Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 6 - Till Death Do Us Part - full transcript

CAROLYN AND BILLY COX

WERE LIVING
THE AMERICAN DREAM...

TWO BEAUTIFUL KIDS,
A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS,

AND PLENTY OF WEALTH TO SPARE.

WE WERE CONSIDERED LIKE
ALMOST THE PERFECT COUPLE,

AND WE WEREN'T TOO BAD-LOOKING.

BUT $15 MILLION CAN'T
ALWAYS BUY A PERFECT MARRIAGE,

WHEN A HUSBAND
WENT OVER THE EDGE.

YOU REALIZE,
"I DIDN'T KNOW THE GUY AT ALL."

THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SINISTER
ABOUT BILLY COX.

43 YEARS OF DEVOTION
WOULD END IN A NIGHTMARE.



THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE REALLY FELT FEAR.

WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE
AND MARRIAGE,

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS
AS THEY SEEM.

AS A MISSOURI FARMER'S DAUGHTER,

CAROLYN COX ALWAYS KNEW
THE VALUE OF HARD WORK

IN LIFE AND IN LOVE.

I SAW LOVE AND MARRIAGE
AS A COMMITMENT FOR LIFE.

IT WAS A TREASURE THAT YOU
PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.

THE DAY SHE FIRST
SPOTTED 17-YEAR-OLD BILLY JOE COX

WORKING ON HER FATHER'S FARM,

CAROLYN THOUGHT SHE HAD FOUND
THAT TREASURE.

I REMEMBER HIM WALKING UP
ON THE PORCH,

AND MY MOTHER ANSWERED THE DOOR,
AND HE WAS SO GOOD-LOOKING.

I THINK I FELL IN LOVE
WITH HIM IMMEDIATELY.



BEFORE LONG,
THE TWO BEGAN TO DATE.

RAISED IN A STRICT
RELIGIOUS HOME,

BILLY TREATED CAROLYN WELL,

TAKING HER OUT
ON SATURDAY NIGHTS.

HE WAS VERY SHY.

AND WHEN HE DID COME
TO THE SCHOOL DANCES,

HE HAD NEVER DANCED.

HE ALWAYS HAD
THIS VERY SWEET SMILE

WITH HIS LIP CURLING UP
TO THE SIDE,

AND EVERYONE
JUST REALLY LIKED HIM A LOT.

SOON, THE COUPLE WAS THINKING

ABOUT A FUTURE TOGETHER.

HE JUST SEEMED TO BE HONEST,

GENTLE, LOVING, CARING,

AND SO, WHAT MORE COULD ONE ASK?

THREE YEARS LATER,

THEY MADE GOOD ON THEIR PROMISE

AND TIED THE KNOT IN
A TRADITIONAL CHURCH CEREMONY.

CAROLYN WAS JUST 19.

WE WERE MARRIED ON EASTER
SUNDAY, AND IT WAS A BLIZZARD,

AND I REMEMBER,
IN THE RECEIVING LINE,

THIS LADY SHOOK MY HAND,
AND SHE SAYS,

"I HOPE YOUR MARRIED LIFE IS NOT
A SNOWY AS YOUR WEDDING DAY,"

AND I'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN IT.

AFTER THE WEDDING,

THE YOUNG COUPLE WORKED HARD
TO GET AHEAD.

BILLY JOINED THE AIR FORCE

TO EARN MONEY SO THEY BOTH
COULD GO TO COLLEGE.

AND SOON, THEY STARTED A FAMILY.

WE HAD OUR GOALS THAT I THINK
WERE ALIGNED TOGETHER,

SO I THOUGHT WE WERE
A VERY GOOD MATCH.

TWO CHILDREN LATER,

CAROLYN GRADUATED
AND WORKED TO HELP SUPPORT THEM

WHILE BILLY FINISHED HIS PhD
IN BOTANY.

BUT AS BILLY'S GRADUATION DAY
GREW CLOSER,

CAROLYN BEGAN TO NOTICE A CHANGE
IN HER HUSBAND'S BEHAVIOR.

BILLY WAS SELDOM AROUND.

