A man, desperate to win back his ex-wife, faked a cancer diagnosis. When that failed to render a reconciliation, the master manipulator resorted to kidnapping her in one of the most bizarre ploys to rekindle a romance with a former flame. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t go as planned. Instead, the insane plot blew up in his face.
Rodney William Metzer, a 36-year-old Georgia man, was desperate to reconcile with his ex-wife. In his bid to win back his former flame, he faked a cancer diagnosis. When that plan failed to spark a reconciliation, he hatched another plot — this one more bizarre, desperate, and evil than the last. Of course, things once again didn’t pan out for the “master manipulator.”
Apparently believing that his ex-wife was “holding out for a hero,” Metzer decided that the best way to win back his woman’s heart was to rescue her from possible catastrophe. There was just one problem. He couldn’t just wait for the opportunity to show her the lengths he was willing to go to save her, so he’d have to create the situation. That’s when Metzer decided a fake kidnapping would do.
In the middle of the night, Rodney William Metzer, armed and wearing a mask to conceal his identity, broke into his ex’s home, according to prosecutors. Metzer planned to kidnap his ex so that he could then pretend to rescue her, playing both the part of the villain and the hero in his twisted plot, the NY Post reported.
“When he spoke to her, he disguised his voice,” District Attorney Shannon Wallace explained in a press release, describing the lengths Metzer went to in order to make his ex believe she was in grave danger. “He hit her with the butt of his gun and tried to strangle her two times. He zip-tied her hands, assaulted her, placed a pillowcase over her head, and dragged her to the deck.”
After leaving his ex-wife zip-tied outside and helpless on the deck, telling her not to move until she heard a car honking or else he’d shoot her, Metzer went back to his Canton apartment and changed his clothes. He then returned to his ex-wife’s home to play the next role in his elaborate scheme: the hero who’d rescue her.
Upon returning to his ex-wife’s home, Metzer found her still tied up, exactly as he had left her, unbeknownst to the woman at the time. Playing the part of the good Samaritan, Metzer told cops he had “found” his ex, “bound with zip ties,” face-down on the deck with a pillowcase over her head. Of course, he failed to mention that he was actually the kidnapper who had zip-tied the woman.
The truth was quickly uncovered after investigators discovered zip ties in Metzer’s apartment. Surveillance video, showing the suspect leaving a Lowe’s store while carrying a pack of zip ties, was also discovered. Additional footage captured Metzer changing clothes at his apartment as well, contradicting the claim he had made regarding his whereabouts prior to the assault, according to DA Wallace.
In addition to the already damning evidence against him, peculiar internet searches that raised red flags were also found on the man’s cellphone and laptop. Metzer had allegedly searched “how long before you starve to death,” “how to change the sound of your voice,” and “how long it takes to choke someone unconscious.” Sadly, the kidnapping wasn’t the worst of what Metzer had apparently had in mind.
“This man is a master manipulator,” Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe said. “In the days leading up to this attack, he faked a cancer diagnosis in an attempt to gain sympathy from his ex-wife,” she added, alleging that Metzer had actually developed a “convoluted plan” that investigators believe involved him killing his ex-wife before taking his own life. Luckily, he couldn’t bring himself to murder his ex and decided to change course or this already terrifying story might have had a gruesome ending.
“When he couldn’t go through with that plan, he instead devised a new plan to rescue her,” Ashe explained. “Fortunately, sheriff’s office investigators saw through this scheme and quickly arrested the defendant,” she added. Rodney William Metzer didn’t succeed in winning back his ex-wife’s love, but he did get exactly what he deserved. After pleading guilty to 14 charges, including kidnapping, home invasion, and sexual battery, the master manipulator was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by 45 years on probation.
Thankfully, there is a lesson to be learned here as DA Wallace pointed out. “I cannot imagine how terrifying this must have been for her,” Wallace said, speaking of Metzer’s ex-wife. “This is a classic example of how the most dangerous time for a domestic violence victim is when she decides to leave an abusive relationship,” and he’s right.
While we’re extremely grateful that Rodney William Metzer couldn’t bring himself to shoot his ex, we are deeply disturbed by the lengths he went to in an attempt to manipulate her into taking him back. We can only hope her story will save others from such inexplicable trauma. If you’re experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE and seek help.
