CAROLYN AND BILLY COX
WERE LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM...
TWO BEAUTIFUL KIDS, A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS,
AND PLENTY OF WEALTH TO SPARE.
WE WERE CONSIDERED LIKE ALMOST THE PERFECT COUPLE,
AND WE WEREN'T TOO BAD-LOOKING.
BUT $15 MILLION CAN'T ALWAYS BUY A PERFECT MARRIAGE,
WHEN A HUSBAND WENT OVER THE EDGE.
YOU REALIZE, "I DIDN'T KNOW THE GUY AT ALL."
THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SINISTER ABOUT BILLY COX.
43 YEARS OF DEVOTION WOULD END IN A NIGHTMARE.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I'VE REALLY FELT FEAR.
WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
AS A MISSOURI FARMER'S DAUGHTER,
CAROLYN COX ALWAYS KNEW THE VALUE OF HARD WORK
IN LIFE AND IN LOVE.
I SAW LOVE AND MARRIAGE AS A COMMITMENT FOR LIFE.
IT WAS A TREASURE THAT YOU PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
THE DAY SHE FIRST SPOTTED 17-YEAR-OLD BILLY JOE COX
WORKING ON HER FATHER'S FARM,
CAROLYN THOUGHT SHE HAD FOUND THAT TREASURE.
I REMEMBER HIM WALKING UP ON THE PORCH,
AND MY MOTHER ANSWERED THE DOOR, AND HE WAS SO GOOD-LOOKING.
I THINK I FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM IMMEDIATELY.
BEFORE LONG, THE TWO BEGAN TO DATE.
RAISED IN A STRICT RELIGIOUS HOME,
BILLY TREATED CAROLYN WELL,
TAKING HER OUT ON SATURDAY NIGHTS.
HE WAS VERY SHY.
AND WHEN HE DID COME TO THE SCHOOL DANCES,
HE HAD NEVER DANCED.
HE ALWAYS HAD THIS VERY SWEET SMILE
WITH HIS LIP CURLING UP TO THE SIDE,
AND EVERYONE JUST REALLY LIKED HIM A LOT.
SOON, THE COUPLE WAS THINKING
ABOUT A FUTURE TOGETHER.
HE JUST SEEMED TO BE HONEST,
GENTLE, LOVING, CARING,
AND SO, WHAT MORE COULD ONE ASK?
THREE YEARS LATER,
THEY MADE GOOD ON THEIR PROMISE
AND TIED THE KNOT IN A TRADITIONAL CHURCH CEREMONY.
CAROLYN WAS JUST 19.
WE WERE MARRIED ON EASTER SUNDAY, AND IT WAS A BLIZZARD,
AND I REMEMBER, IN THE RECEIVING LINE,
THIS LADY SHOOK MY HAND, AND SHE SAYS,
"I HOPE YOUR MARRIED LIFE IS NOT A SNOWY AS YOUR WEDDING DAY,"
AND I'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN IT.
AFTER THE WEDDING,
THE YOUNG COUPLE WORKED HARD TO GET AHEAD.
BILLY JOINED THE AIR FORCE
TO EARN MONEY SO THEY BOTH COULD GO TO COLLEGE.
AND SOON, THEY STARTED A FAMILY.
WE HAD OUR GOALS THAT I THINK WERE ALIGNED TOGETHER,
SO I THOUGHT WE WERE A VERY GOOD MATCH.
TWO CHILDREN LATER,
CAROLYN GRADUATED AND WORKED TO HELP SUPPORT THEM
WHILE BILLY FINISHED HIS PhD IN BOTANY.
BUT AS BILLY'S GRADUATION DAY GREW CLOSER,
CAROLYN BEGAN TO NOTICE A CHANGE IN HER HUSBAND'S BEHAVIOR.
BILLY WAS SELDOM AROUND.
HE WAS COMING IN LATE, A LOT OF NIGHTS DRINKING WITH FRIENDS.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS FEELING SOME PRESSURES,
BUT WHEN BILLY WAS UNDER STRESS, HE BECAME VERY INTOLERANT.
HE WOULD BELITTLE HER
SO THAT PARTICULAR ARGUMENT THAT SHE HAD WAS RIDICULOUS.
SOMETIMES YOU COULD HEAR THINGS GETTING THROWN
AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
I CAN'T DEPEND ON YOU FOR ANYTHING!
BILLY'S TEMPER WAS TROUBLING,
AND ONE NIGHT, HE SUDDENLY BECAME VIOLENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ARGUMENT WAS.