HE WAS COMING IN LATE, A LOT
OF NIGHTS DRINKING WITH FRIENDS.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS FEELING
SOME PRESSURES,

BUT WHEN BILLY WAS UNDER STRESS,
HE BECAME VERY INTOLERANT.

HE WOULD BELITTLE HER

SO THAT PARTICULAR ARGUMENT
THAT SHE HAD WAS RIDICULOUS.

SOMETIMES YOU COULD HEAR THINGS
GETTING THROWN

AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

I CAN'T DEPEND ON YOU
FOR ANYTHING!

BILLY'S TEMPER WAS TROUBLING,

AND ONE NIGHT,
HE SUDDENLY BECAME VIOLENT.

I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE ARGUMENT WAS.

BUT HE HIT ME.

HE SOCKED ME.

AND I HAD THIS BLACK EYE.

I WAS THINKING,
"HOW CAN THIS BE?"

BUT CAROLYN WAS DETERMINED

TO STICK
WITH HER YOUNG MARRIAGE.

I MADE A DECISION THAT DAY

THAT YOU'RE NOT GIVING UP
YOUR MARRIAGE,

YOU'RE NOT GIVING UP
YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS.

YOU JUST PUT IT AWAY, GO ON.
THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

MEANWHILE, ON THE OUTSIDE,

LIFE FOR THE COUPLE
WAS LOOKING UP.

BILLY GRADUATED WITH HIS PhD

AND FOUND A GOOD JOB
AT A CHEMICAL LAB.

BUT AS THE YEARS WENT BY,
HE HAD BIGGER AMBITIONS.

HE DECIDED TO TAKE SOME THINGS
THAT HE HAD DEVELOPED

AND START HIS OWN BUSINESS,
SO I WAS THE BREADWINNER.

I WOULD TEACH ALL DAY

AND GO WORK THE BUSINESS
AT NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.

WITH CAROLYN'S HELP,

BILLY BUILT
AN AGRICULTURAL-CHEMICAL COMPANY

FROM THE GROUND UP,

AND BY THE TIME THE KIDS WERE
GROWN AND OUT OF THE HOUSE,

BUSINESS WAS BOOMING.

BY THE LATE 1990s,
THE COXES WERE MILLIONAIRES.

THE SMALL-TOWN SWEETHEARTS
HAD COME A LONG WAY.

THEY MADE
A LOVELY, LOVELY COUPLE.

THEY HAD EARNED EVERYTHING
ON THEIR OWN,

AND I ADMIRED THEM FOR THAT.

WE WERE CONSIDERED
LIKE ALMOST THE PERFECT COUPLE.

WE REALLY WERE.

WE HAD SUCCEEDED.
WE HAD DONE WELL.

AFTER NEARLY
FOUR DECADES TOGETHER,

THE COUPLE HAD FINALLY
ACHIEVED THEIR DREAM.

BUT CAROLYN WAS ABOUT TO WAKE
TO A TERRIBLE REALITY.

ON THE NIGHT
OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2004,

CAROLYN WAS PACKING THEIR BAGS

FOR A MUCH-NEEDED GETAWAY
TO FRANCE WITH FRIENDS.

I NEVER HAD BEEN TO EUROPE,

SO I WAS VERY HAPPY.

BUT SHE AND BILLY
WOULD NEVER GET ON THAT PLANE.

THE NEXT MORNING,
AROUND 6:00 A.M.,

CAROLYN WOKE TO A SHARP PAIN
IN HER HEAD.

THE NEXT THING I KNOW
IS I'M ON THE RUG,

BEING PULLED DOWN THE HALL.

BARELY CONSCIOUS,

CAROLYN FELT HERSELF BEING MOVED
INTO THE GARAGE.

HER NIGHTMARE WAS
JUST BEGINNING.

CAROLYN WAS UNDER ATTACK,

AND THE ASSAULT WOULD COST HER
HER HUSBAND AND NEARLY HER LIFE.

HE SAID, "YOU'RE WORTH MORE DEAD
THAN ALIVE."

WELL, I'M LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU?
YOU'RE NOT A HUMAN BEING."

