1 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone. Before we start this episode, I want to 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: let you know that this one includes some graphic descriptions 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: of pregnancy loss, including both abortion and miscarriage. This episode 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: also mentioned suicide and includes allegations of sexual assault and 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: domestic violence. When Clayton Eckered walked into the courtroom for 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: his June tenth trial against Laura Owens, he wasn't alone. 7 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: The room was packed with supportive family, friends, and dedicated 8 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: content creators like Dave Neil. 9 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 2: There were fifty people in the courtroom in ten thousand online. 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: Clayton says having that support actually calmed his nerves. 11 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 3: I wasn't nervous because it's bigger than me. 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: It was bigger than him. There were two people in 13 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: the courtroom that day who'd been in Clayton's shoes. They'd 14 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: been subpoena to test because they'd been through something similar 15 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: with Laura Owens. The first Greg Gillespie. 16 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 3: Is he in the courtroom today? 17 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: Yes, you already know Greg's story, but there was a 18 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: third man in court supporting Clayton. When Clayton got on 19 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: the stand, his attorney took a moment to point out 20 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: the two witnesses. 21 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 3: You're aware that she's filed orders of protection against two 22 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 3: other individuals seated in the back of the courtland correct, 23 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 3: what's correct? 24 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 4: Yes, they are on the left, Greg Gillespie and Michael Marantini. 25 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 1: Time ran out before Clayton's lawyers could call either witness. 26 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: But that wasn't the point. 27 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 5: All you need to do is just acknowledge that they exist, 28 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 5: because then the judge sees it and goes these guys 29 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 5: showed up. 30 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 3: There's three of them. This corrob rates the. 31 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: Story that clearly this woman is at fault and she's 32 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: not going to stop. 33 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: As you know, the judge sided with Clayton. She went 34 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: so far as to recommend that the County Attorney's office 35 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: review Laura's actions to determine if they warranted criminal charges. 36 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: It was a win for Clayton and for both of 37 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: the men who'd come prepared to testify that day. One 38 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: of them has been working to clear his name for 39 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: almost a decade, and his story may be the most 40 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: disturbing of them all. 41 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 3: My name is Mike Marriccini. I dated Laura for a 42 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 3: year and a half. 43 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: I'm Stephanie Young, and this is love trapped. 44 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 3: There's no way you'd better believe. 45 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 1: I'll be raising Holy Helmas if you ever, ever, ever, ever. 46 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 6: Trastic. 47 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: Six years before Laura Owens met Clay and Eckered and 48 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: four years before she met Greg Gillespie, she was living 49 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: in San Francisco and was swiping on dating apps, which 50 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:09,399 Speaker 1: is how she met Mike Marraccini. 51 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 3: When I think back on what originally made me swipe right, 52 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 3: there was a photo of her in like a plaid shirt, 53 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 3: jean shorts. She looks like almost like a little country girl, 54 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 3: and she looked really cute. You didn't see a lot 55 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 3: of that in the Bay Area. Her bio mentioned that 56 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 3: she was a big animal lover, which I've always grown 57 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 3: up around animals, and that was attractive to me. 58 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: So they started messaging and made plans to meet up 59 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: for a drink. 60 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 3: Our first few dates were actually really fun. We had 61 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 3: a lot in common. I actually thought, you know, maybe 62 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 3: this individual is a little on the nervous side or 63 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 3: timid side, But I gave everybody an opportunity. 64 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: Within a few dates, they discovered they had mutual friends. 65 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: Says he's not a bridge burner. He generally avoids conflict. 66 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: Every woman he dated he tried to leave on friendly terms. 67 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 3: With That's how I always viewed our relationship as, hey, 68 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 3: if it doesn't work out as a loving relationship, maybe 69 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 3: we can be friendly with one another, because we did 70 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 3: have a lot of similar friend. 71 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: Groups back then. Mike and Laura were both in their 72 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: late twenties. He was dating around, hoping to find the 73 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: right person to settle down with. During the early days 74 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: of their relationship, Mike saw a side of Laura we 75 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: haven't heard much about. 76 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 3: She was really thoughtful. She was always picking up baked 77 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 3: goods and bringing him over. She was always just thinking about, 78 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 3: you know, fun things to do and what we could 79 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 3: possibly do, and then really asking a lot about my family. 80 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: But within a few months, that side of Laura was 81 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: replaced by something else, intense control, guilt trips, broken promises, 82 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: and constant medical crises. 83 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 3: I know what. 84 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 7: This woman is capable of, and though she might be 85 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 7: small and stature, she's got a pattern of behavior that 86 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 7: is just diabolical. 87 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 1: In this episode, we're telling Mike Marriccini's story. It's a 88 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: standout in this case, mostly because he dated her for 89 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 1: a year and a half. He knows Laura much better 90 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 1: than Clayton or Greg ever did. Mike says their relationship 91 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: left him with lifelong psychological scars. It also tells us 92 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: a lot about who Laura Owens is. It answers some 93 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: of the big questions I've grappled with since I started reporting, 94 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 1: like what's her endgame? Why does she do this? And 95 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: maybe most interesting of all, what does her family know. 96 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: If you're one of the people who's been following the 97 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: Laura Owens story from the beginning, then you might remember 98 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: that in twenty twenty five, Mike Maruccini was featured on 99 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: Inside Edition. 100 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 8: This man says he's been living a nightmare after the 101 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 8: woman he dated falsely accused him of fathering twins. 102 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: Inside Edition was only able to tell a fraction of 103 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: the story that we'll be telling, but their coverage was 104 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: a turning point for Mike. He wasn't hiding anymore. He 105 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: wanted to tell the truth about what he'd been through 106 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: with Laura Owens. 107 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 8: According to Michael, after he broke up with Laura Owens, 108 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 8: he says, she came up with a news story that 109 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 8: he had abused her. That claim totally up ended Michael's life. 110 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: When Mike looks back on his relationship with Laura, he 111 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: can now see some of the early red flags. 112 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 3: On the third day, she said that her father was 113 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 3: terminally ill and she wanted him to meet me just 114 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 3: in case something was never happened to him. 115 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: When Mike was thirteen, his father passed away from lung cancer. 116 00:06:57,720 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 3: Which she brought up to me that her father was. 117 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 3: I said, I would give everything for just one more 118 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 3: day with my dad, And I said that. 119 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: Really early on, but the idea of meeting Laura's parents 120 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: intimidated Mike. They were local celebrities, both well known San 121 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: Francisco radio personalities. Her dad's show, The Ron Owens Report, 122 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: had been on the air for over thirty years. 123 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 3: They were pretty notorious in the Bay Area. 124 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: After their third date, Mike agreed to go to dinner 125 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: with Laura's parents. This was his introduction to the unique 126 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: Owen's family dynamic. 127 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 3: When I first met her father, people were coming up 128 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 3: to this individual NonStop. Everybody would recognize them right when 129 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 3: you would walk in, and they would get like VIP treatment. 130 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: Mike noticed that Ron Owens seemed to like the attention. 131 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 3: You had, like major A list celebrities approaching him, and 132 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 3: he talked about how close he was with like Bob 133 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 3: Sagett's and George Lopez all these big names were coming 134 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 3: up to him, wanting to get a photo with him 135 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 3: and wanting to hang out with him for the night. 136 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 3: I come to our table. 137 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: After that night, Laura seemed to be much more attached. 