BUT HE HIT ME.
HE SOCKED ME.
AND I HAD THIS BLACK EYE.
I WAS THINKING, "HOW CAN THIS BE?"
BUT CAROLYN WAS DETERMINED
TO STICK WITH HER YOUNG MARRIAGE.
I MADE A DECISION THAT DAY
THAT YOU'RE NOT GIVING UP YOUR MARRIAGE,
YOU'RE NOT GIVING UP YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS.
YOU JUST PUT IT AWAY, GO ON. THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
MEANWHILE, ON THE OUTSIDE,
LIFE FOR THE COUPLE WAS LOOKING UP.
BILLY GRADUATED WITH HIS PhD
AND FOUND A GOOD JOB AT A CHEMICAL LAB.
BUT AS THE YEARS WENT BY, HE HAD BIGGER AMBITIONS.
HE DECIDED TO TAKE SOME THINGS THAT HE HAD DEVELOPED
AND START HIS OWN BUSINESS, SO I WAS THE BREADWINNER.
I WOULD TEACH ALL DAY
AND GO WORK THE BUSINESS AT NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.
WITH CAROLYN'S HELP,
BILLY BUILT AN AGRICULTURAL-CHEMICAL COMPANY
FROM THE GROUND UP,
AND BY THE TIME THE KIDS WERE GROWN AND OUT OF THE HOUSE,
BUSINESS WAS BOOMING.
BY THE LATE 1990s, THE COXES WERE MILLIONAIRES.
THE SMALL-TOWN SWEETHEARTS HAD COME A LONG WAY.
THEY MADE A LOVELY, LOVELY COUPLE.
THEY HAD EARNED EVERYTHING ON THEIR OWN,
AND I ADMIRED THEM FOR THAT.
WE WERE CONSIDERED LIKE ALMOST THE PERFECT COUPLE.
WE REALLY WERE.
WE HAD SUCCEEDED. WE HAD DONE WELL.
AFTER NEARLY FOUR DECADES TOGETHER,
THE COUPLE HAD FINALLY ACHIEVED THEIR DREAM.
BUT CAROLYN WAS ABOUT TO WAKE TO A TERRIBLE REALITY.
ON THE NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2004,
CAROLYN WAS PACKING THEIR BAGS
FOR A MUCH-NEEDED GETAWAY TO FRANCE WITH FRIENDS.
I NEVER HAD BEEN TO EUROPE,
SO I WAS VERY HAPPY.
BUT SHE AND BILLY WOULD NEVER GET ON THAT PLANE.
THE NEXT MORNING, AROUND 6:00 A.M.,
CAROLYN WOKE TO A SHARP PAIN IN HER HEAD.
THE NEXT THING I KNOW IS I'M ON THE RUG,
BEING PULLED DOWN THE HALL.
BARELY CONSCIOUS,
CAROLYN FELT HERSELF BEING MOVED INTO THE GARAGE.
HER NIGHTMARE WAS JUST BEGINNING.
CAROLYN WAS UNDER ATTACK,
AND THE ASSAULT WOULD COST HER HER HUSBAND AND NEARLY HER LIFE.
HE SAID, "YOU'RE WORTH MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE."
WELL, I'M LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU? YOU'RE NOT A HUMAN BEING."
IN THE SPRING OF 1996,
EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THE ATTACK
THAT WOULD LEAVE CAROLYN COX CLINGING TO LIFE,
SHE AND HER HUSBAND, BILLY,
WERE HARD AT WORK GROWING THEIR SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
IT ALL GRADUALLY CAME TOGETHER.
WE FELT VERY GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE HAD ACCOMPLISHED.
WE FELT LIKE WE HAD REACHED THOSE THINGS
THAT WE HAD SET OUT TO REACH.
BUT AS THE COUPLE'S NET WORTH BALLOONED,
SO DID THEIR PROBLEMS AT HOME.
BILLY'S TEMPER HAD GONE FROM BAD TO WORSE.
AS HE BECAME MORE SUCCESSFUL,
I THINK HE FELT EVEN MORE THAT HE WAS ABOVE IT ALL.
EVERYTHING THAT HE DID, EVERY SHOT HE CALLED,
IT WAS GOING TO BE HIS WAY OR THERE WAS NO WAY.
THERE WAS A VERY, VERY DARK SIDE
THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHEN IT COULD OCCUR.
SO THERE WAS THIS FEAR AT ALL TIMES
OF WHEN IT POSSIBLY COULD COME OUT,
SO WE WERE CAREFUL.