IN THE SPRING OF 1996,

EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THE ATTACK

THAT WOULD LEAVE CAROLYN COX
CLINGING TO LIFE,

SHE AND HER HUSBAND, BILLY,

WERE HARD AT WORK GROWING
THEIR SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

IT ALL GRADUALLY CAME TOGETHER.

WE FELT VERY GOOD ABOUT
WHAT WE HAD ACCOMPLISHED.

WE FELT LIKE WE HAD
REACHED THOSE THINGS

THAT WE HAD SET OUT TO REACH.

BUT AS THE COUPLE'S
NET WORTH BALLOONED,

SO DID THEIR PROBLEMS AT HOME.

BILLY'S TEMPER HAD GONE
FROM BAD TO WORSE.

AS HE BECAME MORE SUCCESSFUL,

I THINK HE FELT EVEN MORE
THAT HE WAS ABOVE IT ALL.

EVERYTHING THAT HE DID,
EVERY SHOT HE CALLED,

IT WAS GOING TO BE HIS WAY
OR THERE WAS NO WAY.

THERE WAS A VERY, VERY DARK SIDE

THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW
WHEN IT COULD OCCUR.

SO THERE WAS THIS FEAR
AT ALL TIMES

OF WHEN IT POSSIBLY COULD
COME OUT,

SO WE WERE CAREFUL.

MORE AND MORE, BILLY'S
ANGER WOULD TURN PHYSICAL,

OFTEN WITH NO PROVOCATION.

WE WERE SITTING IN THE HOT
TUB ONE NIGHT, AND WE WERE TALKING,

AND I SAID SOMETHING
HE DIDN'T LIKE.

AND WITH THE BACK OF THE HAND,

HE JUST SUDDENLY HIT ME
ACROSS THE FACE.

IT WAS JUST SORT OF
OUT OF THE BLUE.

SOMETIMES BILLY'S OUTBURSTS

WOULD LEAVE THEIR MARK,

BUT CAROLYN TOOK PAINS
TO HIDE THE TRUTH,

EVEN FROM HER CLOSEST FRIENDS.

SHE WOULD COME TO MEETINGS
SOMETIMES IN A NECK BRACE

OR WITH HER ARM IN A SLING
OR A PATCH OVER HER EYE.

CAROLYN ALWAYS HAD AN EXCUSE
FOR THESE INJURIES,

AND TO BE QUITE HONEST,

THE GENERAL OPINION WAS
THAT CAROLYN WAS A KLUTZ.

AT TIMES, CAROLYN THOUGHT
ABOUT ENDING HER MARRIAGE,

BUT BILLY'S VIOLENT STREAKS
DIDN'T HAPPEN OFTEN.

THESE BAD TIMES
MIGHT NOT SHOW UP FOR A YEAR,

AND IN BETWEEN THEM,

HE COULD BE VERY LOVING
AND HE COULD BE AFFECTIONATE.

WHEN WE WOULD GO FOR THESE SPANS
OF NOT HAVING ANYTHING HAPPEN,

I TRULY FELT THEY WOULD
NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND SO WHEN THEY SHOWED UP,
I WAS ALWAYS IN SHOCK.

BUT PROBLEMS AT HOME

DIDN'T SLOW DOWN
THE FAMILY BUSINESS.

BY 2002, THE COUPLE
WAS WORTH $15 MILLION

AND LIVING IN
A 12,000-SQUARE-FOOT MANSION

IN BULL VALLEY, ILLINOIS.

IT WAS CAROLYN'S DREAM HOUSE,

AND THEY ENJOYED ENTERTAINING

FOR FUNDRAISERS AND FUNCTIONS
IN BULL VALLEY.

WE WERE LIVING THE DREAM.

BEING ABLE TO STAND BACK
AND LOOK AT THAT AND SAY,

"LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE,
HOW FORTUNATE YOU ARE."

BUT IT NEVER SEEMED
TO BE ENOUGH FOR BILLY.

HE SOON BECAME OBSESSED
WITH MONEY,

COUNTING AND RECOUNTING
EVERY PENNY THEY HAD.

