Narrator: WHEN SUSAN WALTERS MET MIKE KUHNHAUSEN,
SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD HIT THE JACKPOT.
Susan: I THOUGHT, "WE'RE A COUPLE OF OLD HEARTS.
WE CAN MAKE A LIFE TOGETHER."
Narrator: BUT THE ODDS WEREN'T EXACTLY IN SUSAN'S FAVOR.
Collins: MIKE WAS A BULLY.
I MEAN, PURE AND SIMPLE... HE WAS A BULLY.
Narrator: AS THEIR HOUSE OF CARDS CAME CRASHING DOWN,
MIKE DECIDED TO UP THE ANTE,
LEAVING SUSAN IN A FIGHT FOR HER LIFE.
BLOOD WAS SMEARED ALL OVER THE HALLWAY.
Susan: I SAID, "OPEN THE DOOR. CALL THE POLICE.
I'VE BEEN ATTACKED, AND I THINK I'VE KILLED A MAN."
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
THEY SAY THAT LOVE IS A GAMBLE.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT GET.
SUSAN KUHNHAUSEN HAD ALWAYS BEEN A SKEPTIC.
Susan: I WAS CAUTIOUS ABOUT MARRIAGE.
I DID NOT KNOW IF I KNEW HOW TO BE MARRIED.
I DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGES, GROWING UP.
Narrator: BUT WHEN HER MOM GAVE SUSAN
A SUBSCRIPTION TO A MATCHMAKING COMPANY FOR HER 33rd BIRTHDAY,
THE E.R. NURSE DECIDED TO PLAY HER HAND.
JUST TWO WEEKS LATER, IN JANUARY OF 1988,
SUSAN GOT A REPLY FROM 40-YEAR-OLD MIKE KUHNHAUSEN.
Susan: I RECEIVED HIS LETTER, AND ON AN AFTERNOON,
I RANG THE NUMBER,
AND A VERY PLEASANT-SOUNDING MAN ANSWERED THE PHONE.
Narrator: MIKE TOLD SUSAN THAT HE HAD FOUGHT IN VIETNAM
AND NOW WORKED AS A JANITORIAL SUPERVISOR.
HE HAD BEEN MARRIED ONCE BEFORE AND HAD TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.
AND BEST OF ALL, HE WASN'T AFRAID TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN.
BEFORE LONG, THE TWO BEGAN TO DATE.
ALTHOUGH MIKE WAS MORE OF A HOMEBODY,
HE DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND SUSAN'S EXTROVERTED WAYS.
Susan: HE WASN'T A BIG "LET'S GO TO HAVE DINNER AT A RESTAURANT"
KIND OF GUY, SO WE DID A LOT OF SIMPLE THINGS.
BUT I'D HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY
TO CONTINUE TO HANG OUT WITH FRIENDS,
GO PLACES, DO THINGS, TRAVEL.
AND HE SEEMED TO BE FINE WITH THAT.
HE WAS NICE TO MY SISTER, AND HE HAD A GOOD JOB.
YOU KNOW, HE SEEMED TO HAVE A GOOD WORK ETHIC...
YOU KNOW, ALL THAT SORT OF THING.
Narrator: IN MAY OF 1988, THE COUPLE MOVED IN TOGETHER,
AND THE RELATIONSHIP TOOK OFF FROM THERE.
THAT DECEMBER,
MIKE AND SUSAN TIED THE KNOT IN FRONT OF THEIR FAMILIES
IN AN INTIMATE CEREMONY IN RENO, NEVADA.
Susan: WE PICKED RENO, NEVADA,
BECAUSE WHAT BIGGER GAMBLE IN LIFE IS THERE THAN MARRIAGE?
I WAS VERY PROUD THAT I WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO GET MARRIED.
I WAS VERY PROUD
THAT MY SPOUSE WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO MARRY A SECOND TIME.
SO I FELT VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR LIFE TOGETHER.
