KENDRA BEEBE THOUGHT HER RELATIONSHIP
WITH "40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN" ACTOR SHELLEY MALIL
WAS PICTURE-PERFECT.
MEETING SHELLEY WAS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE.
I WAS REALLY IN LOVE WITH HIM.
HE WAS SO GOOD TO HER AND THE KIDS.
SHE WAS ENAMORED BY HIM.
BUT AS KENDRA STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN
HER "HAPPILY EVER AFTER,"
A DEADLY PLOT TWIST WOULD PLAY OUT...
THIS GUY WAS CRAZY.
THIS GUY'S A LUNATIC.
WHO DOES THAT TO SOMEBODY?
...AND CHANGE KENDRA'S STORY FOREVER.
I JUST THINK THAT A PERSON COULDN'T BE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND,
TALKING IN A COOL, COLLECTED VOICE,
WHILE THEY'RE TRYING TO MURDER YOU.
WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
CALIFORNIA GIRL KENDRA BEEBE HAD HER SIGHTS SET
ON MORE THAN JUST DISCOVERING A LEADING MAN.
I HAD BEEN DIVORCED ONE YEAR.
I HAD CUSTODY OF MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN.
SO I WAS BUSY CARING FOR THEM AND WORKING PART TIME.
BUT BY JULY OF 2007,
KENDRA FELT READY TO GIVE LOVE A SECOND CHANCE.
I FELT LIKE I WANTED COMPANIONSHIP.
I THOUGHT MAYBE GOING TO AN ONLINE DATING WEBSITE
WOULD BE A NICE WAY
BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING OUT TO THE BARS,
AND YOU CAN KIND OF TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
IN A MATTER OF WEEKS,
KENDRA FOUND HERSELF CHATTING WITH AN ATTRACTIVE MAN
NAMED SHELLEY MALIL.
AND SHE WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN WHAT HE DID FOR A LIVING.
SHELLEY WAS AN ACTOR BY PROFESSION.
HE'D BEEN IN "THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN,"
BUT I HADN'T SEEN ANY OF HIS MOVIES
BECAUSE MY KIDS WERE SO YOUNG.
I WAS WRAPPED UP IN CHILDREN'S MOVIES.
AND I WASN'T REALLY INTERESTED IN THE HOLLYWOOD LIFESTYLE.
IN FACT, I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED
BECAUSE I WASN'T A HOLLYWOOD KIND OF PERSON.
BUT THE MORE KENDRA GOT TO KNOW SHELLEY,
THE MORE SHE REALIZED HOW MUCH THEY HAD IN COMMON.
HE WAS ALSO A DIVORCED FATHER,
SO I FELT LIKE WE HAD SOME COMMON GROUND THERE.
HE WAS A GOOD LISTENER,
AND I FELT LIKE HE WAS MY FRIEND.
SO THAT REALLY ATTRACTED ME TO HIM.
ONE MONTH AND MANY E-MAILS LATER,
KENDRA WAS READY TO MEET HER HOLLYWOOD HEADLINER
IN PERSON.
HE DROVE TWO HOURS TO TAKE ME OUT
FOR A REALLY NICE LUNCH.
HE PICKED ME UP, HE OPENED THE DOOR,
HE PULLED OUT THE CHAIR.
HE WAS ENGAGING, HE WAS INTERESTED.
HE WAS A GENTLEMAN.
IT WAS REALLY A PERFECT DATE.
BY THE TIME SHELLEY DROPPED HER OFF THAT AFTERNOON,
WITHOUT EVEN EXPECTING A KISS, KENDRA BEEBE WAS SMITTEN.
TWO DAYS LATER,
I GOT THE BIGGEST BOUQUET OF FLOWERS THAT SAID,
"THANKS FOR KEEPING CARLSBAD BEAUTIFUL."
SO I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED,
AND I WAS REALLY FEELING LIKE I HAD FOUND SOMEONE SPECIAL.
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS,
THE COUPLE CONTINUED GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER
AND WHEN KENDRA INTRODUCED SHELLEY TO HER CHILDREN,
THE BOND WAS IMMEDIATE.
I THOUGHT, "WOW, HERE'S THIS GREAT GUY.
HE LOVES ME. HE LOVES MY KIDS."
IT JUST SEEMED PERFECT.
KENDRA TOLD ME THAT HE WAS A NICE MAN
AND THAT HE TREATED HER VERY WELL.