HE WAS CONSTANTLY
MAKING RECORDS OF HIS NET WORTH,

AND HE HAD SOME FIXATION
ON INSURANCE.

HE WAS ALWAYS BUYING
INSURANCE POLICIES.

BY THE SPRING OF 2004,

BILLY WAS ACTING EVEN STRANGER.

IF I TOUCHED HIM,
HIS BODY WAS RIGID.

I WOULD START TO HUG HIM,

AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HUGGING
A BOARD.

I JUST REMEMBER WONDERING
WHAT IS GOING ON?

BUT ONE THING WAS BETTER...

BILLY HADN'T BEEN VIOLENT
TOWARDS CAROLYN IN OVER A YEAR,

UNTIL ONE NIGHT WHEN HE SAID
SOMETHING THAT GAVE HER PAUSE.

HE BOUGHT
AN INSURANCE POLICY ON MY LIFE,

AND HE WAS GOING OVER
THE INFORMATION,

AND HE SAID, "YOU'RE WORTH MORE
DEAD THAN ALIVE."

CAROLYN KNEW
THAT LIFE-INSURANCE POLICY

WAS WORTH MORE THAN $1 MILLION,

BUT THEY HARDLY NEEDED
THE MONEY,

SO SHE TRIED TO LAUGH IT OFF.

I REFUSED TO TAKE IT
ANY OTHER WAY.

I TURNED TO HIM AND I SAID,

"WELL, I'M SO GLAD
THAT'S NOT TRUE."

LITTLE DID CAROLYN REALIZE

JUST HOW DEEP BILLY'S ANGER WAS.

HE LOOKED AT ME WITH EYES
THAT WAS JUST ICE-COLD.

I THOUGHT THIS LOOKS LIKE
A PHOTOGRAPH OF A CORPSE.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2004,

BILLY AND CAROLYN COX

WERE THE PILLARS
OF THEIR BULL VALLEY COMMUNITY.

I WAS VERY INVOLVED
AND ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY

AND VERY HAPPY
IN WHAT I WAS DOING.

BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,

THE GOLDEN COUPLE'S MARRIAGE

REMAINED FAR
FROM PICTURE-PERFECT.

WE HAD GONE TO AN EVENT
AT A FRIEND'S HOME,

AND WHEN IT WAS TIME
FOR US TO LEAVE,

ONE OF MY FRIENDS SAID,

"IT IS SO NICE TO SEE A COUPLE

"WHO HAVE BEEN TOGETHER
SO MANY YEARS

WHO STILL LOVE EACH OTHER."

AND HE TURNED
WITH THE MOST HATRED

AND THE WORST ANGER

AND SAID TO ME,
"THAT MAY CHANGE AT ANY MOMENT."

BILLY'S ANGER
SEEMED TO BE BUILDING,

AND CAROLYN HAD NO IDEA WHY.

SO WHEN GOOD FRIENDS
BETH AND JIM WESTER

PROPOSED A VACATION IN FRANCE,

CAROLYN WAS EAGER
FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY.

BILLY'S INITIAL REACTION TO IT

WAS THAT WE SHOULDN'T GO,

AND I SAID, "IF WE DON'T
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS,

I'M AFRAID WE'LL NEVER DO IT."

THEN HE SEEMED TO BE
GOING ALONG WITH IT.

BUT BILLY AND CAROLYN
WOULD NEVER BOARD THAT PLANE.

ON THE MORNING
OF SEPTEMBER 13, 2004,

CAROLYN AWOKE
TO A CRUSHING PAIN IN HER HEAD.

DAZED, SHE HAD NO IDEA
WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

MY FIRST SENSE OF SOMETHING

WAS MY HUSBAND LIFTING ME
OFF THE BED,

AND I REACHED FOR HIM.

AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW
IS I'M ON THE RUG

BEING PULLED BY HIM
DOWN THE HALL,

AND I SAID,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

AND HE SAID, "YOU FELL OUT
OF BED AND HIT YOUR HEAD.

I'M TAKING YOU TO THE DOCTOR."

BILLY DRAGGED CAROLYN
DOWN TO THE GARAGE.

