CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- With heavy hearts -- a small gathering mourn the lives of Morgan Rogers and her one-year-old daughter Leah. Police say the two were murdered in their Chesterfield home Friday afternoon.
Investigators say Stafford Shaw was wanted for the crime and for violating a protective order.
"I think my personal wounds have opened back up. I was healed,” said Sonja Holt, ex-fiancée of Stafford Shaw.
That healing Sonya Holt says is the result of an 11-year abusive relationship she endured with Shaw.
"This very easily could've been me. And I think that's what's so hard for me because I've seen the end of a gun in his hand,” said Shaw.
Holt experienced that after dating for two years. She says he threatened her life and his own.
"He sat on the bed and with one bullet in the gun played Russian roulette. And then, very quickly turned the gun and shot. I just happened to have shot down the hallway. But the bullet landed in the ceiling of the home,” said Holt.
Ironically, Holt says she walked out on Shaw after learning he was dating Morgan at the same time.
She filed assault charges against him in 2008.
A judge sentenced Shaw to 90 days, suspending all of the time for three years’ probation and ordered Shaw to undergo anger management classes.
But Holt says he never did.
And while she and others remember the tragedy in this home -- Holt has this message for domestic violence victims.
"Tell someone. Tell someone. Don't be silent because this is what happens when you're silent. Even when you think you can take care of it, it's so much bigger,” said Holt.
Holt is the Founder of Second Chance at Renewing Self or SCARS. An organization she started two years ago to bring domestic violence awareness.