138 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: Every evening she would prefer to spend with me rather 139 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 3: than do her own thing with friends. 140 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: Laura started saying she was in love with him. 141 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 3: I noticed that was like the first initial red flag, 142 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 3: considering I'd only known her for a month, and she's 143 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 3: just way too into this. She's already throwing out like 144 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 3: the love's word, and she's just way too emotionally involved, 145 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 3: and I'm just not there. 146 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: He started distancing himself, taking longer to reply to her texts, 147 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: pushing back their next date. You know, the stuff you 148 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: do when you're getting ready to break up with someone. 149 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: Then came Mike's twenty ninth birthday. He planned to spend 150 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: the weekend away with friends. That's where he was when 151 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: he got the message that changed everything. 152 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 3: I get the text and just positive pregnancy tests. The 153 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 3: immediate thoughts are, oh my gosh, how is this possible? 154 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 3: Because we had really only had like protected sex. 155 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 1: It's the same thing that happened with Greg and Clayton. 156 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: Just as Mike began to pull away, Laura sent a 157 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: photo of a positive pregnancy test. 158 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 3: I immediately thought to myself, Oh my god, my life 159 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 3: is over. Not about having a child, but who I'm 160 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 3: having a child with. She knew I was falling away. 161 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 3: I knew that this person wasn't right for me anymore, 162 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 3: and I knew that I didn't want to have a 163 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 3: long term relationship with her. So immediately it was a 164 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:38,439 Speaker 3: pit in my stomach. I felt sick. 165 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: But then he thought about how scared Laura must be 166 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: and decided to put his own feelings aside. The breakup 167 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: could wait. 168 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 3: I wanted to support her at the time. I thought 169 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 3: she was going to be going through an abortion. It's 170 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 3: gonna be really difficult. 171 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: Mike made plans to meet with Laura the next day. 172 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 3: She then has us do a meeting with her parents 173 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 3: because they want to talk to me. 174 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 1: The four of them sat down together at a restaurant. 175 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: Mike was on pins and needles. 176 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 3: We're at it's like a little Italian dinner, and I 177 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 3: told her family, like, hey, this is just not the 178 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 3: right time. Like we don't know each other well enough. 179 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 3: We've known each other for two and a half months, 180 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 3: like it's it's just not enough time, and they said like, hey, 181 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 3: thank you, we respect that you came forward to us. 182 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 3: I remember jam grabbing my hand during the conversation. She 183 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 3: put her hand over the top of mind said thank 184 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 3: you for being such a kind individual, for being stand up, 185 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 3: and we really appreciate you being by her throughout this journey. 186 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 3: Now that I think back, it's such an odd scene, 187 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,439 Speaker 3: but I felt like they really cared. At the time, the. 188 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 1: Whole conversation with her parents felt like a minefield, especially 189 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: because her dad was sick. Mike offered to go with 190 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: Laura when she got the abortion. She said she would 191 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: schedule it as soon as she could. It was settled. 192 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 3: I felt relieved that we were on the same page, 193 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 3: and so my expectations were that she would have an 194 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 3: abortion based off of the conversation we had with her family. 195 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: Soon after, he got a text from Laura's dad. We've 196 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: had that text read by a voice actor. 197 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,439 Speaker 2: Hi, Mike. I was thinking last night that it's been 198 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 2: unexpected and wonderful to feel as if I've gained someone 199 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 2: like a son. At this point in my life, I 200 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: feel very blessed. Please always treat Laura, will I know 201 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 2: she really does like you. 202 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:38,719 Speaker 1: Mike thought it was a strange message, but Ron was 203 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 1: sick with cancer. It made the impending breakup feel even 204 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: more difficult. 205 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 3: I was like, oh my god, I was just about 206 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 3: to split up with her, Like, how do I do that? 207 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: That's when Mike made a simple, careless mistake. 208 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 3: So I screenshoted her dad's text because I wanted to 209 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 3: send it to my mom and myr and I wrote 210 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 3: under the screenshot something along the lines of how am 211 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 3: I supposed to break up with her now? But I 212 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 3: guess I was in a rush and I was rattled, 213 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 3: and I accidentally sent that text in screenshot to Laura directly. 214 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 3: Right when I went through. I had like a pit 215 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 3: in my stomach. 216 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:24,239 Speaker 1: It's nightmare fuel. He watched Laura's three dots appear, disappear, 217 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 1: and appear again, and. 218 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 3: I'll never forget. She responded and said, is that for me? 219 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 3: I told her that was not meant for her and 220 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 3: it was a wrong text. 221 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 1: In the moment, Laura didn't have a big reaction. She 222 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: seemed to accept his explanation that it was a simple mistake. 223 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 3: I don't know how I talked to myself out of that. 224 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: Mike thought he pulled it off. Crisis averted feeling spared, 225 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: but he was very wrong. 226 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 3: Me sending the screenshot was the instance that triggered her 227 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 3: to try and lock me in. 228 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 1: On July seventh, twenty sixteen, Laura claimed the soonest her 229 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: doctor could provide an abortion was the following week. The 230 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: next day, she had a new plan an appointment for 231 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: July twelfth, but the day before the procedure, Laura texted 232 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 1: Mike saying she didn't feel right. Then she sent another text, 233 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: which we've had read by a voice actor. 234 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 9: I'm not feeling comfortable about tomorrow. I'm feeling very insecure 235 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 9: and embarrassed. 236 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: Now, she said she still wanted to go through with it, 237 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: but just needed a few more days to prepare herself. 238 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: To Mike, this sounded perfectly reasonable. Laura made an appointment 239 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: at Planned Parenthood for the next week. She wanted to 240 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: go with her mom, but after her appointment, Laura told 241 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: Mike the doctor couldn't perform the procedure. She'd need to 242 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: come back the following Friday. It's normal for people to 243 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: go to appointments like these and change their mind, but 244 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: in Laura's case, she claimed it was the doctor who 245 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: couldn't perform the abortion. 246 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 3: I remember her saying that she couldn't get the abortion 247 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 3: that day, and I just kind of went with it 248 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 3: because one being a man and not wanting to push 249 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 3: her to where I was forcing her to do something 250 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 3: that she didn't want to do. 251 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: Two days after this appointment, Laura sent Mike a text. 252 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: We've had a voice actor read it. I think it 253 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: speaks to Laura's motivations. 254 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 9: I went to delete my league in bumble apps. Call 255 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 9: me sentimental, but I wanted to screenshot our conversation since 256 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 9: it had led to something special between us. So imagine 257 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 9: how I felt when I saw you had updated the 258 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 9: info section of your profile when I clicked on your name. 259 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 1: Laura must have been checking the dating app where they 260 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: met to see if Mike was active. The truth was, 261 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 1: Mike already had one foot out the door, especially after 262 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: the text he'd accidentally sent Laura. He assumed she knew 263 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: what was coming. In his mind, he was just staying 264 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: for a few weeks while she went through the abortion process. 265 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: And yes, in the meantime, he dusted off his dating profile. 266 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 3: I added a photo, a new updated photo that I 267 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 3: had just recently took and she was very upset. 268 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: Mike says he wasn't meeting up with anyone, but just 269 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: seeing that he was preparing to use the apps again 270 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: made Laura spiral. Her text continued, I don't really. 