HE WOULD COME DOWN AND BRING GIFTS
AND WAS BUYING HER WONDERFUL THINGS.
AND SHE WAS VERY ENAMORED BY HIM.
BY OCTOBER OF 2007,
THE COUPLE WAS DATING EXCLUSIVELY
AND SEEMED DESTINED FOR A LONG LIFE TOGETHER.
BUT NOT EVERY STORY HAS A HAPPY ENDING.
AND JUST 10 MONTHS LATER,
KENDRA BEEBE WOULD FIND THAT OUT FIRSTHAND.
ON AUGUST 10, 2008,
KENDRA WAS SHARING A BOTTLE OF WINE ON THE BACK PATIO
WITH GOOD FRIEND DAVID MALDONADO.
DAVID PROCEEDS TO TELL ME
THAT HE HAD JUST BEEN DATING A GIRL FOR A YEAR,
AND THEY'D BROKEN UP.
AND AS HE WAS TELLING ME THIS, I WAS LIKE,
"MY GOSH, I'VE BEEN DATING SOMEONE FOR THE LAST YEAR.
AND JUST AS I'M GOING INTO THE DESCRIPTION OF SHELLEY,
SHELLEY SHOWS UP ON THE BACK PATIO.
HE CAME AROUND TO KENDRA'S FRONT AND WENT INTO HER.
IT LOOKED LIKE HE CAME IN AND STARTED HUGGING HER.
KENDRA REACHED FORWARD TO HUG SHELLEY,
AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON,
LIFE AS SHE KNEW IT WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME.
THE ONLY THOUGHTS THAT I HAD IN MY MIND WAS,
"OKAY, IT'S EITHER HIM OR ME RIGHT NOW."
I KNEW HE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
AND I JUST FELT AN ANIMAL FEAR
THAT I'VE NEVER FELT IN MY WHOLE LIFE.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2007,
NINE MONTHS BEFORE A SIMPLE HUG WOULD END IN A NIGHTMARE,
KENDRA BEEBE AND ACTOR SHELLEY MALIL
WERE PREPARING TO SPEND THEIR FIRST THANKSGIVING TOGETHER
AT SHELLEY'S HOME IN L.A.
HIS DAUGHTER HAD ALSO FLOWN IN,
SO WE HAD ALL OUR KIDS, HIS FAMILY.
IT WAS REALLY A NICE TIME.
WE WERE BOTH SHARING THE SAME KIND OF VALUES
AND REALLY PLANNED ON A FUTURE TOGETHER.
BUT THE NEXT DAY,
AFTER ARRIVING BACK HOME IN SAN DIEGO,
KENDRA RECEIVED A DISTURBING PHONE CALL.
SHELLEY'S DAUGHTER CALLED ME IN THE EVENING FROM HIS PHONE,
TELLING ME THAT "DADDY WAS TALKING FUNNY," AND I TOLD HER,
"HAND THE PHONE TO YOUR DAD."
AND WHEN I WAS TALKING TO HIM, HE SOUNDED UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
AND I PROCEEDED TO TELL HIS DAUGHTER,
"YOU NEED TO CALL YOUR MOM RIGHT AWAY
AND HAVE HER COME PICK YOU UP."
SHELLEY'S BEHAVIOR SEEMED COMPLETELY OUT OF CHARACTER,
BUT WHEN HE CALLED KENDRA THE NEXT DAY,
HE WAS NOTHING SHORT OF APOLOGETIC.
HE ADMITTED TO ME THAT HE HAD BEEN DRINKING
AND PROBABLY HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK,
AND THAT'S WHEN HE TOLD ME
THAT HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ALCOHOL IN HIS PAST.
SHOCKED AS KENDRA WAS, SHE CARED DEEPLY FOR SHELLEY.
AND BY CHRISTMAS OF 2007, THE COUPLE WAS BACK ON TRACK
AND READY TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS TOGETHER.
HE CAME WITH ALL KINDS OF PRESENTS AND GIFTS.
HE BROUGHT MY MOM PRESENTS.
HE TOOK US TO A FANCY HOTEL FOR A BEAUTIFUL DINNER,
AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY.
I THOUGHT HE WAS VERY GENEROUS.
AND I THOUGHT THAT HE REALLY CARED FOR MY DAUGHTER
AND FOR THE KIDS.
THEY WERE ALL DRESSED UP FOR CHRISTMAS.
