emails and talk about how he's found God and 256 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 9: all of this stuff. And I was like, don't bother, 257 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 9: It's never going to happen. He's insane. Nothing he says 258 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 9: is true. 259 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: Jennifer wouldturn home to Actworth to pick up the pieces. 260 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: The next casualty of Spencer's crimes. Jennifer's day to day 261 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: life life Spencer's income, all that household money was lost. 262 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: On top of that, her work was suffering from a 263 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: lack of sleep and horrible stress. She had spent a 264 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: lifetime building a reputation as a dependable and highly skilled producer, 265 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: but coworkers could see that she was distracted. Finally, there 266 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 1: would be the cost of a divorce attorney, and eventually 267 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: she had to sell her home. The house that jen 268 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: and Spen's bought together represented much more than their marriage. 269 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: Jen's sister understood it symbolized something greater stability. 270 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 9: Growing up after my parents divorced, we moved around a 271 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 9: lot when we were younger. My sister Jennifer, John and 272 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 9: I my brother John. We were all very close, but 273 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 9: we also were always going into different schools twelve different 274 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 9: schools before eighth grade. Was kind of just needing to survive. 275 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 9: For Jennifer, she always wanted a home. She wanted to 276 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 9: stay in one place. She wanted a house. She wanted 277 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 9: the white picket fence because we didn't have that. 278 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 5: You can't hide from the reality when those bills are due. Here, 279 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 5: I have a mortgage on a home we just bought together. 280 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 5: As hard as I tried, I can't make ends meet. 281 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: Jennifer was broke and practically homeless. Her friends offered up 282 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 1: their basement apartment rent free, and she accepted. It was humiliating. 283 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: She was starting over all over. And then there was Spence. 284 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 1: She was done with him. He was behind bars, but 285 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: he had nothing. Even after everything that he had done 286 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: to her. She couldn't live with the thought of him 287 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: not having toothpaste or deodorant. She was not that kind 288 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 1: of person. 289 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 5: He's still a human being, and he at the time 290 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 5: is my husband. I'd put money in his commissary account, 291 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 5: but it was never a lot. It was like maybe 292 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 5: twenty dollars here and there. 293 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: As Bence's sentencing date got closer, he appealed to his 294 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: friends and family, which included Jen's close social circle, asking 295 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: them to write letters on his behalf. He asked Jennifer 296 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: to pass a message onto the group. Here's an excerpt 297 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: from the letter. 298 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:37,239 Speaker 7: Dear Villagers, I'm a man who comes to you with 299 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 7: a humble heart and zero pride for all of the 300 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 7: obvious reasons. I am not asking for your forgiveness because 301 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 7: I'm not there yet and I don't deserve that anyway. 302 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 7: I am asking for your help. However, why am I 303 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 7: doing this. It's because I am fighting for my life. 304 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 7: It's because I have clearly never been in such a 305 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 7: place of need. But I am now. What I did 306 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 7: to Jennifer and how I treated our marriage is something 307 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,919 Speaker 7: that I cannot only never fix, but also something I 308 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 7: cannot ever apologize enough for doing. I will never be 309 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 7: able to give back to her the things that I 310 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 7: have taken. My only hope is that she moves on 311 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 7: from this life bomb that I dropped on her as 312 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,959 Speaker 7: soon as she possibly can. I am coming to you because, 313 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 7: despite how horrible I was to Jennifer, I hope and 314 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 7: pray that you don't see me as the person the 315 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 7: media and my charges are making me out to be. 316 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 7: I hope that the Spencer you know or knew is 317 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 7: not that person that has been described. For my upcoming 318 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 7: arraignment hearing, I'm asking people who know me to consider 319 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 7: writing a character reference letter to be given to my 320 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 7: judge and the DA. Obviously, I'm wanting to get out 321 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 7: of jail as soon as possible. You all know, of course, 322 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 7: that the three kids are all in college, and I 323 00:19:57,640 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 7: am desperate to get out so that I can support 324 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 7: them in every way emotionally, spiritually, parentally, and financially. What 325 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 7: it will do for my case, I believe will be 326 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 7: so very important. I wish you all the very best, 327 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:15,120 Speaker 7: and thank you for being such an incredible friend to Jennifer. 328 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,120 Speaker 7: Much love, Thanks Spencer. 329 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 5: He brings up the kids. That is when my blood 330 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 5: started to boil. That is his first thing that he tried, 331 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 5: using those kids, he says, I hope you remember the 332 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 5: person that you know and not the one that the 333 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:43,719 Speaker 5: media is making me out to be. Well, he is 334 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 5: the person the media is making them out to be. 335 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 5: It's all true. 336 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 1: Several people did write letters of support for Spencer, but 337 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: none of them were the Villagers. Sentencing day came without 338 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:00,120 Speaker 1: much warning. 339 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 5: I had planned to go and sit in the back. 340 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 5: Jill planned to go with me and says she would 341 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:13,360 Speaker 5: hold my hand. But I wanted to go, not as 342 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 5: support for him, but just to witness everything and hear 343 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 5: it for myself. Unfortunately, the court date came up all 344 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 5: of a sudden and there wasn't any preparation for it. 345 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,719 Speaker 1: Spenser pled guilty to five counts of sexual assault by 346 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: a teacher. For each count, he was sentenced to twenty years, 347 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: with five years to be served in confinement, serving them concurrently, 348 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: he was going to state prison. 