Eighteen-year-old Susanne met Leonard in her first year of college in Pennsylvania. Susanne was one of two daughters raised by affluent, somewhat overly protective parents. She was living away from home, attending college, and enjoying her first taste of youthful freedom. Leonard was a chemistry major a year older than Susanne. He was bright, charming, and confident. He also had the allure of the "bad boy" with his shaved head and tattoos often attractive to young women who have no idea what they are getting themselves into. The young lovers quickly married against her parents' wishes and decided to move to Arizona to start their life together far from the influence of Susanne's parents. They would continue their education while living on the trust account Susanne's parents had set up to help her start her life. Leonard had nothing to bring into the marriage. He had been living on school loans and a part-time job when he met Susanne. Now they could enjoy their life, love, and dreams together. Except this dream was about to become Susanne's worst nightmare.
Susanne and Leonard had been living in Arizona just over a year when the call came in. Referred by a local attorney, Susanne's parents needed someone to help them rescue their daughter. Susanne had cut all communication with her parents months earlier claiming that they needed to leave her and Leonard alone. She would call them when and if she was ready. Suddenly, she had decided they were overbearing controlling intruders instead of the close and loving parents they had always been. Susanne spoke of Leonard as if he were now her only source of love and support. Of course, they were completely financially dependent on Susanne's trust account as neither were working or attending school. After all, Susanne angrily pointed out, wasn't this "her" money to start her life with as she chose. Or, were her parents just using the money to hold her captive and manipulate her as Leonard claimed. Susanne's parents become angry at these statements and decided to cut off the trust funds in hopes that their daughter would see for herself that Leonard was not the man he claimed. That only further alienated their daughter, convincing her that Leonard was right—her parents used their money to control her life. It had been weeks since they had heard from Susanne and they were worried they would lose her forever.
The investigation quickly confirmed that neither Susanne nor Leonard were working, or doing much of anything for that matter. During the day no activity was seen. Susanne's car sat in the apartment complex except when occasionally Leonard would go for a short ride alone with the car stereo playing his heavy metal music so loud it could be clearly heard in the surveillance vehicle following him. It was then noted, that every few days the couple would leave late at night for a trip to nearby fast food restaurants and the grocery store. This was the first observation of the couple together. Leonard was seen hovering closely near Susanne while furtively looking around checking to see if anyone was looking at his "property." Leonard appeared to have been a body builder at one time and very much looked the part of the "skinhead" group he had been involved with years ago. He also had the glassy stare and posture suggesting severe emotional imbalance, perhaps even schizophrenia.
After weeks of observation and with Susannes parents becoming more concerned, an intervention plan had to be made. Susanne was not a minor and therefore local police could not help except to verify that Leonard had no known criminal record. Forcible removal of Susanne was not an option. Not only would this be kidnapping, it would likely cause Susanne to permanently enmesh with her captor. Solving a case such as Susanne's is virtually impossible without input from many expert sources. After considerable research, thought, and planning, it was time to make a move. In the meantime, through ongoing surveillance, it was discovered that Susanne had found a part-time job at a nearby bakery to bring in at least some money for them to survive. This would provide the "setting" needed for the intervention.
A mental health expert in the field of deprogramming was chosen and brought in from another state. His special training in dealing with cult victims seemed the best fit for this situation. With successful intervention, Susanne would accompany him back to a long-term residential treatment facility. Susanne's parents were brought in for briefing and final planning. Fortunately, both parents were willing to do anything to help their daughter. There would be no arguments as to who was running the show. Everyone was on the same page. Early, the morning of intervention, Susanne's father and I appeared at her job. A surveillance team watched the apartment in case Leonard decided to walk to the bakery only a block away and check on Susanne. He had been seen doing this several times a day during her work shift. The police were informed about the intervention should their help be required. Susanne would have at least one chance to safely escape if she chose.
Susanne was shocked to see her father after almost six months and so much emotional distance had been created. Susanne's father waited quietly while I spoke to her. There were perhaps only seconds before the initial shock of seeing her father wore off and what happened then was anybody's guess. I told Susanne that her parents would just like to see her "one more time" as they realized that they may never see her again. I told Susanne that I had been watching her and Leonard for almost two months. I didn't need to share the details. We both knew what I had learned. Susanne's father waited silently while I spoke to her. I promised that if she would go with us to a nearby hotel to talk with her parents I would bring her back if that was what she wished. I would not break the law or her trust. She thought for what seemed like a long moment and we left. Susanne would never see Leonard again.
Susanne finished her treatment and went back to live with her parents. I delivered a tape recorded message to Leonard’s door in which Susanne explained that she loved him, but could no longer live with him. I later learned that, in fact, Leonard had spent many hours "programming" Susanne with a powerful combination of love and terror. He threatened to kill her sister, then her parents, and only then he would kill Susanne. He claimed he could not bear to ever lose her because he "loved" her so much.
The last time I heard from Susanne's parents was two months later when her father wrote to tell me Leonard was dead. After Susanne left, we immediately recovered her vehicle so Leonard had no transportation. In his desperate attempts to learn his wife's whereabouts, Leonard filed a kidnapping report with police and managed to get the parents long-distance phone bill and identified me as the investigator who orchestrated the intervention. He threatened all involved with murder and finally convinced an older relative, in another state to buy him a bus ticket and put him up. Before leaving Arizona, the local police became involved only once. Leonard was found standing on a busy street corner, gun holstered on his hip, holding a sign which said "Will kill for food." Leonard was politely asked not to create further disturbance in public. When he arrived at his benefactors home, Leonard proceeded to hold her captive while forcing her to take out a second mortgage on her home to finance his revenge. Concerned friends called police and Leonard was arrested. Police found his journal in which Leonard outlined specific plans to kill his wife, her sister, and her parents. Facing many years in prison, Leonard committed suicide by hanging himself in jail.
Before Leonard left Arizona, I had several conversations with him. I still have the recordings, but have not listened to them. At first, Leonard was threatening me in the calm manner of a person who would be most capable of carrying out his threats. He was going to visit me with some of his "friends," one of which were observed during post-intervention surveillance. I invited Leonard to do whatever he felt was right. As we spoke on further occasions, I saw that Leonard was a frightened, wounded young man, abused horribly by his step-father. He had become what he was only to protect—the helpless child inside. Leonard almost agreed to commit himself for treatment during our last conversation. His only concern was that there was no one to care for his dog, a German shepherd, his protector, his last friend. I assured him I would personally watch the dog. He quickly pointed out that the dog was very aggressive and it wouldn't work out. That was the last time I ever spoke to Leonard. I never learned what happened to his dog. Leonard probably had him destroyed, since like his master, the innocent animal was damaged forever and would never be able to find his way home.