IT LOOKED LIKE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
BUT JUST AS LIFE SEEMED TO RETURN TO NORMAL
FOR THE HAPPY COUPLE,
THE NEW YEAR BEGAN TO USHER IN MORE PROBLEMS.
KENDRA WAS WEARING SOME NEW BOOTS AND A LEATHER JACKET
AND THIS REALLY PRETTY PEACH-COLORED DRESS.
AND SHELLEY CAME UP TO ME AND HE SAID,
"LOOK AT THIS.
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH YOUR DAUGHTER'S DRESS."
I ASKED MY MOM, "MOM, CAN YOU SEE THROUGH MY DRESS?"
AND SHE SAID, "ABSOLUTELY NOT."
SO I FELT THAT SHELLEY WAS KIND OF TRYING TO PICK A FIGHT
ABOUT MY DRESS.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS VERY STRANGE
AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE HE WAS COMING FROM,
AND I WAS TRYING TO REASSURE HIM.
SO I JUST KIND OF SHOOK IT OFF
AS MAYBE HE WAS HAVING A BAD DAY.
BUT BY VALENTINE'S DAY OF 2008,
OVER SIX MONTHS INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
THE ONCE SEEMINGLY FLAWLESS SHELLEY
WAS BEGINNING TO SHOW A FEW MORE CRACKS.
SOON AFTER VALENTINE'S DAY,
HE GOT VERY ANGRY BECAUSE I WAS IN A TOP,
WHERE I HAD BENT DOWN TO PICK UP ONE OF THE KIDS,
AND HE SAID HE COULD SEE DOWN MY SHIRT.
HE GOT VERY ANGRY WITH ME
AND TOLD ME I SHOULD NEVER WEAR THAT SHIRT AGAIN.
KENDRA THREW OUT THE SHIRT,
THINKING IT WOULD BE AN EASY SOLUTION
TO DEFUSE FUTURE ARGUMENTS.
A FEW WEEKS AFTER GETTING RID OF THE TOP,
IT SEEMED TO BE LIKE ANOTHER SHIRT I WORE.
AND HE ACTUALLY STORMED OFF
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SHIRT.
I ENDED UP THROWING THE SHIRT AWAY,
AND SO IT STARTED TO BECOME A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR,
AND I JUST SORT OF JUSTIFIED IT
BECAUSE HE WAS SO NICE TO ME IN EVERY OTHER AREA.
I JUST THOUGHT, "WELL, THIS IS HIS HANG-UP."
BUT AS THE WINTER OF 2008 TURNED INTO SPRING,
EVEN SIMPLE WARDROBE CHOICES
WERE SPARKING FULL-BLOWN ARGUMENTS.
KENDRA WOULD CALL ME,
AND WHEN THINGS WERE GOOD WITH SHELLEY, I KNEW ABOUT IT.
AND WHEN THINGS WERE BAD WITH SHELLEY, I KNEW ABOUT IT.
AND IT ALMOST BECAME LIKE A PING-PONG GAME.
YOU KNOW, ONE DAY IT WAS GOOD. ONE DAY IT WAS NOT GOOD.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOT A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP.
HE WOULD PERIODICALLY CALL ME AND ASK,
"KENDRA, WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"
AND I WOULD BE TELLING HIM,
"LOOK, I'M IN JEANS AND A T-SHIRT."
"I'M IN SWEAT PANTS AND A SWEAT SHIRT."
AND HE WOULD SAY,
"WELL, WHAT KIND OF T-SHIRT? IS IT SEE-THROUGH?"
AND I WOULD BE LIKE,
"NO, SHELLEY, NO. PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO ME."
AND HE WOULD SAY,
"I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. I WON'T DO THIS."
KENDRA TRIED TO STAY PATIENT
AND HOPED THAT SHELLEY'S STRANGE BEHAVIOR
WOULD SOON BE A THING OF THE PAST
BUT ONLY THREE MONTHS LATER,
SHE WOULD REALIZE THAT HE WAS JUST GETTING STARTED.
HE WAS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY, AND I ACTUALLY NOW KNOW
THE MEANING OF THE WORD "SINISTER."
I HAD A SUSPICION
OF WHO I THOUGHT MIGHT HAVE DONE THIS TO HER.
AND MY SUSPICIONS WERE WRONG.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND OF 2008 PROMISED TO BE A THRILLING TIME
FOR KENDRA BEEBE AND HER BOYFRIEND OF 9 MONTHS,
ACTOR SHELLEY MALIL.