271 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 9: Even know what to think or feel. I spent my 272 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 9: morning trying to work on seeing if I could expedite 273 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 9: the abortion process somehow, because you told me how stressed 274 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 9: out you were feeling yesterday and I wanted to help 275 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 9: you out. I booked a consultation with a new relationship 276 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 9: therapist to work on my trust issues because I didn't 277 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 9: feel like you deserved anything but my absolute best, and 278 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 9: because your integrity is so important to you. My parents 279 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 9: individually called me today to tell me how well you 280 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 9: fit in our family. I'm really trying to be the 281 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 9: best person I can be for you, and see that 282 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 9: you're updating your profile, so I guess wanting to see 283 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 9: if someone better is out there hurts me beyond words. 284 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: Mike owned up to it. He admitted he'd updated his profile, 285 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: explaining that it was a direct result of the issues 286 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: they'd been through lately. He tried to reassure her, promising 287 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: he wasn't actually talking to anyone else and apologized for 288 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: hurting her feelings. The next day, he was slow to 289 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: respond to her. That was until the evening when she 290 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: texted saying she might be having a miscarriage. He replied 291 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: to that right away and helped her triage the situation. 292 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: They texted back and forth for a while before Laura 293 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: determined it was a false alarm. Mike, who didn't have 294 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: a medical background, was just trying to be there for 295 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: emotional support, but his energy was flagging. He was exhausted, 296 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: so he told her he was signing off and asked 297 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: her to please not call for the rest of the 298 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: night unless it was a medical emergency. I'm sure you 299 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 1: can guess where this is going. These are Laura's text 300 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: to him that night, read by a voice actor. 301 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,199 Speaker 9: Are you still my partner? Do you want to be 302 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,680 Speaker 9: with me? I genuinely love you. I hope you feel better. 303 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 9: My mom's here trying to determine if it's an emergency 304 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 9: or if we should wait and see. I know what 305 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 9: signs to look for if it's getting worse, but hopefully 306 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 9: no miscarriage. We're on the way to the hospital not 307 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 9: doing well. Can you give me a quick call so 308 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 9: I can update you. It's actually super important. 309 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 1: When they connected the next morning, Laura told him the 310 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: pregnancy was okay after all. In fact, she'd found out 311 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: that she could be pregnant with twins. Through July and 312 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: into August, Laura claimed she kept trying and failing to 313 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: get an abortion. 314 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 3: It was always for a different reason of why we 315 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 3: had to wait. 316 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: But then on August second, she told Mike she just 317 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: received a surgical abortion at Planned Parenthood. She sent him 318 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: a document on Planned Parenthood letterhead, stating that she was 319 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: no longer pregnant. You might think that's the end of it, 320 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 1: but it wasn't, because a few days later, Laura claimed 321 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: the surgical abortion hadn't worked. It's impossible to tell this 322 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 1: part of the story in a linear or logical way, 323 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 1: because over the next few months, Laura sent Mike a 324 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:33,159 Speaker 1: barrage of contradictory, hard to believe medical information. Here are 325 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: some of the things she told him, with her texts 326 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: being read by a voice actor. 327 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:41,439 Speaker 9: I left my appointment yesterday being super upset because my 328 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 9: doctor won't confirm that the abortion was successful. I'm guessing 329 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 9: she can't from a legal standpoint until I get more 330 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 9: tests done. It's extremely stressful on me and I just 331 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 9: need some support. I'm completely stressed. I took another at 332 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 9: home test that was positive today. You are with me tonight, correct. 333 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 9: I may have to take a pill. I have a tilted, 334 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 9: retroverted uterus, which makes it complete abortion harder apparently, which 335 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:15,239 Speaker 9: is why I'm having these horrible symptoms. Not ideal to 336 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 9: have to take mifipristone on my mom's b day. I'm 337 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 9: trying to do the right thing. 338 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: Mike was overwhelmed with updates. He didn't understand how any 339 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: of this could be possible, but at the same time, 340 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,400 Speaker 1: it never crossed his mind that a person would lie 341 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 1: about something this serious. 342 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 3: It was very confusing for me at the time. I remember, 343 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 3: in total, she had told me she had two pregnancies 344 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 3: and six abortion attempts were made. 345 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: In mid August, Laura told him her doctors had a 346 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: new diagnosis. 347 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 3: She says she had cancer. 348 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 1: Oh vary in cancer. Laura said the doctors wanted to 349 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 1: operate immediately. 350 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 3: She was going through this process of saying that she 351 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 3: was having are over removed, so I said, like, please 352 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 3: send me the doctor's notes. She sent me like some 353 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 3: test results with some members saying that she had cancer, 354 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 3: and I originally googled it and I said, like, that 355 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 3: doesn't make sense. 356 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: This began a strange three way communication between Mike, Laura, 357 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: and Laura's doctor. Laura sent Mike's questions to her doctor 358 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: through a platform called my Chart, and then Laura sent 359 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: back the screenshots of the doctor's replies. I've seen these messages. 360 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: Some of them are mind boggling. 361 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 3: Then she had this doctor since she respond to me 362 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 3: and say, no, you're wrong. Laura's right, she definitely has cancer. 363 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 3: You need to be a better boyfriend. She's told me 364 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 3: that you haven't been supportive and she's going to be 365 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 3: needing your support. 366 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: This reply, allegedly from Laura's doctor, would become an exhibit 367 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: in a later domestic violence restraining order case involving Mike 368 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: and Laura. We'll talk about that case later, but for now, 369 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: we've had a voice actor read some of the note 370 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: Laura sent him, which again she claimed was written by 371 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: her doctor. 372 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 10: Thank you for your email. I am sorry you're going 373 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 10: through such a rough time right now and will do 374 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 10: my best to help you through it. I read the 375 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 10: messages you sent me from your boyfriend and will answer 376 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 10: his questions Stage one A is without a doubt, considered 377 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 10: to be true cancer and something that we take very seriously. 378 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 10: You were correct, Laura, that this cancer is found only 379 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 10: in one ovary. He is incorrect in his saying that 380 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 10: this means you just might have malignant cancer cells. Please 381 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 10: tell him that, yes, I have diagnosed you with real 382 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 10: ovarian cancer, not something that just may be there. I 383 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:51,679 Speaker 10: am not sure what is meant by the message you 384 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:55,360 Speaker 10: forwarded that says I would only be diagnosing it if 385 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 10: it were something other than stage one A. That is 386 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 10: a very real and simply means it has not spread 387 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 10: beyond your right ovary. I recommend looking at the American 388 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 10: Cancer Society's website page for more information. In addition, you 389 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 10: can let him know that your diagnosis and treatment has 390 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 10: been complicated by your pregnancy, which on its own has 391 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 10: been extremely difficult and unusual. I would strongly encourage him 392 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 10: to change his attitude and support you at this time. 393 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:27,399 Speaker 10: I sincerely hope things get better. 394 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: This wasn't the physical proof Mike had been expecting. 395 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 3: Why is this so worthy coming from a doctor? They're 396 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 3: always so short with me, Like I spend no more 397 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 3: than forty five seconds in a doctor's office, and they're kicking 398 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 3: me out now. 399 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: I need to say something here. You won't be surprised 400 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: to learn that Mike was later dragged into a legal 401 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: battle with Laura Owens. When Mike was deposed in twenty eighteen, 402 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: he didn't include any information about Laura claiming to have cancer. 