Morgan Metzer was violently attacked in her Canton, Georgia, home shortly after midnight on New Year's Day 2021 and left bound on her back porch for roughly 40 minutes. When a familiar voice finally approached the porch, she recognized it as her ex-husband, Rod Metzer, who then called 911 — a moment that would later prove critical to investigators.
The Attack
Morgan awoke to a masked intruder who pistol-whipped her, strangled her nearly unconscious twice and sexually assaulted her. The assailant tied pre-looped black zip ties around her wrists, demanded valuables and the passcode to her phone, and used the phone app to unlock a rear porch door before forcing Morgan outside and warning her not to move until she heard two car honks.
How The Suspected 'Rescue' Became Suspicious
Forty minutes after the attacker left, Morgan heard footsteps and recognized a voice: Rod. He called 911 and stayed with her until deputies arrived. Although Rod initially appeared to be the rescuer, Morgan privately told investigators she suspected him because of two moments during the assault — a remark by the attacker about "missing your husband" and a familiar way he helped her out of bed — both of which convinced her the attacker was Rod.
Investigation And Key Evidence
Investigators built a case using multiple, corroborating sources of evidence:
- Forensics: A fragment (tail) of a zip tie recovered in Rod's apartment was microscopically matched to a head on the zip ties used to bind Morgan — described by investigators as a "perfect match."
- Surveillance: Lowe's footage captured Rod buying the same style of black zip ties two days before the attack, paid for with his debit card. Apartment and home cameras placed Rod near both locations that night; some home video was later deleted via Morgan's phone app, which the attacker had taken.
- Digital Evidence: Rod's phone contained a hidden folder of photos of Morgan partially dressed or nude taken without her knowledge, images of Morgan's phone showing texts with another man, and disturbing internet searches such as "how long to choke somebody unconscious," "how to change your voice," and "cancer diagnosis letters."
- Fabrications: Prosecutors found a falsified pancreatic cancer diagnosis and fabricated medical billing Rod used to convince Morgan he was ill — a ruse that had earlier led Morgan to let him stay at her home.
- Physical tampering: Investigators found that a basement window sensor at Morgan's home had been detached and placed on the sill so the alarm would not trigger, consistent with premeditated entry.
Motive And Pattern
Prosecutors say Rod's motive combined stalking, a desire to portray himself as a "hero," and a campaign to coerce reconciliation after Morgan filed for divorce in 2020. Investigators also documented a pattern of alleged abuse in the marriage — physical, emotional and sexual — which Morgan reported to friends and authorities before the attack.
Legal Outcome
Rod was charged with multiple counts, including home invasion, kidnapping, aggravated assault and sexual battery, and for taking illicit photos of Morgan. On August 4, 2021, he pleaded guilty to a total of 14 counts and accepted a plea agreement that includes 25 years of a 70-year sentence with an additional 45 years of probation to follow. The plea also included no-contact provisions protecting Morgan and her children.
Aftermath And Advocacy
Morgan has sought therapy, is focused on parenting her children, and now advocates to raise awareness about narcissistic abuse, gaslighting and stalking. She delivered a powerful victim-impact statement at sentencing describing the marriage as "like living with a monster" and said the court process helped her reclaim her voice.
Prosecutors: Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe called the case "a prosecutor's dream" because of the volume of corroborating evidence — forensic matches, surveillance, browser history and victim testimony.
The case underscores how physical evidence, digital footprints and careful police work can converge to expose a staged crime and bring a perpetrator to justice.
Morgan and Rod Metzer met as teenagers and were together 20 years before divorcing / Credit: Morgan Metzer
Morgan Metzer said her decision to file for divorce came after years of what she described as mental and physical abuse from Rod Metzer. / Credit: Kathy Metzer
Morgan Metzer's assailant used zip ties to constrain her wrists before strangling her nearly unconscious twice. / Credit: Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
An image from the home security camera on Morgan Metzer's porch shows Cherokee County investigators taking Rod Metzer into custody. / Credit: Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
Rod Metzer is seen on Morgan Metzer's home security camera earlier in the day of the attack. / Credit: Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
Investigators executed a search warrant of Rod Metzer's s apartment and found a bag of zip ties along with a portion of a zip tie. / Credit: Cherokee County District Attorney's Office
A crime lab technician confirmed the portion of the zip tie found in Rod Metzer's apartment lined up with the zip ties used on Morgan Metzer's wrists. / Credit: Cherokee County District Attorney's Office
Cherokee County investigators confront Rod Metzer about the zip ties found in his apartment. / Credit: Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
Rod Metzer, right, is seen in a zoomed in image from security video purchasing zip ties at a Lowe's store on Dec. 30, 2020 / Credit: Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
Rod Metzer is seen in security video leaving his apartment building carrying a plastic bag, highlighted, that had never been found. Investigators believe it has evidence Rod discarded on his drive back to his ex-wife's house. / Credit: Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
Morgan Metzer, right, with her best friend Nichole Stabasefski. / Credit: CBS News