ALTHOUGH THEIR RELATIONSHIP HAD BEEN LESS THAN PERFECT,
KENDRA WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO ACCOMPANYING SHELLEY
TO A FAMILY WEDDING THAT WEEKEND.
SHELLEY WAS ALWAYS, ALWAYS METICULOUSLY DRESSED.
HE KNEW WHERE ALL THE GREAT INDIAN SHOPS WERE IN L.A.,
AND HE ACTUALLY TOOK ME SHOPPING SO THAT I COULD GET
A FEW TRADITIONAL OUTFITS TO WEAR.
THAT FRIDAY NIGHT,
AS THE COUPLE GOT READY FOR THE REHEARSAL DINNER,
KENDRA PUT ON HER NEW OUTFIT.
HE SAID I LOOKED NICE
WHEN I PUT ON THE TRADITIONAL OUTFIT,
BUT THEN LATER ON IN THE EVENING,
HE SAID THAT HE HAD WISHED I'D WORN SOMETHING MORE WESTERN,
MEANING AMERICAN.
I THINK THE FIGHT HAD JUST GOTTEN TOO OLD
AND I'D HAD ENOUGH.
KENDRA TOLD SHELLEY THAT SHE NEEDED SOME SPACE
AND TRAVELED WITHOUT HIM TO VISIT HER MOTHER IN SEATTLE.
HE CALLED ME WHILE I WAS UP THERE AT MY MOM'S HOUSE,
ASKING WHAT I WAS DOING, WHAT I WAS WEARING.
AND I WAS LIKE, "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING.
I'M IN MY MOM'S HOUSE, TALKING TO MY FAMILY."
AFTER LISTENING TO IT,
KENDRA AND I WOULD SAY TO EACH OTHER,
"HOW OLD IS HE?"
BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO... ALMOST CHILD-LIKE.
BY THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST,
KENDRA KNEW THAT SHE NEEDED TO END THE RELATIONSHIP
ONCE AND FOR ALL.
SO SHE TOLD SHELLEY THAT SHE WOULD PREFER TO BE FRIENDS,
BUT NOTHING MORE.
I JUST WANT TO BE ALONE AND BE WITH MY KIDS, AND I'M OKAY.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BAD DIVORCE.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS RELATIONSHIP
THAT TOOK A LOT OF ENERGY.
BUT I'VE LEARNED FROM IT, AND I JUST NEED SOME TIME OFF.
BUT SHELLEY WASN'T DONE WITH KENDRA JUST YET.
ON AUGUST 10, 2008, AFTER PUTTING HER KIDS TO BED,
KENDRA SAT DOWN TO ENJOY A WARM SUMMER EVENING
WITH LONGTIME FRIEND DAVID MALDONADO.
SHE BEGAN TO TELL HIM ABOUT HER RECENT BREAKUP WITH SHELLEY.
JUST AS I'M GOING INTO THE DESCRIPTION OF SHELLEY,
OUR CONVERSATION'S IMMEDIATELY STOPPED
BECAUSE SHELLEY SHOWS UP ON THE BACK PATIO.
WITH NO SHIRT, NO SHOES,
A BASEBALL CAP ON BACKWARDS, AND A PAIR OF SHORTS.
I FELT PRIMAL, INSTINCTUAL FEAR.
AND HE STARTS TO WALK UP TO ME.
AND HE SAID, "KENDRA, KENDRA, KENDRA."
AND I THINK, "MY GOSH, HE'S GONNA HUG ME."
BUT THAT WASN'T EXACTLY WHAT SHELLEY HAD IN MIND.
IN ONE SPLIT SECOND,
I SEE A FLASH OF SILVER AND I'M THINKING,
"MY GOD. HE'S GOT A KNIFE."
SHE STARTED SQUIRMING AND SCREAMING.
AND SO I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
SO I CAME AROUND, TRIED TO PULL HIM OFF OF HER,
AND HE DIDN'T EVEN CARE THAT I WAS THERE.
HE HAD PUNCTURED ONE OF MY LUNGS,
AND I COULD FEEL I WASN'T GETTING SO MUCH AIR.
I WAS SURROUNDED BY ALL THESE HOUSES AROUND ME,
AND THEIR WINDOWS WERE OPEN.
AND I START TAKING IN BREATHS AND SCREAMING OUT,
"HELP! CALL 911! HELP! HE'S KILLING ME!"