MORE AND MORE, BILLY'S ANGER WOULD TURN PHYSICAL,
OFTEN WITH NO PROVOCATION.
WE WERE SITTING IN THE HOT TUB ONE NIGHT, AND WE WERE TALKING,
AND I SAID SOMETHING HE DIDN'T LIKE.
AND WITH THE BACK OF THE HAND,
HE JUST SUDDENLY HIT ME ACROSS THE FACE.
IT WAS JUST SORT OF OUT OF THE BLUE.
SOMETIMES BILLY'S OUTBURSTS
WOULD LEAVE THEIR MARK,
BUT CAROLYN TOOK PAINS TO HIDE THE TRUTH,
EVEN FROM HER CLOSEST FRIENDS.
SHE WOULD COME TO MEETINGS SOMETIMES IN A NECK BRACE
OR WITH HER ARM IN A SLING OR A PATCH OVER HER EYE.
CAROLYN ALWAYS HAD AN EXCUSE FOR THESE INJURIES,
AND TO BE QUITE HONEST,
THE GENERAL OPINION WAS THAT CAROLYN WAS A KLUTZ.
AT TIMES, CAROLYN THOUGHT ABOUT ENDING HER MARRIAGE,
BUT BILLY'S VIOLENT STREAKS DIDN'T HAPPEN OFTEN.
THESE BAD TIMES MIGHT NOT SHOW UP FOR A YEAR,
AND IN BETWEEN THEM,
HE COULD BE VERY LOVING AND HE COULD BE AFFECTIONATE.
WHEN WE WOULD GO FOR THESE SPANS OF NOT HAVING ANYTHING HAPPEN,
I TRULY FELT THEY WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND SO WHEN THEY SHOWED UP, I WAS ALWAYS IN SHOCK.
BUT PROBLEMS AT HOME
DIDN'T SLOW DOWN THE FAMILY BUSINESS.
BY 2002, THE COUPLE WAS WORTH $15 MILLION
AND LIVING IN A 12,000-SQUARE-FOOT MANSION
IN BULL VALLEY, ILLINOIS.
IT WAS CAROLYN'S DREAM HOUSE,
AND THEY ENJOYED ENTERTAINING
FOR FUNDRAISERS AND FUNCTIONS IN BULL VALLEY.
WE WERE LIVING THE DREAM.
BEING ABLE TO STAND BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AND SAY,
"LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE, HOW FORTUNATE YOU ARE."
BUT IT NEVER SEEMED TO BE ENOUGH FOR BILLY.
HE SOON BECAME OBSESSED WITH MONEY,
COUNTING AND RECOUNTING EVERY PENNY THEY HAD.
HE WAS CONSTANTLY MAKING RECORDS OF HIS NET WORTH,
AND HE HAD SOME FIXATION ON INSURANCE.
HE WAS ALWAYS BUYING INSURANCE POLICIES.
BY THE SPRING OF 2004,
BILLY WAS ACTING EVEN STRANGER.
IF I TOUCHED HIM, HIS BODY WAS RIGID.
I WOULD START TO HUG HIM,
AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HUGGING A BOARD.
I JUST REMEMBER WONDERING WHAT IS GOING ON?
BUT ONE THING WAS BETTER...
BILLY HADN'T BEEN VIOLENT TOWARDS CAROLYN IN OVER A YEAR,
UNTIL ONE NIGHT WHEN HE SAID SOMETHING THAT GAVE HER PAUSE.
HE BOUGHT AN INSURANCE POLICY ON MY LIFE,
AND HE WAS GOING OVER THE INFORMATION,
AND HE SAID, "YOU'RE WORTH MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE."
CAROLYN KNEW THAT LIFE-INSURANCE POLICY
WAS WORTH MORE THAN $1 MILLION,
BUT THEY HARDLY NEEDED THE MONEY,
SO SHE TRIED TO LAUGH IT OFF.
I REFUSED TO TAKE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
I TURNED TO HIM AND I SAID,
"WELL, I'M SO GLAD THAT'S NOT TRUE."
LITTLE DID CAROLYN REALIZE
JUST HOW DEEP BILLY'S ANGER WAS.
HE LOOKED AT ME WITH EYES THAT WAS JUST ICE-COLD.
I THOUGHT THIS LOOKS LIKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF A CORPSE.
IN THE SUMMER OF 2004,
BILLY AND CAROLYN COX
WERE THE PILLARS OF THEIR BULL VALLEY COMMUNITY.
