The relationship started out well. He was very nice, charming, and caring, but I would soon fond out different. After a few months, I allowed him to move in with me, and that's when things took a turn for the worst. The arguments began and it started with just yelling back and forth, and then one day he choked me. I immediately packed up and moved out of my home. He called trying to get back together and I agreed only to meet with him to talk. When we did meet, he started making threats about things he would do to me and my family members if I refused to take a ride with him.

After a couple of hours of riding and talking, he started driving toward I-95 South. When I asked him where we were going, he told me that he was going to visit family. That day he kidnapped me and took me to Greenville, South Carolina from Washington, D.C., where I had no family or friends. I was always under his watchful eye and unable to call my family until a few days later from a pay phone. I alerted my family informing them of my whereabouts, and that I was unharmed. He kept me there living in a room with his family for four months. He made sure I had no money and he took the car every time he left.

When I finally got the courage to leave and go home, that would be the night I would fight for my life. He found four dollars in my wallet and that was all it took. He stabbed me, tried to set me on fire, and finally he shot me. He aimed for my head and I pushed his hand when the shot was fired so I was struck in the neck, instead of my head.

I was shot at point blank range with a 9mm handgun. The bullet missed my spine by a fraction of an inch. I have been left with physical and emotional scars.

I am a victim of a very violent domestic crime and I am blessed to be alive.

This man is currently on the run for 2 attempted murders (in South Carolina and D.C.), hitting a child while driving (in D.C.), and numerous charges ranging from Federal threats, Kidnapping, Robbery, Assault & Murder.

This article came off the fax machine at work on Wednesday. It was written by the victim's sister. Of course we all know the victim.....a former coworker, only 19 years old. I remember the week she disappeared. I hadn't seen her around for a couple of days, and although she missed work on a regular basis, it was unlike her to be gone for days at a time. She used to be Barbara's assistant, and it was Barbara who told me that she'd "moved" to South Carolina. Everyone who knew her really well was confused. We'd just recently found out that she was in an abusive relationship. So why would she move out of town with him??? I also remember the day she was shot. I was home and I got a text message on my phone from Nikki, "Calinda was shot by her boyfriend, she's in the hospital in critical condition, and he's on the run." I remember praying for her and I still do even though I'm beginning to think its pointless. I'll explain why in a second.

Calinda's doing a lot better than we expected. Although she has a very visible and hideous scar along her neck, and a few other deformities, she's out and about, looking for a new job, trying to go back to school. She visits NHPME almost every week, sometimes several times a week. But this is why I say my prayers and everyone else's might be pointless. The article had several pictures of him, one of which was a picture taken from Americas Most Wanted. One of her best friends told me that she knew he was wanted for attempted murder when they started dating. He did the same thing to his "baby mama" when she broke up with him. She also knew about the hit & run, but yet she continued to date him and even let him move in.

Wednesday she was at the pharmacy, talking to Wimpy, and his mother comes in the store. Calinda had told his family that she couldn't walk. She tells his mother that she lives in VA, and that she's doing a lot better. Now this is what I'm confused about. His mom tells her that she'd spoken with him and he regrets what happened and that he wanted to apologize to her. So she gives his mom her cellphone number and asks her to pass it on to him. Are we, women that is, that crazy and stupid when it comes to love???

Does she really think he regrets what happened??? Or maybe she thinks that it'll never happen again??? Does she not realize that when the police arrest him, if she's with him, she'll be an accessory??? For a 19yr old she's been through a lot, even before she met him. She was abused by a lot of different men and maybe that's part of the problem. She still loves him and I believe given the opportunity she'd get back together with him.