403 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: I asked him why he didn't tell the courts about 404 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: this back then, and Mike told me there were so 405 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:03,160 Speaker 1: many claims Laura made during their relationship that he honestly 406 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: forgot about the cancer. He also said that for a 407 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 1: long time he truly believed her alleged cancer diagnosis was real. 408 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: The message Laura forwarded Mike allegedly from a doctor Chan 409 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: at Sutter Health was later authenticated by a digital forensic expert, 410 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: meaning Mike didn't fabricate the doctor's message. The subject line 411 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 1: of the email is ovarian cancer parentheses Owens. During the 412 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: June tenth, twenty twenty four trial with Clayton Eckered, Laura 413 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,360 Speaker 1: was asked about this cancer diagnosis, and she vehemently denied it. 414 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 6: Be so as you. 415 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: Also failed to tell me that in twenty sixteen, doctors 416 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 1: Chan and Yee diagnosed you with cancer. 417 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 11: They did not Okay, so as you say here today, 418 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 11: you're denying. 419 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 4: That that happened. 420 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 11: I will absolutely deny that that happened. 421 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: Interestingly, in her deposition with Greg Woodnick during Clayton's case, 422 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: Laura mentioned the same doctor named on this note, doctor Chan. 423 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: And this time she tells the court doctor Chan treated 424 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: her for potential pre cancer in your. 425 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 4: Medical records, which we're going to talk about as we 426 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 4: get to exhibits you mentioned having. 427 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 3: I'm going to butcher this. 428 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 4: I'm sorry, polycystic ovary syndrome. 429 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 3: Correct. Who's your doctor that treats you for that? 430 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 11: That would be nobg y N. But I haven't established 431 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 11: regular enough care with an obgyn. But I was treated 432 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 11: for the PCOS in San Francisco by. 433 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 3: A provider who is the provider in San Francisco. 434 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 11: I was treated by doctor uh Chan. He is uh 435 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 11: uh a kind of called kind of called just for 436 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 11: uh He's like a specialized one for fertility. No he's not. 437 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 11: He's for cancer. Okay, yeah, for cancer. They thought that 438 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 11: I might have pre cancer for for ovarian cancering else 439 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 11: but that's I just can't She recalled. The last time 440 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 11: you saw a doctor Chan uh maybe twenty sixteen. 441 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: At the end of August twenty sixteen, Laura allegedly told 442 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: Mike Marriccini she had a surgery to remove her right ovary. 443 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: She texted Michael letter from Sutter Health dated August thirty first, 444 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen. It appears to confirm that she had her 445 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: right ovary surgically removed. This letter would become an exhibit 446 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: in that same restraining order case we mentioned earlier. Once 447 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: Laura was back home recovering from the surgery, she reached 448 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 1: out to Mike. 449 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 3: Laura had been texting me to please come by, like 450 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 3: she just went through a big operation. She was really sad. 451 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 3: She needed somebody there to be with her. 452 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:56,239 Speaker 1: As we said earlier, Mike's dad died of cancer when 453 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: he was a kid. Laura's request for him to come 454 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 1: be by her side as she recovered pulled on Mike's 455 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 1: heart strings. Despite everything that happened between them, Mike decided 456 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: to show up for Laura. 457 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 3: So I go over. There's like an ice pack on 458 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 3: her head. 459 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: But Laura wasn't alone. Her mom, jan Black was with. 460 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 3: Her mom's icing her Laura abdomen. 461 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: Immediately the scene felt off to Mike. There was no 462 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: hospital bracelet, no medication bottles, and as he looked closer, 463 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 1: no abdominal swelling, no bruising, no wound at all. He 464 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: blurted it out. 465 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 3: Where are your lacerations? Like, there's nothing here, there's no bandages, 466 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:44,199 Speaker 3: there's nothing. Her mom started to speak, and she's like, Oh, 467 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 3: they don't have to do that. 468 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: Laura and her mom, Jan explained that the surgery is 469 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: done through the vagina with no visible external incision. 470 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 3: I said, WHOA, There's no way she's lying about this. 471 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 3: No way. Her mom is gaslighting me right now about 472 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 3: her daughter having cancer. 473 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 1: During Mike's relationship with Laura, her parents, Ron Owens and 474 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: Jan Black were major players. 475 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 3: Her mom and dad would always pressure me to try 476 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,119 Speaker 3: and stand by Laura, like, our daughter is such a 477 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 3: good person, Why can't you just make this work. She's 478 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 3: going through so much, whether it's physical ailments, abortions, She's 479 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 3: doing all these things to try to make your relationship last. 480 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 1: The summer and fall of twenty sixteen had been incredibly chaotic. 481 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: Laura told him she'd had repeated abortion attempts and complications, 482 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: and now she was recovering from cancer surgery. 483 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 3: She told me they removed her right ovary and her 484 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:03,639 Speaker 3: mom was right there essentially operating at I remember saying 485 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 3: to her, I don't get what is happening. I don't 486 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 3: know how this is possible. 487 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: Mike knew all of this couldn't be accurate. He figured 488 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 1: there must be some exaggeration on Laura's part or a 489 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: game of telephone gone wrong between Laura and her doctors, 490 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: especially when it came to her cancer diagnosis. 491 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 3: She knows that my dad had passed away from cancer. 492 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 3: She knew that my stepfather currently had it. She said 493 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 3: that her father had it, and then I just I 494 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 3: couldn't even like wrap my head around it that somebody 495 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 3: wouldly about having cancer. 496 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: Since their third date, Laura had been telling Mike about 497 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 1: her father's cancer diagnosis, and to be transparent, we don't 498 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 1: have Ron's medical records. We can't say if he did 499 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: or did not have cancer during this time. What we 500 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: do know is that almost every time Mike started to 501 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: pull away from Laura, she told him about a new 502 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: crisis with her father's health. Here are some of the 503 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: texts from Laura to Mike read by a voice actor. 504 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 9: Doesn't seem great, but my dad got pulled from the 505 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,719 Speaker 9: air because they think he may be having a stroke. 506 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 9: So dealing with that, I'm in a really bad mood. 507 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 9: My dad went to the cardiologist and he said, my 508 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 9: dad has to have open heart surgery to replace his 509 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:24,959 Speaker 9: valve asap. He got the worst possible news. I think 510 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 9: we could have gotten this afternoon. 511 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: At the time, Mike believed that Ron's health was declining. 512 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 1: He could see it with his own eyes, but Ron 513 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: was still working full time in radio, hosting his daily 514 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: talk show. Then in December twenty sixteen, Ron presented Mike 515 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: with a career opportunity. 516 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 3: Laura's father thought that I had a good radio voice, 517 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 3: which I did not. 518 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: What Mike didn't have was a background in radio were broadcasting, 519 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: but he was in the middle of a career transition. 520 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 3: Ad would say to me, are radio stations looking for 521 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 3: people to like meet the next generation of individuals. They 522 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 3: want somebody who's young, who connects with like the millennials. 523 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: Ron took Mike and Laura out to dinner to discuss 524 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: the possibility with them. 525 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 3: So we're having dinner. Ron's bringing this up to me 526 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 3: and Laura then starts really pushing this radio gig. She's like, Okay, 527 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 3: I've talked with the station and the station really wants 528 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 3: us to talk about like a dating show. 529 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: Co Hosting a dating talk show with Laura was the 530 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: last thing Mike wanted to do. Then Ron mentioned the money. 531 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 3: The contract we're talking about with Laura is like quarter 532 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 3: of a million dollars a year, and you don't have 533 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 3: to work that much. It's maybe like a couple hours 534 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 3: a day. 535 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 1: Having eighteen years of radio experience myself, let me just 536 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: say these numbers are unheard of. In twenty sixteen, I 537 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: worked part time as on air radio talent in Chicago. 538 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: I worked my ass off, picking up every extra shift 539 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: I could, and I made about twenty grand that year. 540 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,760 Speaker 1: I had another full time job to supplement my income. 