Narrator: BACK IN PORTLAND,
THE NEWLYWEDS QUICKLY SETTLED IN TO MARRIED LIFE,
AND SUSAN FELT LIKE HER GAMBLE HAD PAID OFF.
SHE LOVED MIKE'S KIDS LIKE THEY WERE HER OWN,
AND HER FAMILY FELT COMPLETE.
BUT ONE NIGHT, MIKE SAID SOMETHING STRANGE.
MIKE TOLD ME, "MARRIAGE CHANGES PEOPLE."
AND HE ASKED ME ONE EVENING,
"SO, WHO DO YOU THINK IS GONNA CHANGE MORE, YOU OR ME?"
Narrator: FOR SUSAN, IT SEEMED THAT MARRIED LIFE
HAD CHANGED THEM BOTH FOR THE BETTER.
BUT 18 YEARS LATER,
SHE WOULD REALIZE JUST HOW WRONG SHE HAD BEEN.
ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2006,
SUSAN CAME HOME TO FIND A DISTURBING NOTE FROM MIKE.
Susan: BASICALLY, IT SAID THAT HE WAS STRESSED,
THAT HE COULDN'T DEAL WITH ALL THE ISSUES ANYMORE,
THAT HE WAS GONNA GO TO THE BEACH.
Narrator: OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS,
THEIR MARRIAGE HAD TAKEN A BAD TURN.
BUT WHAT BOTHERED SUSAN WAS SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY.
HER HOUSE SEEMED UNUSUALLY DARK.
WHEN I ROUNDED THE CORNER TO MY ROOM,
I SAW THAT THE DOOR WAS PARTIALLY CLOSED
AND IT WAS DARK.
SO I PRESUMED I DIDN'T OPEN THE DRAPES THAT DAY
LIKE I USUALLY DID.
SO I STEPPED FORWARD.
Narrator: AND THAT'S WHEN SUSAN REALIZED SHE WASN'T ALONE.
Susan: FROM BEHIND THE DOOR
STEPPED A MAN WEARING YELLOW GLOVES,
WHO HAD A HAMMER IN HIS HAND, AND HE BEGAN TO HIT ME...
IN THE FACE AND IN THE HEAD WITH THE HAMMER.
Narrator: TERRIFIED, SUSAN TRIED TO RUN,
BUT QUICKLY REALIZED SHE WAS TRAPPED.
WHAT I SAW IN HIS EYES AND WHAT I HEARD IN HIS VOICE
TERRIFIED ME BECAUSE HE WAS NOT AFRAID.
HE SEEMED SURPRISED.
BUT THE VERY SCARY PART WAS, HE SEEMED EXCITED.
Narrator: THE ASSAILANT LIFTED HIS HAMMER TO SWING AGAIN,
BUT SUSAN WASN'T GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT.
I SAID, "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KILL ME IN MY OWN HOME."
[ SIREN WAILING ] Collins: IT'S TERRIFYING.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T RECOVER FROM.
Susan: HE WAS THERE TO KILL ME.
AND I WAS GONNA DO MY BEST TO SURVIVE.
Narrator: IN THE SPRING OF 2001,
FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE ATTACK
THAT WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE FOREVER,
SUSAN KUHNHAUSEN AND HER HUSBAND, MIKE,
WERE BUSY JUGGLING WORK AND FAMILY LIFE.
HE HAD THE CHILDREN EVERY OTHER WEEKEND.
WE SEEMED TO GET ALONG GREAT.
WE DID A LOT OF THINGS WITH HIS PARENTS.
AND WE CONTINUED TO WORK OUR VARIOUS SHIFTS.
Narrator: FOR 13 YEARS, THEIR MARRIAGE HAD BEEN A HAPPY ONE,
BUT OVER TIME, THAT BEGAN TO CHANGE.
Susan: I NOTICED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED
ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT I SPENT
WHEN I WOULD GO OUT WITH FRIENDS,
HAVING DINNER WITH OTHERS, GOING TO MOVIES...
THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
Narrator: SUSAN WAS BAFFLED.
SHE HAD ALWAYS MADE MORE MONEY THAN MIKE,
AND THEIR FINANCES WERE NEVER AN ISSUE.
BEFORE LONG, GOOD FRIEND HELEN BULONE
NOTICED A CHANGE IN MIKE, TOO.
Bulone: AS TIME WORE ON IN THEIR MARRIAGE,
HE SEEMED TO BECOME MORE NEGATIVE.
EVEN JUST WHEN I WOULD CALL SOMETIMES
AND BE TALKING TO SUSAN,
HE WOULD BE LISTENING IN THE BACKGROUND,
AND FREQUENTLY, SHE WOULD JUST HANG UP
BECAUSE IT JUST WASN'T WORTH THE TROUBLE.
Narrator: BY THE WINTER OF 2002,
MIKE'S BEHAVIOR HAD GONE FROM BAD TO WORSE.
Susan: MIKE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT HE WAS NOT SURE THAT HE HAD EVER BEEN HAPPY.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE WASN'T SURE WHAT HAPPINESS WAS.
HE WAS A CHAIN SMOKER.
HE DRANK A GREAT DEAL OF CAFFEINE.
AND OVER TIME, HIS ANXIETY WAS MORE PROFOUND.
Collins: MIKE DIDN'T TELL ME VERY MUCH ABOUT VIETNAM,
BUT I KEPT TELLING HIM AFTER I GOT INVOLVED WITH THE V.A.
THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE DID AND HIS PERSONALITY
SHOWED ME POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS.
Narrator: BY THE SUMMER OF 2005,
WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN MIKE'S BEHAVIOR,
SUSAN WAS AT HER WIT'S END.
I ASKED MIKE TO GO TO COUNSELING WITH ME.
AND HE SAID, "NO. I'M NOT GOING TO COUNSELING."
HE FELT THAT COUNSELING
HAD PRETTY MUCH SEALED THE DEAL ON HIS FIRST DIVORCE.
AND I SAID, "WELL,
"IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO WORK ON THE RELATIONSHIP,
THEN I'M GETTING A DIVORCE."
SO HE RELUCTANTLY AGREED THAT HE WOULD GO TO COUNSELING WITH ME.
BUT BY THE END OF SUMMER,
WE HAD REALLY NOT HAD ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.
Narrator: IN SEPTEMBER OF 2005,
THE COUPLE AGREED TO A TRIAL SEPARATION.
Susan: I DIDN'T WANT TO FAIL AT MARRIAGE,
AND I DIDN'T WANT MIKE TO FAIL A SECOND TIME.
NOT MATTER HOW I CHANGED MY LIFE TO ACCOMMODATE HIS NEEDS,
IT WAS NOT WORKING.
AND I FELT I WAS LOSING MY OWN LIFE AS WELL.
Narrator: THAT FALL, MIKE MOVED IN WITH HIS FATHER.
FOR THE SAKE OF THE GRANDCHILDREN THEY NOW SHARED,
SUSAN TRIED TO KEEP THINGS AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE.
WE CONTINUED TO DO THINGS TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.
HE WOULD COME OVER TO THE HOUSE AND SPEND TIME WITH US.
Narrator: SUSAN ONLY HAD ONE REQUEST.
I DID SAY, "PLEASE DON'T COME OVER WHEN I'M NOT HERE."
MY CONCERN WAS, I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE HE HAD BEEN IN THE HOUSE
AND HAD BEEN GOING THROUGH MY STUFF.
AT ONE POINT, I REPLACED A DAMAGED DEAD BOLT
ON THE FRONT DOOR,
AND HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE LOCKS HAD BEEN CHANGED.
Narrator: ALTHOUGH DETERMINED TO STAY FRIENDS,
SUSAN KNEW THAT SHE HAD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.