ACROSS THE PATIO,
DAVID WAS TRYING TO WRESTLE THE KNIFE FROM SHELLEY.
I WAS THINKING
THAT THERE WAS A LIFE THAT WAS GONNA BE LOST
IF I DIDN'T STOP HIM.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS GONNA ACTUALLY
GET THE KNIFE OUT OF HIS HAND,
BUT I DID, FROM SOME GRACE OF GOD.
I THREW IT FAR AWAY AS I COULD OVER A FENCE INTO AN EMBANKMENT
SO THAT NOBODY COULD REACH IT.
DAVID KNEW
THAT HE HAD TO GET IMMEDIATE HELP FOR KENDRA,
SO HE RAN TO FIND THE NEAREST PHONE.
MEANWHILE, SHELLEY MADE HIS WAY OFF THE GROUND
AND BACK TOWARDS KENDRA.
I THOUGHT, "WELL, I'M SAFE NOW.
SHELLEY DOESN'T HAVE A KNIFE."
AND THEN HE RUNS INSIDE, AND I THINK,
"NO, I NEED TO GET TO THE FRONT OF THE STREET,
AND I NEED TO GET HELP."
I RUN THROUGH THE SIDE YARD,
AND I'M UNLATCHING THE GATE AND KICKING IT OPEN,
AND IT WON'T OPEN.
IT'S JAMMED SHUT.
AND AS I'M DOING SO, SHELLEY'S THERE
WITH MY BIGGEST BUTCHER KNIFE FROM MY KITCHEN.
AS SHELLEY CLOSED IN ON KENDRA,
SHE COULD ONLY PRAY THAT HELP WAS ON THE WAY.
BUT SHE HAD NO IDEA
IF SHE WOULD SURVIVE TO FIND OUT.
I FELT LIKE I WANTED TO GO TO SLEEP.
AND I KNEW IF I WAS GONNA GO TO SLEEP,
I WASN'T GONNA COME BACK.
NONE OF THE STORY THAT HE GAVE MADE ANY SENSE AT ALL.
ON AUGUST 10, 2008,
KENDRA BEEBE SUDDENLY FOUND HERSELF
IN A DESPERATE FIGHT FOR HER LIFE.
HER RECENT EX-BOYFRIEND, ACTOR SHELLEY MALIL,
HAD STABBED HER THREE TIMES,
AND SEEMED TO BE COMING BACK FOR MORE.
I COULDN'T FEND HIM OFF FOR VERY LONG.
AND HE STARTS STABBING ME.
I MEAN, I WAS TELLING HIM I LOVED HIM.
AND HE WAS LIKE, "YEAH, RIGHT, YOU LOVE ME."
AND HE'D STAB ME AGAIN.
I HEARD KENDRA SCREAMING OUT FOR HELP.
AND SHE WAS SCREAMING THAT SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO KILL HER.
CALL THE POLICE.
SO I KIND OF POPPED OVER THE FENCE
TO TRY TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE SHE WAS.
FINALLY, AT SOME POINT,
MY NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR WHO HAD CAME OUT,
HE SEES HIM GOING AT ME, BUT HE THINKS I'M BEING PUNCHED.
HE DOESN'T REALIZE I'M BEING STABBED.
HE KIND OF TALKS DOWN SHELLEY, AND HE SAYS,
"YOU NEED TO GET TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE."
SOMEHOW ABLE TO STAND,
KENDRA RAN BACK THROUGH HER HOME AND ONTO THE FRONT PORCH,
BUT SHELLEY WAS RIGHT BEHIND HER.
I GET ON THE FRONT LOVE SEAT, AND HE STABS ME AGAIN.
HE JUST PLUNGED IT IN AS DEEP AS HE COULD.
I REMEMBER THAT ONE, THINKING, "WOW, HE'S GOT ME."
BY THE TIME I RAN BACK OVER, I REALIZED HE HAD A KNIFE.
I SAID, "STEP BACK, GET OFF OF HER.
PUT THE KNIFE DOWN."
AND WE STARTED HEARING POLICE SIRENS RIGHT AFTER THAT.
I KIND OF LOOKED AROUND FOR HIM, AND THEN HE WAS GONE.
I WAS FIGHTING TO STAY AWAKE.
I WAS FIGHTING TO LIVE FOR MY KIDS.
AND I THINK IF ANYTHING KEPT ME ALIVE THAT NIGHT,
IT WAS THE LOVE OF MY CHILDREN AND NOT WANTING TO LEAVE THEM.