541 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: All that to say, no one new to the industry 542 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: is paid a quarter million to get on the mic. 543 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: The highest starting salaries for full time work in twenty 544 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 1: sixteen would be about sixty K. But Mike didn't know that, 545 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: and why would he question Ron Owens the voice of 546 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 1: San Francisco. That's how Mike found himself recording radio shows 547 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: like this one. 548 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 12: Hey guys, my name is Laura Owens and I am 549 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:39,040 Speaker 12: joined by my co host, Mike Marraccini. 550 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:41,560 Speaker 3: Like Feticini, it's kind of a ton. 551 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 11: Twista Marcini, like Fetacini. 552 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: That's how you guys need to remember his name. Mike 553 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: worked in real estate. He knew that radio was not 554 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: his forte. 555 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 3: I want to be very clear. It was terrible. 556 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: Apparently, Ron Owens and his agent thought the pilot was 557 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: solid gold. Mike wasn't exactly passionate about the radio show idea, 558 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 1: but the money on the table was too good to 559 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: pass up, so. 560 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 3: On the weekend start doing these radio things with Laura. 561 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 3: I looked at it as just another revenue string to 562 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 3: put myself ahead in life. 563 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 1: This was back before everybody had a podcast. The segments 564 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: they did never aired on the radio, but they were 565 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 1: posted online on the KGO website. That December, Ron and 566 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 1: Laura claimed the radio station wanted the duo to fly 567 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,719 Speaker 1: to Iceland for New Year's Eve to do a boots 568 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 1: on the Ground travel episode, all on the station's dime. 569 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 3: I was like, hey, free trip. I don't have to 570 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 3: stay with you. I'll have separate rooms. Let's go do this. 571 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: In the months since the abortions and cancer surgery, the 572 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: relationship had drifted apart. I've read Mike's texts with Laura. 573 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: During this time, he's distancing himself and asking for more 574 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: verification about her medical claims. Laura didn't handle this well. 575 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: She started texting Mike grand romantic overtures. We've had a 576 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: voice actor read one of those texts. 577 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 9: I love you so deeply there aren't words for it. 578 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 9: I will go to the end of the earth to 579 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 9: make your dreams become reality if you need me to. 580 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 9: I will be that reliable of a partner, not being 581 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 9: the one you have to worry about all the time. 582 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 9: I'm going to be the great Netflix and chill girl 583 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 9: hooking up in laningerie glacier, walking, spontaneous New Year's Eve, kissing, supportive, understanding, 584 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 9: co dog owner, and eventually wife that you deserve and 585 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 9: that is my life's mission that I will paint tomorrow. 586 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 9: I love you more than I ever have loved any 587 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 9: man in the world. 588 00:33:41,680 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: Mike responded to that text by saying that all sounds nice. 589 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: I know what makes you feel better to look ahead, 590 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 1: but you need to live in the present while you 591 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: get help. A few weeks before their trip to Iceland, 592 00:33:57,040 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 1: Mike asked Laura to stop telling people they were dating. 593 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 1: Apparently this upset Laura in a huge way. Mike says, 594 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:09,720 Speaker 1: she started talking about taking her own life. He encouraged 595 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:13,839 Speaker 1: her to get professional help. Then Laura's dad texted Mike 596 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: something alarming. We've had this text read by a voice actor. 597 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 2: We are desperate to get a hold of her and 598 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:24,440 Speaker 2: nothing yet. She said, you are talking. Can you please 599 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 2: respond to her? We need her back. 600 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:29,880 Speaker 1: Mike was done being in the middle of this triangle. 601 00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:33,719 Speaker 3: He told Laura, we need to have a meeting right now. 602 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:37,600 Speaker 1: He decided to bring a witness so he wasn't alone 603 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: with Laura. He picked up his sister's boyfriend now his 604 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,320 Speaker 1: brother in law, and when they arrived at Laura's house, 605 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 1: they saw that she'd brought a witness to her. 606 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:51,200 Speaker 3: Dad, Ron does the majority of the talking. He says, 607 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:55,319 Speaker 3: why are we here? So I clearly lay out why 608 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 3: we're all there. 609 00:34:56,920 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 1: Over the last nine months, Mike had been on a 610 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:05,800 Speaker 1: an emotional rollercoaster pregnancies, abortion's gone wrong, and an alleged 611 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:10,719 Speaker 1: cancer diagnosis. Mike didn't know what to believe anymore, so 612 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:12,360 Speaker 1: he told Laura and Ron the truth. 613 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 3: I feel like I've been lied to this entire time, 614 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,239 Speaker 3: and I would like an explanation of why I've been 615 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 3: lied to. 616 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: Mike's brother in law would sign a witness declaration testifying 617 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: to what he saw that day. We're not naming him 618 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 1: at his request, but that declaration would later become an 619 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:36,680 Speaker 1: exhibit in a restraining order case. Here's Mike's brother in 620 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 1: law reading from his foreign statement. 621 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:43,040 Speaker 13: During the meeting which your father, Ron Owens dared, mister 622 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:45,719 Speaker 13: Owens told Michael and his daughter had a tendency to 623 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 13: exaggerate or even flat out make things up. 624 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 1: He remembers being struck by Ron's nonchalance. 625 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:57,799 Speaker 13: He did indicate knowledge of her just being this way 626 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:02,839 Speaker 13: and doing this. This was a first rodeo, he'd been 627 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:03,880 Speaker 13: down this road before. 628 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:12,280 Speaker 1: At this point, Mike needed to state the obvious. Anything 629 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 1: romantic between him and Laura was over. 630 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 3: Laura then is crying because I'm breaking up with her. 631 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: Laura became inconsolable. That's when Ron pulled them aside. 632 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 13: He had this kind of smile, a weakened nod moment 633 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:30,240 Speaker 13: with Mike to get him to to no doub Laura. 634 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 1: Here's Mike's now brother in law reading another excerpt from 635 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 1: his witness declaration. 636 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:39,440 Speaker 13: Laura was complaining of depression and suicidal thoughts at the 637 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:44,320 Speaker 13: fear of her relationship with Michael ending, and was very distraught. 638 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,240 Speaker 1: Mike's brother in law signaled to him to just focus 639 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 1: on getting or calmed down. So Mike said what Laura 640 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 1: and Ron wanted him to. He agreed to stay with 641 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 1: her for the time being, even though everyone knew it 642 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: was just delaying the inevitable. 643 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:01,719 Speaker 13: He was doing what and playing nice for a couple 644 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 13: of weeks or a month so he can get his 645 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 13: daughter in the right state of mind. It wasn't like 646 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 13: You're gonna fall in love with my daughter and Mary 647 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,600 Speaker 13: or Ron was just asking him to give them some 648 00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:17,040 Speaker 13: time to get her help and get her in a 649 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 13: better place before making that step. It was unlike anything 650 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:24,200 Speaker 13: I've ever been a part of by a long shot. 651 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,200 Speaker 13: Laura had this kind of guilty look on her face. 652 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 13: I guess is the only way I can describe it. 653 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:33,000 Speaker 13: She knew she was caught. It was just going along 654 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:36,840 Speaker 13: with whatever arrangement would keep Mike in her life. She 655 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 13: was desperate for him, that was very apparent. She was 656 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:45,480 Speaker 13: really just wanted to do anything to salvage the relationship. 657 00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:50,799 Speaker 1: After they left, Mike says he got a text from 658 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:55,400 Speaker 1: Ron Owens a screenshot of that text was later submitted 659 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:58,880 Speaker 1: as an exhibit in a restraining order case. Here's the 660 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: text Ron sent Mike, read by a voice actor. 661 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:04,840 Speaker 2: Please call Laura and promise her anything she wants to 662 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,399 Speaker 2: keep her alive, and I promised to help you get 663 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,080 Speaker 2: out of it as soon as she's safe. Please. 664 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 1: Now, this wasn't the only promise Ron had been making 665 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:18,400 Speaker 1: Mike over the last nine months. There was the quarter 666 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: million dollar radio contract and the trip to Iceland, which 667 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 1: was already booked and paid for. In the wake of 668 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:28,840 Speaker 1: the confrontation, Laura told Mike the Iceland trip was off 669 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:31,120 Speaker 1: and she was no longer going. 670 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 3: And I thought I was just going to be going 671 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 3: by myself. 672 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:38,960 Speaker 1: But on December thirtieth, when he boarded the Red Eye 673 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 1: from San Francisco to Iceland, he realized he'd made a 674 00:38:42,520 --> 00:38:43,720 Speaker 1: serious miscalculation. 