Bulone: I THINK ONCE MIKE MOVED OUT,
THINGS LIGHTENED CONSIDERABLY FOR SUSAN.
I KNEW THAT I HAD BEEN HAPPY.
I BELIEVED THAT I COULD BE HAPPY AGAIN.
Narrator: BY THE TIME THE HOLIDAYS APPROACHED,
SUSAN WAS DETERMINED TO MOVE ON.
BUT MIKE SEEMED FAR FROM THRILLED WITH THE CHANGE.
Susan: I HAD SEVERAL FRIENDS OVER,
AND MIKE CAME BY, AND HE LOOKED AT US FROM A DISTANCE.
HE WAS APART FROM THE REST OF THE GROUP,
AND THERE WAS A LOOK IN HIS EYE,
AND I THOUGHT, "HE'S GETTING ANGRY.
I NEED TO PROCEED WITH THE DIVORCE."
Narrator: BUT BEFORE SHE COULD FREE HERSELF FROM HER HUSBAND,
SUSAN WOULD HAVE TO ESCAPE THE CLUTCHES OF A DEADLY INTRUDER.
IN THE MATTER OF THAT SPACE OF TIME,
MY LIFE, AS I KNEW IT, WAS DRAMATICALLY ALTERED FOREVER.
Austria: THERE WAS A BODY STILL THERE. THERE WAS BLOOD.
THERE WAS SIGNS THAT THERE WAS A STRUGGLE.
Narrator: BY JANUARY OF 2006,
SUSAN KUHNHAUSEN KNEW
HER 18-YEAR MARRIAGE TO MIKE WAS NEARLY OVER.
THEY HAD BEEN SEPARATED FOR ALMOST SIX MONTHS,
THOUGH THEY TRIED TO STAY ON FRIENDLY TERMS.
EVEN THOUGH WE WERE SEPARATED, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER.
HE CAME AND WENT.
WE SHARED AN ALARM CODE.
AND I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I NEEDED TO CHANGE THAT.
I DIDN'T FEEL ANGRY AT ALL.
I KNEW THAT I HAD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.
Narrator: MEANWHILE, SUSAN THOUGHT THAT MIKE
WAS CONTINUING TO ENTER HER HOUSE WHEN SHE WASN'T HOME.
I THOUGHT THAT HE WAS PROBABLY TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION
ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY LIFE SINCE THE SEPARATION.
Narrator: SUSAN WAS TAKING NO CHANCES.
BY LATE SUMMER OF 2006,
SHE HAD SEPARATED THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS
AND MOVED FORWARD WITH THE DIVORCE.
BUT NOTHING WOULD BE EASY WITH MIKE.
WEEKS LATER, ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2006,
SUSAN WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE TOWN FOR A NURSING CONVENTION
WHEN SHE MADE ONE LAST PHONE CALL TO MIKE.
I CALLED MIKE THAT AFTERNOON AT ABOUT 3:00,
JUST TO CHECK IN WITH HIM.
AND HE SEEMED SURPRISED TO HEAR ME,
LIKE REALLY KIND OF ALMOST AGITATED.
AND HE SAID, "WELL, I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE.
I'M GOING TO THE BEACH."
AND THEN HE SAID, "OH, I LEFT YOU A NOTE AT THE HOUSE."
Narrator: AROUND 6:30 THAT EVENING,
SHE ARRIVED HOME, DISARMED THE ALARM,
AND FOUND MIKE'S NOTE.
Susan: BASICALLY, IT SAID THAT HE WAS STRESSED,
THAT HE COULDN'T DEAL WITH ALL THE ISSUES ANYMORE,
THAT HE WAS GONNA GO TO THE BEACH.
Narrator: JUST AS SUSAN PUT DOWN THE NOTE AND WALKED AWAY,
SHE FOUND HERSELF UNDER ATTACK BY A STRANGE MAN.
