Fort Collins, Colorado – In August 2013, a horrifying and brutal attack took place in Fort Collins, Colorado, leaving 20-year-old single mother Amber Smith fighting for her life. Smith was working at a local 7-11 in the bustling college town and enjoyed a night off with a friend at Rossborough Park, but the evening took a terrifying turn that would change her life forever.
After being found strangled, raped, and beaten, Smith was left for dead in a park by an unknown assailant. The attacker’s DNA was found on her body and on the red duct tape used to bind her, but police were unable to link it to a suspect. Following the attack, Smith lived in fear, unable to trust and suspicious of every man who lingered a little too long.
Two years later, in an attempt to reclaim her life, Smith moved in with friends, unaware that her attacker was among her new roommates. This shocking discovery left her grappling with the realization that sometimes, good guys and bad guys can be indistinguishable.
Smith’s journey to healing was far from easy, and she suffered from a broken jaw, brain bleed, and severe trauma. Despite her harrowing experience and the challenges she faced in seeking justice and closure, Smith remained resilient.
In 2017, investigators finally got a break when a suspect was arrested for an unrelated crime, and his DNA was found to be a match from the 2013 rape. The astonishing revelation was met with a further shock when Smith learned that the perpetrator was none other than a friend who had comforted her in the aftermath of the attack.
The assailant’s trial in 2019 drew attention, and although he was acquitted on one charge, he was found guilty on others, resulting in a 128-year prison sentence. Smith’s story, while harrowing, has become a source of empowerment as she works to use her experience to help others and reclaim her life. Her resilience and determination serve as a testament to the strength of survivors.