What happened to Morgan Metzer? The disturbing true story behind Netflix's 'Gaslit By My Husband'
Netflix has always had a penchant for blending elements of true crime with the pillars of riveting drama, and the movie 'Gaslit By My Husband' is no exception. Detailing the disturbing account of Morgan Metzer, played by Jana Kramer of 'A Cowboy Christmas Romance', the true crime movie depicts in chilling detail the manner in which Metzer was attacked by a masked intruder in a home invasion. Upon subsequent investigation, police identified Metzer's ex, Rodney Metzer, as the culprit. The case took a turn for the criminally bizarre after Rodney confessed that he intentionally attacked Morgan so that he could pretend to save her.
The official Netflix synopsis of the film reads, "Trapped in an abusive relationship with her childhood sweetheart, a young mom finds the strength to file for divorce and begin her life again. But her newfound security is shattered when a masked intruder breaks into her home and assaults her. When her ex-husband suspiciously shows up minutes after the attack to save her, he becomes the police’s prime suspect." Austin Nichols portrays Rodney, while the rest of the cast includes Maximo Sebastian, Stephanie Cotton, Jolie Rae Caussin, Abigail Esmena, Denise Dal Vera, Pete Burris, Lee Avant, and J. Barrett Cooper. The film is directed by Lee Gabiana, who had previously helmed 'Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story'.
Morgan and Rodney first met as teenagers when she was fourteen, and he was seventeen. Their adolescent romance kept growing with time, and they eventually tied the knot in 2009. However, domestic bliss eluded them as a series of unfortunate events rocked Rodney to his core. He was deeply affected by his brother succumbing to leukemia and their firstborn passing away due to a heart ailment. After Morgan gave birth to their twins in 2012, Rodney lost his job and became increasingly abusive towards her. He kept gaslighting Morgan to believe that she herself was responsible for the violence inflicted on her, until she divorced him in 2020. Moving on, Morgan was attacked at home on New Year's Eve when a masked prowler threatened her with a gun. He then went on to zip tie her, beat her, and sexually assault her before grabbing jewelry and cash and fleeing the scene. Forty minutes later, Rodney arrived to rescue her. The police were instantly able to pin the blame on the ex, and Rodney was soon handed a seventy-year sentence.
Speaking about the gratitude she felt after 'Gaslit By My Husband' rose to the #1 spot on Netflix's Top 10, Kramer took to her Instagram profile to share, "This movie means so much more to me than a ranking. This was a deeply personal project to be part of. Through Morgan’s story, I found strength in my own journey with domestic violence."