HE PLACED ME RIGHT ON
THE COLD CONCRETE FLOOR OUT THERE,

AND I KEPT SAYING,

"WHERE'S THE AMBULANCE?
WHERE'S THE AMBULANCE?"

AND HE SAID...
"THEY'RE ON OTHER JOBS."

BLEEDING HEAVILY,

CAROLYN SLIPPED IN AND OUT
OF CONSCIOUSNESS,

PRAYING THAT BILLY
WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP HER,

BUT HER PRAYERS WERE IN VAIN.

AS I'M LYING THERE
WITH MY EYES SHUT,

ALL OF A SUDDEN,
SOMETHING HIT ME

ACROSS THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE.

I SAID, "I THINK I'M DYING,"
AND HE JUST STOOD THERE.

HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.

INSTEAD, BILLY PICKED HER UP,

DUMPED HER INTO THE BACK
OF HIS S.U.V.,

STARTED IT, AND WALKED AWAY.

I'M IN THE CAR,

AND I'M REALIZING
IT'S GETTING REALLY HOT.

IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER
TO BREATHE.

AND I KEPT TELLING MYSELF,

"YOU'LL DIE.
YOU CAN'T GO TO SLEEP.

YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING."

WITH HER LAST OUNCE OF STRENGTH,

CAROLYN MANAGED TO CRAWL
TO THE GARAGE DOOR,

ONLY TO FIND THAT IT WAS LOCKED.

THEN SHE KNEW
HER HUSBAND OF 43 YEARS

WASN'T GOING TO HELP HER.

HE WAS TRYING TO KILL HER.

I DID NOT UNDERSTAND
TILL THOSE DOORS WERE LOCKED

WHAT HE WAS REALLY DOING.

MEANWHILE, THE WESTERS
HAD BEEN TRYING TO REACH THEM.

THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO LEAVE
FOR THE AIRPORT.

I CALLED THEM AT 8:30
IN THE MORNING,

BUT NOBODY ANSWERED, AND I SAID,
"WELL, THAT'S ODD."

BUT AS THE MORNING WORE ON

AND STILL NO WORD
FROM THE COXES,

JIM BEGAN TO WORRY.

AROUND 10:00, 10:30, I REALIZED,

"THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
THIS IS NOT NORMAL."

NOBODY WOULD ANSWER
ANY OF THE PHONES.

AND THEN I KEPT THINKING,

"THEIR HOUSE
IS WAY OFF THE ROAD.

WHAT IF SOMETHING
HAPPENED TO THEM?"

I GET A PHONE CALL
FROM BETH WESTER,

AND SHE SAYS,

"DO YOU THINK MAYBE THAT
WE SHOULD CALL THE POLICE?"

AROUND 12:30 P.M.,

LOCAL POLICE
ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE.

HE CLIMBED
THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW

AND MADE A GRUESOME DISCOVERY.

HE LITERALLY ENCOUNTERED
A BLOODBATH IN THE FOYER.

HE ENTERED INTO THE GARAGE.

THE GARAGE WAS FULL
OF CARBON MONOXIDE,

AND IT WAS VERY HOT IN THERE.

HE OBSERVED CAROLYN

LAYING ACROSS THE FRONT SEAT
OF BILLY COX'S TRUCK,

BLEEDING HEAVILY FROM HER FACE,

AND SHE SAID TO HIM, "HELP ME,"
AND THEN SHE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS.

AS PARAMEDICS WORKED
TO SAVE CAROLYN,

BILLY MYSTERIOUSLY APPEARED,

CLAIMING HE'D BEEN OUTSIDE
ON THE GROUNDS ALL MORNING.

HE WAS STANDING THERE
VERY CALMLY

AND SAID, "DID SHE FALL?"

AT THAT POINT,

THE CHIEF WAS VERY SUSPICIOUS
OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED.

CAROLYN WAS RUSHED
TO THE HOSPITAL,

AND POLICE
BEGAN TO QUESTION BILLY.

BUT SOON HE COMPLAINED
OF CHEST PAINS

AND WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME
HOSPITAL AS HIS DYING WIFE.