HE HAD A HAMMER IN HIS HAND,
AND HE BEGAN TO HIT ME IN THE FACE AND IN THE HEAD
WITH THE HAMMER.
AND I FELT IN THE CORE OF MY BEING THAT HE'S GONNA KILL ME.
Narrator: SUSAN WAS TERRIFIED,
BUT SHE HAD NO INTENTION OF DYING.
SHE FOUGHT BACK WITH EVERYTHING SHE HAD.
Susan: I GRABBED HIM BY THE NECK, AND I SAID,
"YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KILL ME IN MY OWN HOME."
AND I SQUEEZED UNTIL HE WAS PURPLE.
I THOUGHT HE WAS ABOUT TO DROP, AND I LET GO.
Narrator: BUT THE MAN WAS BACK ON HIS FEET AND QUICKLY REACHED SUSAN AGAIN.
HE PUNCHED HER IN THE FACE,
BUT AS SHE FELL, SHE BROUGHT HIM DOWN WITH HER.
WITH PURE ADRENALINE
AND SOME SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING SHE LEARNED AT WORK,
SUSAN MANAGED TO WRESTLE HER ATTACKER FOR SEVERAL MINUTES.
Susan: I KNEW THAT HE WAS NOT GONNA GIVE UP THE WEAPON,
AND THEN IT CAME TO ME, AND I BECAME THE WEAPON.
I LEANED FORWARD, AND I PLACED MY LEFT ARM UNDER HIS NECK,
AND I BEGAN TO SQUEEZE.
AND I ASKED HIM, "WHO SENT YOU HERE?
"TELL ME WHO SENT YOU HERE,
AND I WILL CALL YOU A [BLEEP] AMBULANCE."
BUT WHEN I LET UP TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY,
"OKAY, OKAY, DON'T HURT ME ANYMORE,"
HE WAS TRYING TO FLIP ME UP.
AND I KNEW WITH CERTAINTY THAT IF HE GOT UP, I WOULD BE DEAD.
AND I LEANED FORWARD... UNTIL HE STOPPED STRUGGLING.
Narrator: HER ATTACKER WAS SUDDENLY SILENT,
SO SUSAN GRABBED THE HAMMER AND RAN.
SUSAN HAD A HUNCH WHO WAS BEHIND THE ATTACK,
AND SHE FEARED HER ORDEAL WAS FAR FROM OVER.
Susan: I GOT TO MY NEIGHBORS' PORCH,
AND I SAID, "OPEN THE DOOR. CALL THE POLICE.
I'VE BEEN ATTACKED, AND I THINK I'VE KILLED A MAN."
Narrator: MOMENTS LATER, SUSAN CALLED 911
AND WAS SOON TRANSPORTED TO THE SAME HOSPITAL WHERE SHE WORKED.
Bulone: I OPENED THE DOOR,
AND THERE WAS SUSAN IN THE HOSPITAL BED,
AND SHE HAD LUMPS ALL OVER HER HEAD.
SHE HAD A HUGE CUT ON HER LIP, BRUISES ON HER FACE.
SHE HAD BITE MARKS ON HER ARMS.
AND SHE SAID, "DO YOU THINK MIKE COULD HAVE DONE THIS?"
AND I SAID, "I COULDN'T IMAGINE IT."
BECAUSE AT THAT MOMENT, I COULDN'T.
I COULDN'T IMAGINE IT.
MIKE AND I WERE ABOUT TO GET A DIVORCE.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY, I THOUGHT, UNDER A GREAT DEAL OF STRESS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT HE MUST HAVE SNAPPED.
Narrator: DID SUSAN'S HUSBAND OF 18 YEARS
REALLY HIRE A HIT MAN TO KILL HER?
Austria: OUR NUMBER-ONE PRIORITY WAS TO TRY TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER.
AND THE MAIN PIECE WAS, WHERE'S MICHAEL KUHNHAUSEN?