I WAS VERY INVOLVED AND ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
AND VERY HAPPY IN WHAT I WAS DOING.
BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,
THE GOLDEN COUPLE'S MARRIAGE
REMAINED FAR FROM PICTURE-PERFECT.
WE HAD GONE TO AN EVENT AT A FRIEND'S HOME,
AND WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR US TO LEAVE,
ONE OF MY FRIENDS SAID,
"IT IS SO NICE TO SEE A COUPLE
"WHO HAVE BEEN TOGETHER SO MANY YEARS
WHO STILL LOVE EACH OTHER."
AND HE TURNED WITH THE MOST HATRED
AND THE WORST ANGER
AND SAID TO ME, "THAT MAY CHANGE AT ANY MOMENT."
BILLY'S ANGER SEEMED TO BE BUILDING,
AND CAROLYN HAD NO IDEA WHY.
SO WHEN GOOD FRIENDS BETH AND JIM WESTER
PROPOSED A VACATION IN FRANCE,
CAROLYN WAS EAGER FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY.
BILLY'S INITIAL REACTION TO IT
WAS THAT WE SHOULDN'T GO,
AND I SAID, "IF WE DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS,
I'M AFRAID WE'LL NEVER DO IT."
THEN HE SEEMED TO BE GOING ALONG WITH IT.
BUT BILLY AND CAROLYN WOULD NEVER BOARD THAT PLANE.
ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 13, 2004,
CAROLYN AWOKE TO A CRUSHING PAIN IN HER HEAD.
DAZED, SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
MY FIRST SENSE OF SOMETHING
WAS MY HUSBAND LIFTING ME OFF THE BED,
AND I REACHED FOR HIM.
AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW IS I'M ON THE RUG
BEING PULLED BY HIM DOWN THE HALL,
AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
AND HE SAID, "YOU FELL OUT OF BED AND HIT YOUR HEAD.
I'M TAKING YOU TO THE DOCTOR."
BILLY DRAGGED CAROLYN DOWN TO THE GARAGE.
HE PLACED ME RIGHT ON THE COLD CONCRETE FLOOR OUT THERE,
AND I KEPT SAYING,
"WHERE'S THE AMBULANCE? WHERE'S THE AMBULANCE?"
AND HE SAID... "THEY'RE ON OTHER JOBS."
BLEEDING HEAVILY,
CAROLYN SLIPPED IN AND OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS,
PRAYING THAT BILLY WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP HER,
BUT HER PRAYERS WERE IN VAIN.
AS I'M LYING THERE WITH MY EYES SHUT,
ALL OF A SUDDEN, SOMETHING HIT ME
ACROSS THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE.
I SAID, "I THINK I'M DYING," AND HE JUST STOOD THERE.
HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
INSTEAD, BILLY PICKED HER UP,
DUMPED HER INTO THE BACK OF HIS S.U.V.,
STARTED IT, AND WALKED AWAY.
I'M IN THE CAR,
AND I'M REALIZING IT'S GETTING REALLY HOT.
IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO BREATHE.
AND I KEPT TELLING MYSELF,
"YOU'LL DIE. YOU CAN'T GO TO SLEEP.
YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING."
WITH HER LAST OUNCE OF STRENGTH,
CAROLYN MANAGED TO CRAWL TO THE GARAGE DOOR,
ONLY TO FIND THAT IT WAS LOCKED.
THEN SHE KNEW HER HUSBAND OF 43 YEARS
WASN'T GOING TO HELP HER.
HE WAS TRYING TO KILL HER.
I DID NOT UNDERSTAND TILL THOSE DOORS WERE LOCKED
WHAT HE WAS REALLY DOING.
MEANWHILE, THE WESTERS HAD BEEN TRYING TO REACH THEM.
THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO LEAVE FOR THE AIRPORT.
I CALLED THEM AT 8:30 IN THE MORNING,
BUT NOBODY ANSWERED, AND I SAID, "WELL, THAT'S ODD."
BUT AS THE MORNING WORE ON
AND STILL NO WORD FROM THE COXES,
JIM BEGAN TO WORRY.
AROUND 10:00, 10:30, I REALIZED,
"THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THIS IS NOT NORMAL."
NOBODY WOULD ANSWER ANY OF THE PHONES.
AND THEN I KEPT THINKING,
"THEIR HOUSE IS WAY OFF THE ROAD.
WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEM?"
I GET A PHONE CALL FROM BETH WESTER,
AND SHE SAYS,
"DO YOU THINK MAYBE THAT WE SHOULD CALL THE POLICE?"