THEY TAKE ME BACK TO
THE ROOM WHERE MY MOTHER WAS,

AND I LOOKED AT HER,
AND I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE HER.

AND SHE SAID,
"WHY DID HE DO THIS TO ME?"

THEY SAID THAT MY FATHER
HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN

AND "DO YOU WANT TO SEE HIM?"

WHEN I GOT IN THERE,

THERE WAS THE FACE
OF COMPLETE BULL

NEVER ASKED ABOUT MY MOTHER
UNTIL THE VERY END.

DOCTORS COULD FIND
NOTHING WRONG WITH BILLY,

SO HE DID WHAT ANY MAN WOULD DO

WHEN HIS WIFE'S LIFE
WAS HANGING BY A THREAD.

HE WENT OUT TO DINNER.

THE CHIEF WAS
IMMEDIATELY SUSPICIOUS OF BILLY

BECAUSE OF THE CRIME SCENE.

SOMEONE WAS CLEANING UP
THAT FOYER.

THERE WERE RUGS
THAT HAD BEEN ROLLED UP

THAT WERE FULL OF HER BLOOD.

THERE WAS ALSO NO EXPLANATION

AS TO WHY THE GARAGE DOORS
WERE ALL DISABLED,

VEHICLES WERE RUNNING,

AND THE DOOR ENTERING
INTO THE HOME WAS LOCKED.

THE EVIDENCE APPEARED
TO POINT IN ONE DIRECTION.

AS SOON AS BILLY FINISHED
HIS PORK CHOPS,

POLICE BROUGHT HIM IN
AND ARRESTED HIM.

WHY? WHY WOULD YOU TAKE IT
TO THAT LEVEL?

COULD HAVE DIVORCED HER.

NOT ONLY WAS HE TRYING
TO KILL HER,

HE WAS TRYING
TO MAKE HER SUFFER.

TWO DAYS LATER,
CAROLYN AWOKE FROM SURGERY

TO HEARING LOSS,
METAL PLATES IN HER FACE,

AND DAMAGED VISION.

SHE WAS IN SHOCK THAT THE MAN

SHE HAD DEVOTED
HER ENTIRE LIFE TO

HAD JUST TRIED TO KILL HER.

THE COMING-TO AND KNOWING...

THE HEARTBREAK.

IT WAS JUST THE DEVASTATION.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

I LOST MY HUSBAND.

I NEARLY LOST MY LIFE,
AND I LOST MY HUSBAND.

BUT BEYOND HEARTBROKEN,

CAROLYN WAS ALSO AFRAID.

BILLY HAD POSTED BAIL,

AND HIS REIGN OF TERROR
WAS FAR FROM OVER.

I BELIEVE THAT HE WANTED
CAROLYN DEAD.

I WAS JUST TERRIFIED
ALL THE TIME.

IN SEPTEMBER 2004,

THE EXCLUSIVE TOWN
OF BULL VALLEY, ILLINOIS,

WAS SHAKEN TO ITS CORE.

BILLY COX, ONE OF ITS
MOST PROMINENT RESIDENTS,

HAD BRUTALLY ATTACKED
HIS WIFE, CAROLYN.

THE STORY WAS FRONT PAGE,

AND THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA
WERE JUST IN SHOCK.

EVEN CAROLYN'S CLOSEST
FRIENDS DIDN'T SEE IT COMING.

IT KIND OF BLEW ME AWAY.

I MEAN, YOU JUST LOOK AT THIS
WHOLE THING AND YOU REALIZE,

"I DIDN'T KNOW THE GUY AT ALL."

I WAS SEEING
WHAT HE WANTED ME TO SEE.

FOUR DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK,

CAROLYN FILED FOR DIVORCE
FROM HER HOSPITAL BED.

THE GOLDEN COUPLE'S MARRIAGE
WAS OVER.

YOU SAW HER HEART WAS BROKEN,
AND THAT WAS VERY HARD.

WHEN SHE WAS FINALLY RELEASED,

CAROLYN INSISTED
ON RETURNING HOME.