675 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:46,960 Speaker 3: She's sitting right next to me, which is going to 676 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:47,400 Speaker 3: be worse. 677 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:52,960 Speaker 1: This flight will later become part of the Laura Owens mythology. 678 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 3: The flight takes off and she immediately starts crying on 679 00:38:57,600 --> 00:39:00,399 Speaker 3: this Red Eye flight, and it's progressively good. It's much 680 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:04,279 Speaker 3: worse and much more hysterical. She's asking me, like, do 681 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 3: you forgive me, do you love me? Do you see 682 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 3: a future with us? And it would be like the 683 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 3: same repeated questions, and I just said, please leave me alone, 684 00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:17,600 Speaker 3: like we can talk about this at another time. I 685 00:39:17,640 --> 00:39:19,759 Speaker 3: didn't even expect you to be on this flight and 686 00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:23,319 Speaker 3: you're here. You just gonna give me some space. That's 687 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:25,840 Speaker 3: really what I'm looking for. If you ever want a 688 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 3: relationship like friendly and or romantic, like you need to 689 00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:32,640 Speaker 3: give me some space. People around us are all like 690 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:36,319 Speaker 3: turning around looking at us, and she's like lifting off 691 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:40,560 Speaker 3: my headphones saying please talk to me, Please talk to me. 692 00:39:40,760 --> 00:39:43,400 Speaker 3: And I just said, like, hey, I'm going to go 693 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:45,920 Speaker 3: to the bathroom. I don't want to have any more 694 00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 3: discussions with you. I don't think it's a good place 695 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:50,719 Speaker 3: to be doing this. So I get up and I leave, 696 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 3: and I sit in the bathroom until somebody comes and 697 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,000 Speaker 3: knocks on the door and tells me that I have 698 00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:01,400 Speaker 3: to essentially leave. I never yelled, I never raised my 699 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:05,320 Speaker 3: voice once, never did anything. I was just annoyed and 700 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:08,000 Speaker 3: just said, please just leave me alone. 701 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:14,399 Speaker 1: The flight was emotionally draining for Mike. He wasn't even 702 00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:17,359 Speaker 1: prepared for her to show up on the trip let 703 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:21,880 Speaker 1: alone sit next to her for six grueling hours. It 704 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:24,560 Speaker 1: felt like it would never end, and in a way, 705 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 1: it hasn't. We'll come back to this later. By the 706 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,280 Speaker 1: time they landed in Rekievic on December thirty, twenty sixteen, 707 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:36,640 Speaker 1: Mike regretted getting on the flight. 708 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:39,920 Speaker 3: We then arrived and I said, I'm flying back, like 709 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:43,000 Speaker 3: there's no point for this trip anymore, like I don't 710 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,000 Speaker 3: want to be around you, and she says, no, I 711 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:46,840 Speaker 3: will fly back, and I was like great. 712 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:51,320 Speaker 1: He went to his room, but the next morning Laura 713 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 1: was still there. 714 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:54,759 Speaker 3: She then decides not to leave. 715 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:58,880 Speaker 1: It was New Year's Eve. Laura began begging Mike to 716 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 1: spend the evening with her, but Mike had no desire 717 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:02,400 Speaker 1: to do that. 718 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:07,640 Speaker 3: Later that night, her father then calls me and says, like, Michael, 719 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:10,319 Speaker 3: you guys haven't seen each other at all. Would you 720 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:11,920 Speaker 3: please just spend time with her. 721 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 1: Mike had a hard time saying no to Ron. Remember, 722 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:19,520 Speaker 1: they were technically there for work, or at least that's 723 00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 1: what Mike believed. He hadn't made any money from the 724 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: job yet, but it's true his whole trip had been 725 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:30,160 Speaker 1: paid for, so he gave in and eventually agreed to 726 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,720 Speaker 1: participate in a couple of activities with Laura. Before they left. 727 00:41:34,160 --> 00:41:37,280 Speaker 3: I said, okay, we'll do like the last two events together, 728 00:41:37,400 --> 00:41:42,839 Speaker 3: which was the Blue Lagoon and the Dog's Flooding. I 729 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:45,000 Speaker 3: didn't hang out with her much. She wanted to take 730 00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:47,200 Speaker 3: a photo of the two of us there together for 731 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 3: the podcast purposes. She posted the one photo of us 732 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 3: to her Instagram, like we were dating. I saw her 733 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:55,960 Speaker 3: at Lake Breakfast and I was like, what are you doing? 734 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:59,000 Speaker 3: Like we are not together? I'm getting messages from people 735 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:03,520 Speaker 3: asking for together, and I was like, we're not together. 736 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,960 Speaker 1: After Iceland, Mike didn't see Laura except for when they 737 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,480 Speaker 1: recorded a radio show. Laura was asking him for a 738 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,680 Speaker 1: full time commitment to the show, but Mike was skeptical. 739 00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:21,600 Speaker 1: He hadn't spoken to anyone at the station directly. Instead, 740 00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:26,399 Speaker 1: Mike's only contacts were Laura, Ron, and somebody who Mike 741 00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:31,400 Speaker 1: believed to be Ron's agent. Despite Mike's doubts, the supposed 742 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:35,400 Speaker 1: success of their first travel episode somehow led to another offer, 743 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:37,240 Speaker 1: a trip to Dubai. 744 00:42:38,520 --> 00:42:41,359 Speaker 3: They said they had listened to it and was really successful, 745 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:45,640 Speaker 3: and they wanted to promote another destination. Spose so that's 746 00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:46,960 Speaker 3: why they purchased Dubai trip. 747 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:51,040 Speaker 1: Ron really wanted them to take this opportunity, but he 748 00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: felt like it would be unsafe for Laura to go alone. 749 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 3: He was like, but she's going to a country in 750 00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:00,200 Speaker 3: the Middle East. She definitely needs somebody. Because I don't 751 00:43:00,200 --> 00:43:03,880 Speaker 3: women very well there. I was like, okay, being a 752 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:06,879 Speaker 3: typical wet wipe that I am, I just went with it. 753 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:11,400 Speaker 1: Looking back, Mike can't explain why he went to Dubai. 754 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:15,359 Speaker 1: He didn't know how to get out. He'd never been 755 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:18,799 Speaker 1: in a situation like this before with anyone, much less 756 00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:19,840 Speaker 1: with an entire family. 757 00:43:20,560 --> 00:43:24,440 Speaker 3: You can't say no to Ron. You definitely don't want 758 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:25,560 Speaker 3: to be on his bad side. 759 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:29,719 Speaker 1: Mike said that trip to Dubai was pretty uneventful, and 760 00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:33,640 Speaker 1: they stayed in different rooms in the same hotel. One 761 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:36,239 Speaker 1: thing he said really stood out to me though. 762 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:39,200 Speaker 3: She did try to like solicit me to a sex 763 00:43:39,239 --> 00:43:42,120 Speaker 3: and I would not have sex with her. 764 00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:45,799 Speaker 1: At the tail end of the trip, Mike got bad 765 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 1: news from back home. His stepdad, who was like a 766 00:43:49,719 --> 00:43:54,239 Speaker 1: father to him, had suffered a massive stroke. He'd been 767 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:58,319 Speaker 1: placed on a ventilator. As soon as they landed back home, 768 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:01,080 Speaker 1: he rushed to be by his stepfather's side. 769 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:05,920 Speaker 3: We go to the hospital and within a couple of hours, 770 00:44:06,239 --> 00:44:08,239 Speaker 3: they essentially unplunked the ventilator in front of me. 771 00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:13,239 Speaker 1: Laura didn't go with Mike, but he told her what 772 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:13,920 Speaker 1: was going on. 773 00:44:14,680 --> 00:44:18,040 Speaker 3: She saw me like breaking down the airport, but she 774 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:21,200 Speaker 3: seemed like very kind in the moment, and she's like, 775 00:44:21,239 --> 00:44:25,120 Speaker 3: I'm just so sorry. And her family was very kind 776 00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:27,080 Speaker 3: at the time, like I was very upset with them, 777 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:30,640 Speaker 3: and they sent my family flowers and all these other 778 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:33,840 Speaker 3: things to try to butter us up. After everything that 779 00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:34,719 Speaker 3: had transpired. 780 00:44:38,280 --> 00:44:41,800 Speaker 1: After the du Bai trip, Mike continued to distance himself 781 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:46,360 Speaker 1: from Laura, at least romantically. He also told her he 782 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:47,680 Speaker 1: was out of the radio deal. 783 00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:51,560 Speaker 3: I was still very friendly with her. I did not 784 00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:55,799 Speaker 3: want to make enemies of them, and I wanted to 785 00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:58,799 Speaker 3: be as friendly as possible as I was exiting the relationship. 786 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:01,680 Speaker 3: I made it to the point where we would have 787 00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:04,600 Speaker 3: a coffee every few months, where it would just be 788 00:45:04,640 --> 00:45:07,440 Speaker 3: like a friendly conversation because I just wanted to keep 789 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:07,880 Speaker 3: the peace. 790 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,400 Speaker 1: But Laura wouldn't let it go. She continued to push 791 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:16,520 Speaker 1: for a relationship. Mike clearly wasn't interested in It got 792 00:45:16,560 --> 00:45:18,839 Speaker 1: to the point that Mike could only see one way out. 793 00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:21,880 Speaker 3: I told her that I was moving out of San 794 00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:25,480 Speaker 3: Francisco just because she kept trying to press a relationship. 795 00:45:25,480 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 3: And I said like, hey, I'm moving away, like there's 796 00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:29,160 Speaker 3: going to be no more of this anymore. 