349 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 5: I'm pretty sure that the evidence was stacked way way 350 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 5: against him. As soon as it was over, he called me. 351 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 5: He said he asked to say something to the victim's 352 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 5: pa parents and the mom said, we don't want to 353 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 5: hear anything you have to say. 354 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 10: You know. 355 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 5: He went into all of this thinking, I am an 356 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 5: eagle scout, I'm in the Air Force reserves, I'm a 357 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:22,479 Speaker 5: school teacher. I was Teacher of the Year. I'm a 358 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 5: great dad. Look at these people that are speaking on 359 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:35,919 Speaker 5: my behalf. And it didn't work. He couldn't talk his 360 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 5: way out of it. 361 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 3: This time. 362 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: There was one very small consolation. Spencer could be sentenced 363 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: under the first Offender Statute. The intent of the law 364 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:48,360 Speaker 1: was to give first time offenders a chance to learn 365 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: from their mistake and move on with their lives out 366 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 1: the burden of a conviction. 367 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:58,360 Speaker 5: The benefit is that after the twenty years everything will 368 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 5: be wiped off his record, so he will not be 369 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 5: considered a felon anymore. He can vote again and the 370 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 5: slate is white clean for him. Having that title of 371 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 5: first defender was like, you know, a notch on his belt, 372 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:17,439 Speaker 5: I think. 373 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: But remember how he took the student into a hotel 374 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: that was not in Cobb County but in Cherokee County, 375 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: a different jurisdiction. Spender was indicted for that charge several 376 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 1: months later. On July fifth, twenty nineteen. 377 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 5: After he'd been sent to prison, they woke him up 378 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 5: in the middle of the night to transport him from 379 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 5: Wilcox Prison back up to Cherokee County to have a 380 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 5: hearing for that case. He was really disappointed because he 381 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,400 Speaker 5: didn't think that they were going to move forward with that. 382 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 5: So just by picking a hotel that happened to be 383 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 5: in another county, he got another twenty year sentence for. 384 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: Cherokee County's District Attorney, Spencer Hearn wasn't a first time offender. 385 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: He was now a repeat offender. You would no longer 386 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,199 Speaker 1: qualify for first offender status. Cherokee County gave them the 387 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: same sentence also to run concurrently. Upon release, Spencer Hearn 388 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: will have to register as a sex offender. Cobb County 389 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: District Attorney Flynn Brody Jr. 390 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 10: As a sexual predator. That is a scarlet letter for 391 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 10: the rest of your life. It'll limit the types of 392 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 10: jobs he can have. It'll limit the places that they 393 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 10: can live. They'll have to report everywhere they go. Anytime 394 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 10: they cross state lines, they have to report that they're 395 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 10: sexual predator in that particular state. It really limits them 396 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 10: as far as their future is concerned, and rightfully so, 397 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 10: because we know they're a predator and they have to 398 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 10: be controlled. 399 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: The court proceedings, the apology letters from Spencer, they were 400 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 1: all distractions. Most days after the arrest, Jennifer was alone 401 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 1: with her thoughts. She was simmering in the sadness, fury, 402 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: and trauma of this massive betrayal. How did she get here? 403 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 1: A successful, confident, secure woman with everything was now just 404 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 1: fighting to get through every day. 405 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 9: None of this had anything to do with her. She 406 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 9: had not done anything wrong at all, and this horrible 407 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 9: thing happened to her. 408 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 1: Jen needed to put all the pieces together. She needed 409 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: to make sense of it all. Jennifer was tormented by 410 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: the spends she didn't know, by the women that were 411 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 1: involved with him, especially the high school student. But she 412 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: didn't want to sit at home with her trauma buried 413 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: under the covers, hiding from the world, so she decided 414 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,160 Speaker 1: to confront it, to go out and meet the other 415 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,919 Speaker 1: people who had been impacted by spends us her instead 416 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: of hiding. She wanted to know everything about who she 417 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: married and what he had done. For the past eleven years, 418 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: Jennifer had been living in a sea of lies. Now 419 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 1: she wanted the truth that would be the start of 420 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:23,119 Speaker 1: her healing. On the next episode of Betrayal, Jennifer meets 421 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:27,640 Speaker 1: with Spencer's most vulnerable victim, his former student. The young 422 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,120 Speaker 1: woman in her twenties now is breaking her silence. 423 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 3: I'm shaking. 424 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 6: Yeah you too. 425 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 1: If you'd like to reach out to the Betrayal team, 426 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,680 Speaker 1: email us at Betrayal Pod at gmail dot com. That's 427 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: Betrayal Pod at gmail dot com. Betrayal is a production 428 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:53,199 Speaker 1: of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group, in 429 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:56,879 Speaker 1: partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show was executive produced by 430 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,159 Speaker 1: Nancy Glass and Jennifer Fason, hosted and produced by me 431 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:04,719 Speaker 1: Andrea Gunning, written and produced by Kerry Hartman, also produced 432 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: by Ben Fetterman. Our iHeart team is Ali Perry and 433 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:12,640 Speaker 1: Jessica Crinchick. Special thanks to voice actor Todd Gans. Sound 434 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: editing and mixing done by Mount Tavecchio. Betrayal's theme was 435 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 1: composed by Oliver Baines. Music library provided by my Music 436 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: and For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, 437 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.