BILLY WAS OUT ON BAIL,

AND DESPITE A RESTRAINING ORDER,

SHE WAS STILL AFRAID OF HIM.

HE WAS SEEN
AT THE END OF MY DRIVE.

HE WAS SEEN GOING
UP AND DOWN THE STREET.

AND I WAS JUST TERRIFIED
ALL THE TIME.

THERE WERE MANY
PHONE CALLS I HAD WITH HER

WHERE SHE WAS SOBBING,

AND I KEPT TELLING HER
TO JUST HAVE FAITH

THAT EVENTUALLY WE WOULD
GET TO TRIAL

AND JUSTICE WOULD PREVAIL.

IN MARCH 2007,
2 1/2 YEARS AFTER THE ATTACK,

BILLY FINALLY HAD
HIS DAY IN COURT.

BILLY'S DEFENSE WAS THAT CAROLYN

DECIDED TO WALK INTO THE GARAGE
AND CLIMB UP A LADDER,

AND SHE FELL BACKWARDS,

AND A BOARD STRUCK HER
ON THE FRONT OF HER FACE.

I HAD NO DOUBT THAT BILLY COX

WAS TRYING TO KILL CAROLYN
ON THAT DAY.

HE TORTURED HIS WIFE FOR MORE
THAN SIX HOURS THAT MORNING.

ON THE STAND,
BILLY DENIED EVERYTHING.

HE HAS A VERY SINISTER SIDE
TO HIM.

HE SHOWED NO EMPATHY AT ALL
FOR CAROLYN.

THE JURY SIDED WITH CAROLYN.

ON APRIL 11, 2007,

BILLY JOE COX WAS CONVICTED
OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

HE WAS SENTENCED
TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON.

TO DATE, HE HAS NEVER ADMITTED

WHAT HE DID TO HIS WIFE
THAT DAY OR WHY.

I DON'T BELIEVE THE
INITIAL ATTACK WAS PREMEDITATED.

BILLY COX HAD ABUSED HER

THROUGHOUT THEIR 40-YEAR
MARRIAGE REPEATEDLY.

HE HIT HER HARD ENOUGH
THIS TIME, THOUGH,

THAT NO ONE WAS GOING
TO BELIEVE THAT SHE FELL,

AND HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD
TO END HER LIFE

IN ORDER TO PROTECT HIMSELF.

EVEN BEHIND BARS,
BILLY'S RAGE CONTINUED TO BURN.

IN 2009, HE WAS INVESTIGATED

FOR ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO PUT
A HIT OUT ON CAROLYN.

I WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD BEEN
APPROACHING ANOTHER INMATE,

ASKING HIM TO KILL CAROLYN.

I KNOW HE HAS FRIENDS
WITHIN THE PRISON,

SO THERE IS DEFINITELY FEAR
THAT HE CAN HURT ME.

SEVEN PAINFUL SURGERIES LATER,

CAROLYN'S FACE
HAS BEEN REPAIRED,

AND SHE'S FINALLY MENDING
HER HEART.

A YEAR AND A HALF
AFTER THIS HAPPENED TO ME,

I MET DENNIS, WHO IS MY HUSBAND.

HE IS A CAREGIVER, A VERY LOVING
MAN, AND I'M VERY HAPPY.

IT'S WONDERFUL
TO SEE MY MOM HAPPILY MARRIED.

SHE ABSOLUTELY DESERVES IT.
IT'S ABOUT TIME.

TODAY, CAROLYN DEVOTES HER TIME

TO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF VICTIMS
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

THERE'S THIS MYTH IT HAPPENS

TO LESS-EDUCATED PEOPLE
OR POOR PEOPLE,

BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE

THAT ARE IN
A DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE SITUATION

THAT ARE JUST LIKE ME.

NOW CAROLYN KNOWS

THAT SOME MARRIAGES
SHOULDN'T LAST FOREVER.

BUT THE SADNESS STILL LINGERS.

IT'S TOUGH TO COPE
WITH THE HEARTBREAK.

IT'S JUST... IT'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE THERE.

IT GETS BETTER,
BUT IT'LL ALWAYS BE THERE.