Domestic Violence Headlines for the Week of Oct. 6

Real Housewives’ Husband Pleads Not Guilty After Putting Tracker on Wife’s Car

The husband of a Real Housewives of Rhode Island cast member pled not guilty in court on Tuesday to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. Dr. Brian Pontarelli, a Rhode Island podiatrist, has been accused of placing a tracking device on his wife, Rulla Pontarelli’s, car without her consent. The same day the device was discovered, Rulla filed for a no contact order against him. 

It is unclear if Brian had a pattern of abusive behavior toward his wife, and at least one of Dr. Pontarelli’s patients spoke out in his defense, calling him “very sweet.” However, abusers in general often have two sides to them—a public side that’s often more controlled and charming, and a side that may only come out behind closed doors. This side is reserved for the target of their power and control, and may be more intimidating, insulting and possibly violent.

As we reported in, “When Abusers Turn on the Charm,” a 2016 study found that family-only abusers, those who limited their abuse to an intimate partner and weren’t abusive to others outside the relationship, were less likely to be reported by survivors. If a survivor knows they’ll have a difficult time getting someone to believe that their “perfect” partner is actually a controlling monster, it could affect how difficult it is to step forward and ask for help. 

Source: Turnto10.com

Colorado Teen Shot and Killed By 20-Year-Old Boyfriend 

The names of the victim and perpetrator of a murder-suicide that occured last week in Fort Collins, Colo. were released this week. Alyssa Paige Reardon was only 18 years old when Marcus E. Jackson, 20, shot and killed her on Sept. 30 before taking his own life. Police suspect the murder is domestic violence related. 

Reardon was transported to the hospital but died from her injuries on Oct. 1. Jackson, who was assigned to the 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming,died at the scene.

"No one should ever have to live in fear or experience violence from someone they love or trust," stated Jeff Swoboda, the Fort Collins Chief of Police, through a news release.

Unfortunately, many young women are afraid of someone they once trusted. Women ages 18-24 are the most at-risk group targeted by abusive partners and possibly the least prepared to spot the warning signs. Many teens may be hesitant to disclose what they suspect are signs of dating violence to parents or other adults for fear that they may be told to end the relationship, or that they may get in trouble or be blamed somehow for getting into that situation. It’s important that parents and caregivers talk to teens about warning signs of abuse early, as well as green flags that indicate a healthy relationship. To learn more, read “Teaching Teens About Dating Violence.” 

Source: Coloradan.com

Denver Cop Fired for Asking Out Domestic Violence Victim

Documents uncovered this week by a local Denver news station revealed why a local police officer was terminated last month. Officer Kendall Albert apparently made contact with a domestic violence victim he had interacted with while working in order to ask her out on a date. He also obtained the victim’s driver’s license and sent a photo of it to his personal cell phone. It was discovered he accessed the victim’s social media accounts over 70 times in just a 10-day period. Albert’s “egregious misconduct” came to light after the domestic violence victim filed a complaint with the department. 

Men in positions of power, such as police officers, bosses, celebrities or the wealthy, often feel like they may not be held accountable for crossing boundaries the way other individuals might. This abuse of power can look like taking advantage of women in vulnerable positions, such as victims of abuse. A red flag for abuse is any individual who shows up like “a knight in shining armor” to supposedly save the day but pushes past boundaries that you’re comfortable with or tries to move a relationship forward much faster than you want. Learn more in “Understanding Boundaries and Consent in Relationships.”

Source: 9News.com 

4-Year-Old Victim Honored in Naming of Baltimore Resource Center

In Baltimore, Md., a new resource center aimed at helping the youngest victims impacted by domestic violence will open Monday honoring a little boy murdered last Christmas Eve. TurnAround’s “The Jacobi Center” is named in memory of 4-year-old Jacobi Jones who was shot and killed by his father, Mark Jones, in 2024. According to court documents, he begged his father, who was holding a gun, to leave the house. Mark shot and killed his son, then turned the gun on his wife, Promyss Marcelle, and shot her in the head. Mark also wounded his 1-year-old daughter, Peyton. Promyss and Peyton survived.

Promyss found support at TurnAround after her son’s murder. "TurnAround, they were very, like, we are not leaving you alone," Marcelle told the local news station. "They just helped me mentally...100 percent, even when I got mad and I wanted to be left alone, they didn't leave me alone." 

The Jacobi Center is adorned with dinosaurs, one of her son’s favorite things, and like TurnAround’s two other centers, will offer emergency intervention, therapy, legal counseling and help finding housing, as well as access basic needs such as food, laundry facilities and showers. 

It’s estimated that at least 15.5 million children in the U.S. alone are living in homes where domestic violence is ongoing. So many of those children are at risk for physical and emotional abuse as well as homicide. Leaving is notoriously the most dangerous time for not just the survivor, but also her children. When an abuser has access to a gun, it increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent. It’s vital that survivors don’t try to navigate abuse alone and never underestimate an abuser’s threats of violence. To learn more about the risk of an abuser killing their family, read “Familicide: When Abusers Kill Their Families, and Sometimes, Themselves.”

Source: CBSNews.com