Ep. 115: Abuser Murders Girlfriend After Judge Lets Him Out While Awaiting Trial For Strangling Her

Sigh. Here we go again. In a case of this-can't-possibly-be-true-oh-my-god-why-is-the-system-so-broken-this-is-why-women-keep-dying, a Tucson, Ariz., judge set free Michael Martinez Duran from a Pima County jail while he was awaiting trial for charges of domestic violence, including strangulation, which we KNOW is one of the deadliest red flags of a future homicide. Due in court Sept. 19, Michael never made it. Instead, he did something most of us could 100 percent predict any abuser who had already been escalting his abuse was going to do when losing power and control—he murdered his girlfriend, a mom and brand-new grandmother, Michelle Gracia, 47, less than two weeks before he was set to be back in court.  In this episode, we discuss the deadly consequences of downplaying an abuser's threats — and the heartbreaking ways victims often disconnect from the reality of their danger, because fully facing it can feel impossible. We are also honored to have Michelle's mother, Linda, talk to Amanda in this traumatic aftermath about her daughter's murder, and how it was absolutely preventable. (Apologies for the sound quality of the phone call.)  Please consider making a donation to Michelle's GoFundMe, if able, to help support her children moving forward. We want to hear from you. Do you have a story we need to discuss or a guest we should feature? Visit us at ToxicThePodcast.com and share your story. We're sorry if we can't reply to every email immediately, but we we are trying our best to respond to everyone who writes in. Just know that we hear you and you're not alone. If you're experiencing abuse or domestic violence, please consider connecting with a trained advocate near you. You can find one through DomesticShelters.org. Finally, help us spread these important conversations further. Share an episode of Toxic with someone just as pissed off as you that this keeps happening. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform or social media, and if you're willing, leave us a review. Your support helps us amplify these critical stories. Together, we can create change.