Narrator: ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2006,
SUSAN KUHNHAUSEN HAD NARROWLY SURVIVED
A SAVAGE ATTACK IN HER OWN HOME.
SHE SUSPECTED HER HUSBAND, MIKE, MIGHT BE INVOLVED,
BUT POLICE HAD YET TO LOCATE HIM.
Susan: I WAS AFRAID TO GO TO SLEEP.
I WAS AFRAID THAT I WOULD NEVER SLEEP AGAIN.
Narrator: BACK AT SUSAN'S HOUSE,
DETECTIVES CONFIRMED THAT THE INTRUDER WAS DEAD.
Susan: [ Voice breaking ] I THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE,
BUT I WASN'T SURE.
AND I... I HO...
I HOPED THAT HE WASN'T.
I HOPED HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS.
I DID NOT KNOW.
I DIDN'T KNOW.
SHE'S USED TO HELPING PEOPLE.
SHE'S NOT USED TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND SO THIS IS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE
OF WHAT HER WHOLE PURPOSE IN LIFE IS.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SOON LEARNED THAT THE MAN SUSAN HAD KILLED
WAS AN EXPERIENCED HIT MAN NAMED ED HAFFEY.
Austria: WHEN WE STARTED DOING SOME OF THE RESEARCH ON ED HAFFEY,
WE FOUND THAT HE HAD SPENT SOME TIME IN JAIL.
SO WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A CRIMINAL PAST
THAT STARTED WELL BEFORE THIS INCIDENT ITSELF.
Narrator: BUT ED HAFFEY WASN'T THE ONLY THING
THAT WAS FOUND IN SUSAN'S HOUSE.
THE NEXT DAY, WHILE HELPING TO CLEAN UP,
SUSAN'S FRIEND HELEN FOUND AN ODD BACKPACK IN THE BASEMENT.
Bulone: I WALKED OVER TO IT, AND THE TOP WAS OPEN,
AND INSIDE OF IT WAS A NOTEBOOK
THAT HAD MIKE'S CELL NUMBER IN IT.
AND I KNEW RIGHT AWAY
THAT THIS WASN'T SOMETHING I WANTED TO TOUCH.
Narrator: BELIEVING IT COULD BELONG TO THE INTRUDER,
HELEN GAVE THE BACKPACK TO THE POLICE.
AND INSIDE, THERE WAS A NOTE WITH TWO WORDS ON IT...
"CALL MIKE."
THE EVIDENCE AGAINST SUSAN'S HUSBAND WAS MOUNTING,
BUT HE WAS STILL NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
I WAS FEARFUL,
BUT I WAS NEVER ALONE AT ANY POINT.
I HAD NO KEYS TO GET BACK INTO MY HOME,
AND I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT GO THERE.
Narrator: NINE DAYS LATER, ON SEPTEMBER 14,
PORTLAND POLICE FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH MIKE KUHNHAUSEN.
AND JUST LIKE HIS NOTE TO SUSAN HAD CLAIMED,
HE WAS AT THE BEACH, 20 MILES AWAY.
Austria: WE ASSISTED THE FAMILY IN GETTING HIM BACK HERE.
AND HE WASN'T REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT SUSAN.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT HIMSELF.
HE NEVER CALLED THE POLICE TO SAY,
"HEY, THAT'S MY WIFE THAT WAS ALMOST KILLED.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME?"
HE NEVER CAME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
TO CHECK IN WITH THE NEIGHBORS ABOUT WHAT THEY MIGHT KNOW.
HE DIDN'T CALL ANYONE.
Narrator: WHEN POLICE QUESTIONED MIKE ABOUT THE DAY OF THE ATTACK,
HE ADMITTED THAT HE HAD BEEN TO THE HOUSE
TO LEAVE A NOTE FOR SUSAN.
HE ALSO REVEALED THAT HE KNEW ED HAFFEY.
Austria: WHEN HE MADE THAT COMMENT ABOUT KNOWING THE GUY,
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A SMOKING GUN TO US.