AROUND 12:30 P.M.,
LOCAL POLICE ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE.
HE CLIMBED THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW
AND MADE A GRUESOME DISCOVERY.
HE LITERALLY ENCOUNTERED A BLOODBATH IN THE FOYER.
HE ENTERED INTO THE GARAGE.
THE GARAGE WAS FULL OF CARBON MONOXIDE,
AND IT WAS VERY HOT IN THERE.
HE OBSERVED CAROLYN
LAYING ACROSS THE FRONT SEAT OF BILLY COX'S TRUCK,
BLEEDING HEAVILY FROM HER FACE,
AND SHE SAID TO HIM, "HELP ME," AND THEN SHE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS.
AS PARAMEDICS WORKED TO SAVE CAROLYN,
BILLY MYSTERIOUSLY APPEARED,
CLAIMING HE'D BEEN OUTSIDE ON THE GROUNDS ALL MORNING.
HE WAS STANDING THERE VERY CALMLY
AND SAID, "DID SHE FALL?"
AT THAT POINT,
THE CHIEF WAS VERY SUSPICIOUS OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED.
CAROLYN WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL,
AND POLICE BEGAN TO QUESTION BILLY.
BUT SOON HE COMPLAINED OF CHEST PAINS
AND WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME HOSPITAL AS HIS DYING WIFE.
THEY TAKE ME BACK TO THE ROOM WHERE MY MOTHER WAS,
AND I LOOKED AT HER, AND I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE HER.
AND SHE SAID, "WHY DID HE DO THIS TO ME?"
THEY SAID THAT MY FATHER HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN
AND "DO YOU WANT TO SEE HIM?"
WHEN I GOT IN THERE,
THERE WAS THE FACE OF COMPLETE BULL
NEVER ASKED ABOUT MY MOTHER UNTIL THE VERY END.
DOCTORS COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH BILLY,
SO HE DID WHAT ANY MAN WOULD DO
WHEN HIS WIFE'S LIFE WAS HANGING BY A THREAD.
HE WENT OUT TO DINNER.
THE CHIEF WAS IMMEDIATELY SUSPICIOUS OF BILLY
BECAUSE OF THE CRIME SCENE.
SOMEONE WAS CLEANING UP THAT FOYER.
THERE WERE RUGS THAT HAD BEEN ROLLED UP
THAT WERE FULL OF HER BLOOD.
THERE WAS ALSO NO EXPLANATION
AS TO WHY THE GARAGE DOORS WERE ALL DISABLED,
VEHICLES WERE RUNNING,
AND THE DOOR ENTERING INTO THE HOME WAS LOCKED.
THE EVIDENCE APPEARED TO POINT IN ONE DIRECTION.
AS SOON AS BILLY FINISHED HIS PORK CHOPS,
POLICE BROUGHT HIM IN AND ARRESTED HIM.
WHY? WHY WOULD YOU TAKE IT TO THAT LEVEL?
COULD HAVE DIVORCED HER.
NOT ONLY WAS HE TRYING TO KILL HER,
HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE HER SUFFER.
TWO DAYS LATER, CAROLYN AWOKE FROM SURGERY
TO HEARING LOSS, METAL PLATES IN HER FACE,
AND DAMAGED VISION.
SHE WAS IN SHOCK THAT THE MAN
SHE HAD DEVOTED HER ENTIRE LIFE TO
HAD JUST TRIED TO KILL HER.
THE COMING-TO AND KNOWING...
THE HEARTBREAK.
IT WAS JUST THE DEVASTATION. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I LOST MY HUSBAND.
I NEARLY LOST MY LIFE, AND I LOST MY HUSBAND.
BUT BEYOND HEARTBROKEN,
CAROLYN WAS ALSO AFRAID.
BILLY HAD POSTED BAIL,
AND HIS REIGN OF TERROR WAS FAR FROM OVER.
I BELIEVE THAT HE WANTED CAROLYN DEAD.
I WAS JUST TERRIFIED ALL THE TIME.
IN SEPTEMBER 2004,
THE EXCLUSIVE TOWN OF BULL VALLEY, ILLINOIS,
WAS SHAKEN TO ITS CORE.
BILLY COX, ONE OF ITS MOST PROMINENT RESIDENTS,
HAD BRUTALLY ATTACKED HIS WIFE, CAROLYN.
THE STORY WAS FRONT PAGE,
AND THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA WERE JUST IN SHOCK.
EVEN CAROLYN'S CLOSEST FRIENDS DIDN'T SEE IT COMING.