AROUND 9:00 PM, PARAMEDICS ARRIVED
AND TRANSPORTED KENDRA TO THE HOSPITAL,
WHERE SHE IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO SURGERY.
AS POLICE CONTINUED THEIR SEARCH FOR SHELLEY,
EVERYONE PRAYED THAT KENDRA WOULD MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT.
WHEN I GOT INTO HER ROOM AND I SAW MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER,
THE FIRST THING I SAID IS, "GET ME A PRIEST."
I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BRING MY DAUGHTER HOME
TO BURY HER.
I ACTUALLY LOST HALF OF MY BLOOD THAT NIGHT.
I ALSO SUFFERED FROM TWO PUNCTURED LUNGS.
THE STAB WOUND ON MY NECK
CAME 1/8 OF A CENTIMETER OF MY CAROTID ARTERY.
I EXPERIENCED A MIRACLE BY LIVING THAT NIGHT.
THE NEXT DAY, ON AUGUST 11th,
POLICE TOLD KENDRA THAT SHELLEY HAD TURNED HIMSELF IN,
CLAIMING HE WAS NOT GUILTY.
HE WAS IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED
FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER, MAYHEM, AND BURGLARY.
BAIL WAS SET AT $2 MILLION.
THE POLICE ASKED IF I FELT THREATENED.
I SAID, "YES, OF COURSE."
IT'S SCARY TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE YOU COULD HAVE LOVED AND TRUSTED
WOULD DO THIS.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF,
KENDRA WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE TO RECOVER
FROM HER PHYSICAL WOUNDS,
SHE WOULD HAVE TO RELIVE EVERY MOMENT OF THE ATTACK IN COURT.
THE WAY HE TALKS, EVERYTHING IS AN ACCIDENT.
HE WENT IN THE BACKYARD,
AND SUDDENLY HE'S ATTACKED BY DAVID MALDONADO.
BUT HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE AN EXPLANATION
FOR STABBING HER 23 TIMES, EXCEPT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT
AND HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE KNIFE WAS HURTING KENDRA.
HE NEVER TOLD HIS MOTIVE.
HE'S NEVER CONFESSED TO A MOTIVE.
THIS WAS SELF DEFENSE,
AND IT WAS ALL JUST A BIG MISTAKE.
FINALLY IN DECEMBER OF 2010,
MORE THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THE ATTACK,
A SAN DIEGO JURY CONVICTED SHELLEY MALIL
OF ATTEMPTED PREMEDITATIVE MURDER
AND ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.
HE WAS SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON.
DURING THE SENTENCING, HE SAID
HE DOESN'T KNOW THE WORDS TO SAY HOW SORRY HE IS.
WELL, I THINK IT'S LIKE TWO WORDS... I'M SORRY.
SO WHETHER HE IS SORRY OR NOT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO ME.
I'VE MOVED FORWARD.
TODAY, THE ATTACK THAT ALMOST TOOK KENDRA'S LIFE
HAS GIVEN HER A GREATER SENSE OF CLARITY.
I STILL GET UP AND GO TO WORK EVERY DAY.
I STILL TAKE CARE OF MY CHILDREN.
I THINK WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT MY LIFE NOW, IN SOME WAYS,
I FEEL MORE WHOLE THAN I'VE EVER FELT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
LIVING IN SAN DIEGO AND RUNNING HER OWN INSURANCE BUSINESS,
KENDRA HAS WORKED HARD
TO HEAL HER PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WOUNDS.
MY DAUGHTER STILL AMAZES ME.
SHE'S VIBRANT. SHE'S BEAUTIFUL. IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT SHE LIVED.
IN THE FUTURE,
KENDRA HOPES TO WORK WITH LAWMAKERS
TO HELP ERADICATE DOMESTIC ABUSE.
IN THE MEANTIME, SHE'S BUSY RAISING HER CHILDREN
WITH NO IMMEDIATE THOUGHTS OF A LIFELONG PARTNER.
IT WOULD TAKE SOMEONE VERY SPECIAL
FOR ME TO EVER BE ABLE TO TRUST AND OPEN UP AGAIN.
TODAY, I WOULD SAY I AM SOMEONE THAT EMBRACES LIFE.
I'M HOPEFUL. I'M POSITIVE.
I'M A FIGHTER, AND I'M NOT A VICTIM.
I AM A SURVIVOR.