FOR HIM TO MAKE THAT COMMENT AND ACTUALLY MAKE THE CONNECTION...
THAT WAS A HUGE SLIPUP ON HIS PART.
Narrator: OFFICERS ARRESTED MIKE ON THE SPOT,
AND BAIL WAS SET AT $1 MILLION.
Austria: WE KNOW THAT MICHAEL KUHNHAUSEN HAD ACCESS TO THE RESIDENCE,
HE HAD BEEN THERE EARLIER IN THE DAY.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT WAS AT THAT TIME
THAT HE LET ED HAFFEY INTO THE RESIDENCE.
WE THINK THAT THE MOTIVE WAS MONEY.
AND SUSAN TOOK CARE OF THE FAMILY.
HE WAS NOW LOSING HIS LIFELINE,
AND HE NEEDED SOMETHING TO KEEP HIM AFLOAT.
Narrator: WITH HER HUSBAND IN JAIL,
SUSAN MOVED FORWARD WITH THE DIVORCE AND BACK INTO HER HOME.
Susan: IT WAS OFTEN DIFFICULT.
I OFTEN WOULD MAKE IT TO THE HALLWAY,
WHERE I WOULD BEGIN TO FREEZE.
BUT THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY EVIL IN MY HOME.
AND I WANTED TO STAY.
Narrator: OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
WHILE INVESTIGATORS BUILT A SOLID CASE AGAINST HIM,
MIKE DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN SUSAN'S ATTACK.
FINALLY, ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2007,
HE FOLDED, PLEADING GUILTY TO SOLICITATION TO COMMIT MURDER.
HE WAS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON.
WHEN I DECIDED I NO LONGER WANTED TO LIVE
AND SHARE HIS UNHAPPINESS,
HE DECIDED I DESERVED TO BE DEAD.
THE MAN WHO SAID HE LOVED ME WANTED ME DEAD.
WHEN I MADE MY VICTIM IMPACT SPEECH,
I SAID TO HIM AT ONE POINT,
"AT LEAST IF I BELIEVED THAT YOU DESERVED TO DIE,
I WOULD HAVE HAD THE BALLS TO KILL YOU MYSELF."
Narrator: SUSAN HAD GAMBLED ON LOVE AND LOST.
Susan: HE HAD THE POSSIBILITY OF TWO YEARS OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR,
BUT I BEGAN SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE
BECAUSE I'VE KILLED A MAN.
AND I DON'T GET TIME OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR.
Narrator: TODAY SUSAN IS DIVORCED FROM MIKE
AND FINALLY MOVING OUT OF THE HOUSE
WHERE SHE FOUGHT OFF HER ATTACKER.
I CHOSE TO STAY UNTIL IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME FOR ME TO GO,
AND THAT TIME IS NOW.
Collins: SUE, TODAY, IS NOT THE SAME SUE SHE USED TO BE.
SHE'S NOT MY SAME SISTER.
AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, I'VE GOT A BETTER VERSION.
Bulone: SHE'S JUST BECOME VERY, VERY MUCH MORE AWARE
OF HER SURROUNDINGS.
AND THE FACT THAT SHE IS ALIVE IS REALLY...
IT'S REMARKABLE, AND IT'S UNUSUAL.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIVE THROUGH THESE KINDS OF THINGS.
Narrator: ALTHOUGH THE SCARS STILL LINGER,
SUSAN FINDS SOLACE IN SPEAKING WITH GROUPS
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING.
THE NURSE IN HER ALSO HOPES FOR MORE HEALING.
WHAT WOULD MAKE THIS ALL BE OKAY IS IF...
...I CONTINUE TO FIND EVEN GREATER PEACE
THAN I'M ALREADY FINDING
AND THAT MY EX-HUSBAND COULD FIND INSIGHT,
HOW MUCH WE ALL LOVED HIM.