797 00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:34,080 Speaker 1: To be clear, Mike wasn't planning to move. He just 798 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:36,960 Speaker 1: needed a way to get her to stop communicating with him, 799 00:45:37,719 --> 00:45:41,560 Speaker 1: and for a few months it seemed to work. He 800 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:44,960 Speaker 1: thought the whole Laura Owen saga was finally behind him. 801 00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:49,600 Speaker 3: That all changed though, the night she met my next girlfriend, 802 00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:54,080 Speaker 3: and then the tides turned back to chaos with her. 803 00:45:54,960 --> 00:45:58,160 Speaker 1: He started dating someone new who happened to live four 804 00:45:58,200 --> 00:45:59,680 Speaker 1: blocks away from Laura's apartment. 805 00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:02,840 Speaker 3: A new restaurant opened up right next to Laura's house 806 00:46:03,440 --> 00:46:05,560 Speaker 3: that my girlfriend at the time wanted to go and 807 00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:05,960 Speaker 3: try it. 808 00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:09,839 Speaker 1: As they walked into the restaurant, Mike saw something through 809 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:10,560 Speaker 1: the front window. 810 00:46:11,360 --> 00:46:12,960 Speaker 3: Out of the corner of my eye, I think I 811 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:17,640 Speaker 3: see Laura and her friend in this restaurant. We walk 812 00:46:17,719 --> 00:46:21,800 Speaker 3: in and I look over like lock eyes with Laura 813 00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:25,120 Speaker 3: and her friend, and I was like, oh shit, she 814 00:46:25,480 --> 00:46:28,719 Speaker 3: now sees me with this blonde and she knows that 815 00:46:28,760 --> 00:46:30,480 Speaker 3: this is probably a girl that I'm on a date with. 816 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:33,359 Speaker 3: So I turned to my girlfriend and I say, hey, 817 00:46:33,880 --> 00:46:36,680 Speaker 3: there's somebody in here that I do not want to see. 818 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:39,640 Speaker 3: Would you mind if we leave? We can come back 819 00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:43,239 Speaker 3: here different evening. My girlfriend was like, absolutely, let's get 820 00:46:43,239 --> 00:46:46,080 Speaker 3: out here, no questions asked whatsoever. 821 00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:50,880 Speaker 1: Mike hadn't told his new girlfriend about Laura. Honestly, he 822 00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:53,520 Speaker 1: didn't know how to explain it or where to start. 823 00:46:54,040 --> 00:46:56,279 Speaker 1: So they left the restaurant and made plans to come 824 00:46:56,320 --> 00:46:59,160 Speaker 1: back the following night. There was no way Laura would 825 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:01,919 Speaker 1: be there two nights in a but when they showed 826 00:47:01,960 --> 00:47:04,480 Speaker 1: up the following evening, we go into the. 827 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:07,279 Speaker 3: Restaurant the next night. They walk us to the back 828 00:47:07,320 --> 00:47:10,000 Speaker 3: of the restaurant and they sit us down at a table, 829 00:47:10,440 --> 00:47:13,759 Speaker 3: and directly next to us is Laura and her mother. 830 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:16,720 Speaker 1: This time there was no way out. 831 00:47:16,920 --> 00:47:20,000 Speaker 3: They stand up and she walks up to us, and 832 00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:22,759 Speaker 3: her mom walks up and I say, hey, how are 833 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:27,560 Speaker 3: you doing? And they introduced themselves to my girlfriend, which 834 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:30,160 Speaker 3: then got a response out of my girlfriend to tell 835 00:47:30,320 --> 00:47:31,319 Speaker 3: them her first name. 836 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:39,080 Speaker 1: The conversation ended there, and Laura and her mom left, 837 00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:42,440 Speaker 1: but Mike still owed his girlfriend an explanation. 838 00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:46,560 Speaker 3: It opens up a whole can of worms of who 839 00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:48,919 Speaker 3: is that? Why do they approach us like that? Why 840 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:49,920 Speaker 3: were they kind of weird? 841 00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:52,440 Speaker 1: Mike gave her a simple answer. 842 00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:55,480 Speaker 3: That is who I was trying to avoid last night. 843 00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:58,040 Speaker 3: This is a person that I used to date, and 844 00:47:58,080 --> 00:48:00,560 Speaker 3: they caused me a lot of pain. 845 00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:05,040 Speaker 1: The next day, Mike went over to his girlfriend's place, 846 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:08,520 Speaker 1: but when he got there, something was very wrong. 847 00:48:09,600 --> 00:48:14,240 Speaker 3: She is like visibly shaking. I was like, what's wrong? 848 00:48:14,600 --> 00:48:17,160 Speaker 3: It looks like you just saw a ghost. Laura had 849 00:48:17,160 --> 00:48:19,440 Speaker 3: found her on social media because she gave Laura her 850 00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:24,240 Speaker 3: first name, and she pulls up these messages from Laura. 851 00:48:24,719 --> 00:48:26,359 Speaker 1: Mike stared at the messages in. 852 00:48:26,320 --> 00:48:30,440 Speaker 3: Disbelief, and it says, all these really vile things about me, 853 00:48:31,320 --> 00:48:34,080 Speaker 3: that I took her within inches of her life. I 854 00:48:34,080 --> 00:48:41,960 Speaker 3: would strangle her, I would beat her, that I ranked her. 855 00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:55,600 Speaker 1: After Mike Marriccini ended his relationship with Laura Owens, he 856 00:48:55,719 --> 00:49:00,439 Speaker 1: ran into her. Mike was with his new girlfriend, found 857 00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:04,120 Speaker 1: her online and contacted her. Laura told her that Mike 858 00:49:04,160 --> 00:49:08,359 Speaker 1: had assaulted and raped her during their relationship. I had 859 00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:10,680 Speaker 1: to ask Mike about these allegations. 860 00:49:11,120 --> 00:49:14,920 Speaker 3: I never abused Laura Owens. I can say that with 861 00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:17,480 Speaker 3: one hundred percent certainty. 862 00:49:17,719 --> 00:49:21,320 Speaker 1: But Laura was telling people he had and those messages 863 00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:24,240 Speaker 1: to his new girlfriend were just the beginning. 864 00:49:25,640 --> 00:49:27,319 Speaker 3: The next night is what really took it to the 865 00:49:27,320 --> 00:49:30,520 Speaker 3: next level. You gotta understand, two nights in a row, 866 00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:35,239 Speaker 3: I see her, I then deal with my girlfriend at 867 00:49:35,239 --> 00:49:37,239 Speaker 3: her place on that third night, and on the fourth night, 868 00:49:37,280 --> 00:49:39,359 Speaker 3: I'm like, I'm gonna give my girlfriend of a little 869 00:49:39,360 --> 00:49:41,000 Speaker 3: bit of space for me. I'm gonna go out to 870 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:41,920 Speaker 3: dinner with my sister. 871 00:49:42,760 --> 00:49:45,920 Speaker 1: Mike grabbed dinner with his sister Stephanie that night. He 872 00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:48,720 Speaker 1: spent the whole time catching her up on the chaos 873 00:49:48,719 --> 00:49:50,200 Speaker 1: of the last three days. 874 00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:53,360 Speaker 6: Michael was terrified. He had always wanted to give her 875 00:49:53,360 --> 00:49:54,759 Speaker 6: the benefit of doubt, but I think he felt a 876 00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:57,920 Speaker 6: tremendous ament of shame. He had no peace, He was 877 00:49:58,040 --> 00:49:59,080 Speaker 6: constantly worried. 878 00:49:59,560 --> 00:50:00,600 Speaker 1: He was very depressed. 879 00:50:01,239 --> 00:50:03,000 Speaker 6: He wasn't his jovial fun self. 880 00:50:03,760 --> 00:50:07,440 Speaker 1: Stephanie couldn't help but worry about her brother. They finished 881 00:50:07,480 --> 00:50:10,640 Speaker 1: dinner and made their way out of the restaurant. Then 882 00:50:11,280 --> 00:50:12,640 Speaker 1: Stephanie saw Mike jump. 883 00:50:14,360 --> 00:50:16,880 Speaker 3: Laura is standing at the exit of the restaurant. 884 00:50:18,400 --> 00:50:20,520 Speaker 1: His sister walked right up to Laura. 885 00:50:20,960 --> 00:50:24,560 Speaker 3: My sister essentially says, leave my brother alone. Why are 886 00:50:24,600 --> 00:50:27,920 Speaker 3: you following us? And in the middle of the street, 887 00:50:28,440 --> 00:50:30,160 Speaker 3: she goes, you don't know who your brother is. 888 00:50:31,160 --> 00:50:35,160 Speaker 6: He was terrified. He went white. He like went to 889 00:50:35,239 --> 00:50:38,560 Speaker 6: the side and put his head down. I'm the one 890 00:50:38,640 --> 00:50:40,600 Speaker 6: that got in her face and said, how dare you 891 00:50:40,840 --> 00:50:43,879 Speaker 6: put my brother through all this trauma? And I am 892 00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:49,080 Speaker 6: the one that responded to her. Mike did not he 893 00:50:49,160 --> 00:50:50,920 Speaker 6: knew what he was dealing with. I didn't at the time, 894 00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:53,200 Speaker 6: which is why I was just as loud as she was. 895 00:50:54,080 --> 00:50:57,080 Speaker 6: And I will always have a regret responding to her 896 00:50:57,760 --> 00:50:59,680 Speaker 6: because I think that antagonized her. 897 00:51:00,760 --> 00:51:03,439 Speaker 1: The confrontation ended with Laura saying that if she ever 898 00:51:03,480 --> 00:51:06,400 Speaker 1: saw Mike again, she was going to call the police. 899 00:51:07,280 --> 00:51:10,440 Speaker 1: Mike couldn't get away from her fast enough. He was 900 00:51:10,520 --> 00:51:12,800 Speaker 1: spooped in a way he'd never been before. 901 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:15,960 Speaker 3: I've now seen her three out of four nights after 902 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:18,400 Speaker 3: not seeing her for a while. I need to be 903 00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:20,480 Speaker 3: on the offensive here. I just want to make a 904 00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:22,640 Speaker 3: repolice report because I actually got scared of so I 905 00:51:22,719 --> 00:51:26,200 Speaker 3: called the police that night. They come and they file 906 00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:31,479 Speaker 3: a report, and the next day is when it all 907 00:51:31,719 --> 00:51:35,600 Speaker 3: starts erupting, and that's when she starts utilizing the justice 908 00:51:35,600 --> 00:51:37,440 Speaker 3: system to take advantage of me. 909 00:51:38,160 --> 00:51:40,520 Speaker 1: Once the police notified Laura that Mike had filed the 910 00:51:40,600 --> 00:51:43,959 Speaker 1: report against her, she responded with the filing of her own. 911 00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:48,319 Speaker 3: She filed a restraint uarder against me and said that 912 00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:51,600 Speaker 3: I had been harassing and stalking her and taking her 913 00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:55,280 Speaker 3: with the niches of her life. And that's when the 914 00:51:55,320 --> 00:51:57,800 Speaker 3: next seven years of lawsuits begins. 915 00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:03,520 Speaker 1: Mike was thrown into a legal battle similar to what 916 00:52:03,560 --> 00:52:08,240 Speaker 1: Clayton Eckered and Greg Gillespie would soon go through, except 917 00:52:08,320 --> 00:52:11,880 Speaker 1: Mike spent nearly a decade fighting it. The whole time 918 00:52:12,760 --> 00:52:15,880 Speaker 1: he thought he was the only one. That was until 919 00:52:15,920 --> 00:52:19,840 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, when a family law attorney in Scottsdale 920 00:52:20,360 --> 00:52:21,880 Speaker 1: took on an unusual case. 921 00:52:23,000 --> 00:52:26,400 Speaker 4: I remember thinking during Greg's case that this would eventually 922 00:52:26,400 --> 00:52:29,480 Speaker 4: be a lifetime television movie because it was so bizarre. 923 00:52:30,200 --> 00:52:34,560 Speaker 1: Attorney Greg Woodnick hadn't seen anything like this before. An 924 00:52:34,640 --> 00:52:39,600 Speaker 1: allegation of abortion coercion brought by a woman named Laura Owens. 925 00:52:40,160 --> 00:52:43,399 Speaker 1: While Woodnick was working on Greg's case, Laura sent him 926 00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:46,160 Speaker 1: a link to a video. It appeared to be Laura 927 00:52:46,200 --> 00:52:48,279 Speaker 1: herself giving a TED. 928 00:52:48,040 --> 00:52:51,400 Speaker 4: Talk TED Talk Who is this person? 929 00:52:53,480 --> 00:52:57,320 Speaker 1: In twenty twenty two, Laura gave a TEDx talk titled 930 00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:01,080 Speaker 1: the Life Saving Power of Kindness from Strangers. Just to 931 00:53:01,120 --> 00:53:05,560 Speaker 1: be clear, TEDx is the localized version of the program, 932 00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:09,359 Speaker 1: not the national TED stage. Wouldn't it Click the link 933 00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:13,759 Speaker 1: to Laura's TEDx talk and watched dumbfounded as she began 934 00:53:13,840 --> 00:53:16,640 Speaker 1: to tell a story of a plane ride to Iceland 935 00:53:17,239 --> 00:53:18,360 Speaker 1: gone horribly wrong. 