IT KIND OF BLEW ME AWAY.
I MEAN, YOU JUST LOOK AT THIS WHOLE THING AND YOU REALIZE,
"I DIDN'T KNOW THE GUY AT ALL."
I WAS SEEING WHAT HE WANTED ME TO SEE.
FOUR DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK,
CAROLYN FILED FOR DIVORCE FROM HER HOSPITAL BED.
THE GOLDEN COUPLE'S MARRIAGE WAS OVER.
YOU SAW HER HEART WAS BROKEN, AND THAT WAS VERY HARD.
WHEN SHE WAS FINALLY RELEASED,
CAROLYN INSISTED ON RETURNING HOME.
BILLY WAS OUT ON BAIL,
AND DESPITE A RESTRAINING ORDER,
SHE WAS STILL AFRAID OF HIM.
HE WAS SEEN AT THE END OF MY DRIVE.
HE WAS SEEN GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
AND I WAS JUST TERRIFIED ALL THE TIME.
THERE WERE MANY PHONE CALLS I HAD WITH HER
WHERE SHE WAS SOBBING,
AND I KEPT TELLING HER TO JUST HAVE FAITH
THAT EVENTUALLY WE WOULD GET TO TRIAL
AND JUSTICE WOULD PREVAIL.
IN MARCH 2007, 2 1/2 YEARS AFTER THE ATTACK,
BILLY FINALLY HAD HIS DAY IN COURT.
BILLY'S DEFENSE WAS THAT CAROLYN
DECIDED TO WALK INTO THE GARAGE AND CLIMB UP A LADDER,
AND SHE FELL BACKWARDS,
AND A BOARD STRUCK HER ON THE FRONT OF HER FACE.
I HAD NO DOUBT THAT BILLY COX
WAS TRYING TO KILL CAROLYN ON THAT DAY.
HE TORTURED HIS WIFE FOR MORE THAN SIX HOURS THAT MORNING.
ON THE STAND, BILLY DENIED EVERYTHING.
HE HAS A VERY SINISTER SIDE TO HIM.
HE SHOWED NO EMPATHY AT ALL FOR CAROLYN.
THE JURY SIDED WITH CAROLYN.
ON APRIL 11, 2007,
BILLY JOE COX WAS CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.
HE WAS SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON.
TO DATE, HE HAS NEVER ADMITTED
WHAT HE DID TO HIS WIFE THAT DAY OR WHY.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE INITIAL ATTACK WAS PREMEDITATED.
BILLY COX HAD ABUSED HER
THROUGHOUT THEIR 40-YEAR MARRIAGE REPEATEDLY.
HE HIT HER HARD ENOUGH THIS TIME, THOUGH,
THAT NO ONE WAS GOING TO BELIEVE THAT SHE FELL,
AND HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD TO END HER LIFE
IN ORDER TO PROTECT HIMSELF.
EVEN BEHIND BARS, BILLY'S RAGE CONTINUED TO BURN.
IN 2009, HE WAS INVESTIGATED
FOR ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO PUT A HIT OUT ON CAROLYN.
I WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD BEEN APPROACHING ANOTHER INMATE,
ASKING HIM TO KILL CAROLYN.
I KNOW HE HAS FRIENDS WITHIN THE PRISON,
SO THERE IS DEFINITELY FEAR THAT HE CAN HURT ME.
SEVEN PAINFUL SURGERIES LATER,
CAROLYN'S FACE HAS BEEN REPAIRED,
AND SHE'S FINALLY MENDING HER HEART.
A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER THIS HAPPENED TO ME,
I MET DENNIS, WHO IS MY HUSBAND.
HE IS A CAREGIVER, A VERY LOVING MAN, AND I'M VERY HAPPY.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE MY MOM HAPPILY MARRIED.
SHE ABSOLUTELY DESERVES IT. IT'S ABOUT TIME.
TODAY, CAROLYN DEVOTES HER TIME
TO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THERE'S THIS MYTH IT HAPPENS
TO LESS-EDUCATED PEOPLE OR POOR PEOPLE,
BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE
THAT ARE IN A DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE SITUATION
THAT ARE JUST LIKE ME.
NOW CAROLYN KNOWS
THAT SOME MARRIAGES SHOULDN'T LAST FOREVER.
BUT THE SADNESS STILL LINGERS.
IT'S TOUGH TO COPE WITH THE HEARTBREAK.
IT'S JUST... IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE.
IT GETS BETTER, BUT IT'LL ALWAYS BE THERE.