936 00:53:19,440 --> 00:53:23,960 Speaker 12: December thirtieth, twenty sixteen, After months of planning a once 937 00:53:23,960 --> 00:53:27,439 Speaker 12: in a lifetime trip to Iceland, it's finally here. It's 938 00:53:27,600 --> 00:53:30,560 Speaker 12: finally time to go on flight one sixty two San 939 00:53:30,600 --> 00:53:33,960 Speaker 12: Francisco to Reraikiyevik. This plane ride should be a time 940 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:36,360 Speaker 12: to drift off to sleep and dream about seeing the 941 00:53:36,400 --> 00:53:38,759 Speaker 12: northern lights, to wonder what it's gonna feel like, to 942 00:53:38,800 --> 00:53:41,600 Speaker 12: soak in the blue lagoon, to go dog sledding for 943 00:53:41,640 --> 00:53:45,880 Speaker 12: the first time. Only you can't because of the noise 944 00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:48,279 Speaker 12: in the background. And no, it's not the roaring of 945 00:53:48,280 --> 00:53:51,560 Speaker 12: the jet engines. It's the loud voice of the man 946 00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:55,200 Speaker 12: sitting behind you who helped you with your luggage. He's 947 00:53:55,200 --> 00:54:00,400 Speaker 12: speaking to a woman who's incessantly sobbing. He's spewing insult her, 948 00:54:00,520 --> 00:54:03,800 Speaker 12: demeaning her, and the more she cries, the harsher they become. 949 00:54:04,840 --> 00:54:06,960 Speaker 12: She can barely get out a word to respond to 950 00:54:07,040 --> 00:54:11,120 Speaker 12: him through her tears. She keeps crying and he sounds disgusted. 951 00:54:11,960 --> 00:54:15,960 Speaker 12: Look at you. You've never been my type. You're ugly. 952 00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:20,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to skip ahead a few minutes. Laura continues, 953 00:54:20,040 --> 00:54:23,400 Speaker 1: speaking from the perspective of a passenger witnessing the incident, 954 00:54:24,120 --> 00:54:26,200 Speaker 1: a woman who will later become known in the online 955 00:54:26,239 --> 00:54:28,280 Speaker 1: community as Napkin Lady. 956 00:54:29,400 --> 00:54:31,360 Speaker 12: There's a napkin under your cocktail and a pen in 957 00:54:31,400 --> 00:54:35,640 Speaker 12: your purse. You quickly scribble a nope, you're write, dear girlfriend. 958 00:54:36,480 --> 00:54:39,319 Speaker 12: I know the Lord had me overhear your conversation to 959 00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:41,600 Speaker 12: let you know that you are a very beautiful young 960 00:54:41,640 --> 00:54:43,919 Speaker 12: woman that should have a man that makes you cry 961 00:54:43,960 --> 00:54:46,360 Speaker 12: with wonderful laughter, not bullying. 962 00:54:47,200 --> 00:54:50,120 Speaker 1: The woman who allegedly passed Laura this note is named 963 00:54:50,200 --> 00:54:55,280 Speaker 1: Karen Ilmberger. Karen later signed a witness declaration corroborating Laura's 964 00:54:55,280 --> 00:54:58,279 Speaker 1: account of what happened on the flight. I've reached out 965 00:54:58,320 --> 00:55:01,280 Speaker 1: to Karen several times, but have never received a reply. 966 00:55:02,239 --> 00:55:03,920 Speaker 1: Here's how her note to Laura concluded. 967 00:55:04,600 --> 00:55:07,000 Speaker 12: You are being abused and he will never love you 968 00:55:07,080 --> 00:55:10,560 Speaker 12: like you deserve. I'm very concerned about you, and I'm 969 00:55:10,560 --> 00:55:16,160 Speaker 12: praying for you. Run from him. My name is Laura Owens. 970 00:55:16,760 --> 00:55:18,600 Speaker 12: I was the crying woman in seat twenty two eight. 971 00:55:20,360 --> 00:55:24,000 Speaker 1: The tedex Talk continues with Laura describing how she survived 972 00:55:24,000 --> 00:55:27,400 Speaker 1: domestic violence at the hands of an unnamed ex boyfriend. 973 00:55:28,160 --> 00:55:30,399 Speaker 12: We'd had a fairy tale start, and then it came 974 00:55:30,480 --> 00:55:34,440 Speaker 12: down fast. It seemed like overnight. His charm and compliments 975 00:55:34,520 --> 00:55:37,800 Speaker 12: turned to criticism. His comments became more and more menacing, 976 00:55:37,880 --> 00:55:40,880 Speaker 12: until finally the verbal abuse became physical. 977 00:55:41,719 --> 00:55:45,200 Speaker 1: Laura's tedex talk went live in January twenty twenty two, 978 00:55:45,920 --> 00:55:49,480 Speaker 1: nearly five years after her relationship with Mike Maruccini ended. 979 00:55:50,160 --> 00:55:52,799 Speaker 1: The video is still up on YouTube. It has one 980 00:55:52,880 --> 00:55:55,239 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty thousand views at least at the time 981 00:55:55,280 --> 00:55:58,399 Speaker 1: I'm recording this, but the comments have been turned off. 982 00:55:58,920 --> 00:56:03,040 Speaker 1: The video has been reported numerous times on a platform 983 00:56:03,080 --> 00:56:07,480 Speaker 1: with over forty four million subscribers. Laura recounted not only 984 00:56:07,520 --> 00:56:10,160 Speaker 1: being verbally abused, but physically abused. 985 00:56:11,560 --> 00:56:13,840 Speaker 12: The first thing he did once we landed in Iceland 986 00:56:13,880 --> 00:56:15,480 Speaker 12: and got to the hotel. Was asked me to pick 987 00:56:15,480 --> 00:56:19,719 Speaker 12: a number, not knowing why I picked forty. He said 988 00:56:19,760 --> 00:56:21,840 Speaker 12: that was how many times he was going to slot me. 989 00:56:22,920 --> 00:56:26,880 Speaker 12: He did, and then he choked me. The less oxygen 990 00:56:26,920 --> 00:56:29,040 Speaker 12: I breathed in, the more he smiled. 991 00:56:30,040 --> 00:56:34,439 Speaker 1: Attorney Greg Woodnick treated this video like evidence back then, 992 00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:38,520 Speaker 1: he was working on Greg Gillespie's case, and Laura's TEDx 993 00:56:38,560 --> 00:56:42,600 Speaker 1: talk raised a question who was the unnamed ex boyfriend. 994 00:56:43,200 --> 00:56:46,239 Speaker 4: We obviously immediately scrambled to figure out what the hell 995 00:56:46,280 --> 00:56:50,360 Speaker 4: she was talking about. That's actually how we found Mike Marraccini. 996 00:56:51,160 --> 00:56:53,960 Speaker 1: Would N'tick made some calls and finally got in touch 997 00:56:54,120 --> 00:56:55,160 Speaker 1: with Mike Marraccini. 998 00:56:55,440 --> 00:56:57,360 Speaker 4: I remember getting off the phone with him after I 999 00:56:57,400 --> 00:56:59,440 Speaker 4: first spoke with him, and I found him to be 1000 00:56:59,560 --> 00:57:03,960 Speaker 4: very guard I think I misread the situation. In hindsight, 1001 00:57:04,000 --> 00:57:05,360 Speaker 4: I think Mike was traumatized. 1002 00:57:11,520 --> 00:57:14,080 Speaker 1: Before we end this episode, there's one more thing I 1003 00:57:14,120 --> 00:57:18,560 Speaker 1: need to say. Michael Marriccini denies that he ever physically 1004 00:57:18,720 --> 00:57:22,800 Speaker 1: or sexually abused Laura Owens, but that is at odds 1005 00:57:22,840 --> 00:57:26,880 Speaker 1: with Laura's account and her mom's account in a sworn 1006 00:57:26,880 --> 00:57:31,080 Speaker 1: witness declaration from twenty eighteen. Her mom, Jan Black, told 1007 00:57:31,120 --> 00:57:34,880 Speaker 1: the courts quote one morning in or around late May 1008 00:57:35,000 --> 00:57:38,280 Speaker 1: or early June twenty sixteen, Laura came over to our 1009 00:57:38,320 --> 00:57:41,440 Speaker 1: house with a black eye. When I asked her what happened, 1010 00:57:41,640 --> 00:57:43,960 Speaker 1: she started crying and explained that Mike had hit her 1011 00:57:43,960 --> 00:57:45,720 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night while she was sleeping. 1012 00:57:46,800 --> 00:57:48,880 Speaker 1: Laura told me that she thought Mike was asleep when 1013 00:57:48,880 --> 00:57:52,520 Speaker 1: it happened, and said it was probably involuntary. She expressed 1014 00:57:52,520 --> 00:57:54,520 Speaker 1: fear about the idea of sharing a bed with Mike 1015 00:57:54,560 --> 00:57:58,080 Speaker 1: because he'd hit her so hard. However deliberate or accidental 1016 00:57:58,160 --> 00:58:02,280 Speaker 1: it may have been, that would have been in their 1017 00:58:02,320 --> 00:58:05,960 Speaker 1: first few months of dating. In the same witness declaration, 1018 00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:10,160 Speaker 1: Jan details multiple instances where Laura appeared to be injured 1019 00:58:10,200 --> 00:58:14,320 Speaker 1: after alleged physical abuse from Mike Maruccini. Here's another quote 1020 00:58:14,320 --> 00:58:18,520 Speaker 1: from Jan's sworn statement. In or around spring twenty seventeen, 1021 00:58:19,000 --> 00:58:21,880 Speaker 1: Laura told me that Mike had strangled her again. I 1022 00:58:21,960 --> 00:58:23,960 Speaker 1: told her it needed to stop and that she needed 1023 00:58:23,960 --> 00:58:26,560 Speaker 1: to get out of the relationship. She said that Mike 1024 00:58:26,560 --> 00:58:29,280 Speaker 1: had apologized to her and promised he wouldn't do it again. 1025 00:58:30,000 --> 00:58:32,640 Speaker 1: She expressed hope that he would change and would treat 1026 00:58:32,640 --> 00:58:35,280 Speaker 1: her like he used to before the abuse started. I 1027 00:58:35,320 --> 00:58:38,080 Speaker 1: had thought the Iceland incident was an isolated event until 1028 00:58:38,160 --> 00:58:42,000 Speaker 1: Laura shared this with me. In all of her declarations, 1029 00:58:42,600 --> 00:58:46,760 Speaker 1: Jan never mentions her daughter having cancer, but in this statement, 1030 00:58:47,160 --> 00:58:50,560 Speaker 1: Jan Black does corroborate Laura's account of receiving a handwritten 1031 00:58:50,560 --> 00:58:54,320 Speaker 1: note on a napkin during her flight to Iceland. Jan wrote, 1032 00:58:54,320 --> 00:58:58,200 Speaker 1: and I quote. On November seventh, twenty seventeen, I sent 1033 00:58:58,240 --> 00:59:00,720 Speaker 1: an email to the address listed on the cocktail napkin 1034 00:59:00,800 --> 00:59:03,480 Speaker 1: Laura was given. I explained that I was trying to 1035 00:59:03,520 --> 00:59:05,560 Speaker 1: locate the woman who took the time to write Laura 1036 00:59:05,640 --> 00:59:09,000 Speaker 1: the note and asked if I had the correct email address. 1037 00:59:09,360 --> 00:59:12,520 Speaker 1: The following day, November eighth, twenty seventeen, I received a 1038 00:59:12,560 --> 00:59:16,400 Speaker 1: response from a woman named Karen Elmberger, saying, I remember 1039 00:59:16,440 --> 00:59:19,240 Speaker 1: your beautiful daughter. A true and correct copy of the 1040 00:59:19,280 --> 00:59:22,760 Speaker 1: email is attached here too as exhibit one. I sent 1041 00:59:22,800 --> 00:59:25,960 Speaker 1: miss Elmberger an email that day, explaining that Laura was 1042 00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:28,000 Speaker 1: doing much better since she had broken things off with 1043 00:59:28,080 --> 00:59:31,240 Speaker 1: Mike and thanking her for the note. I told her 1044 00:59:31,320 --> 00:59:33,960 Speaker 1: Laura's eyes were really open to what a bad relationship 1045 00:59:34,000 --> 00:59:35,720 Speaker 1: she was in when she received the note from her 1046 00:59:35,880 --> 00:59:39,920 Speaker 1: on the flight that day. As I said before, our 1047 00:59:39,960 --> 00:59:43,080 Speaker 1: team has reached out to Karen Ilmberger multiple times for 1048 00:59:43,160 --> 00:59:49,040 Speaker 1: confirmation of this account, she has never replied. On the 1049 00:59:49,080 --> 00:59:51,440 Speaker 1: next episode of Love Trapped. 1050 00:59:51,360 --> 00:59:55,240 Speaker 3: Wait there's another guy, I was like, who's Clayton? 1051 00:59:55,720 --> 00:59:58,760 Speaker 10: And that is when we found the Reddit thread. 1052 01:00:00,080 --> 01:00:02,680 Speaker 3: Point. I saw mm and I was like, are they 1053 01:00:02,720 --> 01:00:03,440 Speaker 3: talking about me? 1054 01:00:03,880 --> 01:00:10,600 Speaker 4: That laptop included a trove of medical records from years before. 1055 01:00:10,920 --> 01:00:13,400 Speaker 7: When I think of Mike's laptop, I just think of 1056 01:00:13,440 --> 01:00:15,520 Speaker 7: it like sitting alone in a giant room in a 1057 01:00:15,600 --> 01:00:17,640 Speaker 7: museum with just a spotlight sitting on it. 1058 01:00:18,080 --> 01:00:20,520 Speaker 5: We hope that justice has served and that this individual 1059 01:00:20,600 --> 01:00:23,400 Speaker 5: is referred to the DA for prosecution so that a 1060 01:00:23,440 --> 01:00:25,760 Speaker 5: future victim doesn't have to go through what we've went 1061 01:00:25,800 --> 01:01:00,520 Speaker 5: through the last few years. 1062 01:01:03,560 --> 01:01:06,240 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening. Please be sure to 1063 01:01:06,240 --> 01:01:11,080 Speaker 1: follow Love Trapped on Apple Podcasts, the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, 1064 01:01:11,520 --> 01:01:14,480 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts, and please leave us 1065 01:01:14,480 --> 01:01:17,840 Speaker 1: a review. A five star rating helps others find this show. 1066 01:01:18,280 --> 01:01:21,080 Speaker 1: We're grateful for your support. If you would like to 1067 01:01:21,080 --> 01:01:23,960 Speaker 1: reach out to the Love Trapped team, email us at 1068 01:01:24,000 --> 01:01:27,720 Speaker 1: Love Trapped Pod at gmail dot com. That's Love Trapped 1069 01:01:27,880 --> 01:01:31,840 Speaker 1: Pod at gmail dot com. Love Trapped is a production 1070 01:01:31,920 --> 01:01:35,160 Speaker 1: of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group, in 1071 01:01:35,240 --> 01:01:39,280 Speaker 1: partnership with iHeart Podcasts. This show was executive produced by 1072 01:01:39,360 --> 01:01:43,920 Speaker 1: Nancy Glass, Andrea Gunning and Ben Fetterman, Written, produced and 1073 01:01:43,960 --> 01:01:48,640 Speaker 1: hosted by me Stephanie Young. Our story editor is Monique Laboard. 1074 01:01:49,280 --> 01:01:53,720 Speaker 1: Producer on this episode is Sidney Gladou. Additional production support 1075 01:01:53,800 --> 01:01:58,680 Speaker 1: from Todd Gans. Our production manager is Kristin Melchiri. For 1076 01:01:58,760 --> 01:02:03,360 Speaker 1: iHeart Podcasts, Ali Perry was our executive producer. Audio editing 1077 01:02:03,400 --> 01:02:07,280 Speaker 1: and mastering by Anna McClain. Additional editing support by Tanner 1078 01:02:07,360 --> 01:02:10,800 Speaker 1: Robbins and Matt Delvecchio. A special thank you to our 1079 01:02:10,880 --> 01:02:16,240 Speaker 1: voice actors Leslie Tolly, Dean Welsh and Tanner Robbins. This 1080 01:02:16,360 --> 01:02:20,040 Speaker 1: podcast was developed in collaboration with Danny Passman and Lev 1081 01:02:20,080 --> 01:02:23,440 Speaker 1: Abramoff at cry Baby Media. The Love Trapped theme is 1082 01:02:23,480 --> 01:02:27,800 Speaker 1: composed by Oliver Bains. Music library provided by Mybe Music. 1083 01:02:28,520 --> 01:02:32,640 Speaker 1: A special thanks to Carrie Lieberman, Will Pearson, Jessica Crincheck, 1084 01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:36,160 Speaker 1: Ali Canter and the entire iHeart podcast team. 1085 01:02:36,640 --> 01:02:37,280 Speaker 3: And for more. 1086 01:02:37,160 --> 01:02:41,280 Speaker 1: Podcasts from iHeart, Visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 1087 01:02:41,320 --> 01:02:46,880 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.