Unseen - The Revenge Of The Girl On Fire | The Case of Judy Malinowski | UNSEEN

Episode Date: May 8, 2024

“She hung on for me, her girls, and for justice” -- August 2nd, 2015, Gahanna police receive a frantic 911 call from a Speedway gas station, that a woman is set on fire. As she is rushed to the ER, her boyfriend tells a bizarre story that she caught on fire while lighting a cigarette. No one expects her to survive, with a 110% mortality rate, but 7 months later, she miraculously wakes up. Only she can tell the truth of what really happened to her. This is the unforgettable story of Judy Malinowski, the girl who testified for her own murder and brought justice onto her own killer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This footage hides the most disturbing secret. It reveals the real reason why this woman caught fire at a speedway gas station. Just minutes earlier, a black pickup truck can be seen racing into the parking lot. A man in a red sweater storms out. Notice the woman standing in the shades, on the left, as the man walks towards her. They seem to be arguing, before the woman backs away, throwing a soda pop at the man. The video lasts for several minutes, before the camera catches the man porn. something onto her. Now pay attention to this next part. According to the man, he says he leaned

in to light a cigarette for the woman. He claims it was an accident. But notice how the man slowly backs away as the woman catches fire. He doesn't look surprised or scared. The truth is, she is not his first victim. The man has outsmarted the cops for years, and only she can put him away forever. But for now, no one knows if she'll survive. that phone call, are you Judy Malinowski's mom? And I remember thinking, what a strange question. And they said, this was the hospital and we have your daughter, that I should come now. On August 2nd, 2015, 31-year-old Judy Malinowski was at a Speedway gas station in Columbus, Ohio, with her then-boyfriend Michael Slaker. At exactly 508 p.m., Judy is doused in gasoline and set on fire.

Minutes later, she's rushed to the Ohio University-Wexner Medical Center, where she falls into a coma. I've seen plenty of burns to her degree. I can't say I've seen many that I've survived. Judy was my first born. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the happiest time in my life. And she was just my best friend. Bonnie, Judy's mother, has no idea what happened. to her daughter, only that she was burnt and needed to be put on life support. When she arrives at the hospital, she heads down to the trauma bay with the help of a nurse. But as they make their way to Judy's bed, Bonnie takes a wrong turn. I went past Michael's room. I went in there,

and I was like, Michael, where is Judy? I'll never forget. He looked at me and he said, it was an accident. It was an accident. Bonnie doesn't understand why there are police officers surrounding Michael's bed. But before she can ask any questions, he said, he's not. She doesn't understand. She's shuffled out of the room by one of the officers. As she finally arrives at Judy's side, nothing can prepare her for the condition in which her daughter is. All I can remember is I just started screaming, tell me there's hope, tell me there's hope, tell me there's hope,

tell me there's hope, tell me there was hope. They wouldn't say anything. 31-year-old Judy Malinowski is burned to more than 80% of her body. She is unrecognizable. We have an equation which is based on a question based on the patient's age and percent burn. In Judy's case, she was 31, and approximately 80 percent burns. So that made her like 110 percent mortality.

As Judy lies in a coma, barely holding on to life, Michael Slager sits on a bed just a few feet away with burns on his hands. The story he tells the cops raise his questions about what really happened. According to Michael, Judy had filled up the truck. with gas and accidentally spilled some gas on herself. Michael then went to light a cigarette for her, which is when she suddenly caught fire. His story makes it seem like it was an accident, and to the investigators, without Judy's point of view, Michael appears to be innocent. We were concerned with Judy passing and us not getting anything on the record. I wanted Judy's

voice to be heard as quickly as possible. Doctors and nurses are looking at you, like, do you want to bring this person out of sedation? At the investigator's request, Judy is brought out of her artificial coma, which means she is going to feel pain again. I remember leaning in to talk to her. I mean, I don't even know if she can hear me. Judy, did you spill gas on yourself? Did Mike spill gas on you? Judy nods twice, showing clear signs that she can hear and understand the people around her. With her answer, police have the information they need to pursue the investigation. And the police said that they were going to...

arrest Michael. I didn't understand. So what there, am I under arrest or something? Right now, yeah, you are under arrest. What am I being charged? We're going to be charged with this. Let me just solve and aggravated arson. What Michael Slager is about to learn is that police have put their hands on crucial evidence. The entire scene was recorded by a nearby ATM machine and the investigators have all seen the footage. Let me just be directly to me too, Mike, okay?

So we saw exactly what happened. We saw you pour gasoline over top of her head. Something was to the ground. What happened? It's not the way that looks. You were arguing. She threw a pop-all in my face, and then we was going back and forth with it. She'd come in and spit my face. And I said, oh, we're here.

You want to ruin my stuff up? I said, here, boom, I'm going to ruin her clothes. It wasn't to start her on fire or nothing. You know what I mean? It was just to ruin her clothes. Right, yeah. So we knew right away that he had lied to us. He had made several statements.

about how the gasoline got on duty. And then he developed from there. Okay, I did, I panicked, I lied about that, I shouldn't have. But she took her sweatshirt off, and it didn't even occur to me that there would still be gas there. In this case, where I thought that there was some doubt, was whether he knowingly caused serious physical harm. I still have trouble understanding that someone could do that to another human being.

As Michael is rescued by his attorney, doctors do everything they can to save Judy. In most cases, burnt victims like her don't live past a few days. Yet, month after month, Judy holds on to life while going through endless operations. As she remains unconscious, her mother doesn't know if she's ever going to wake up. And there was nobody that Judy didn't love. According to her mom, all Judy ever wanted was to live a simple life, to have two kids and share a home with a husband who loves her. At the age of 21, Judy became a mom herself,

but she was still waiting for that loving husband. When I was a little kid, I was like at my mom, and I just want to grow up and be like her. People can just say like, I love you, not always mean it. But for my mom, like, I always knew that she, like, actually loved me. We were playing the delay game. It sounds terrible, but we were basically waiting for Judy to die so that we could charge Mr. Slager with the homicide.

And we got a call one day that she was awake. Against all odds, Judy wakes up from her coma, but she's confused and terrified. She has no idea what happened after the fire. I'm going to start by asking you your name. She did. Ann Malinowski. Do you know how many surgeries you've had? Over 50.

And you're aware that you have coded seven times, correct? Yes. You understand the prognosis is not good, correct? No. But you're fighting against it, right? Yes. It had to be explained to her that Mr. Slager was in jail. I remember her being emotional about that.

She actually felt bad for Mike at that point. While Judy is concerned about Michael, she's also filled with fear of what he is capable of, But she has no idea that Michael has not shown any remorse for his actions or any concern for her well-being. Just four months earlier, in April 2015, Michael was professing his love for Judy. Mike said he always had feelings for me and said he loved me. I was like, he looks like bad news, JD. She said, you know, you can't judge a book by their cover.

And I thought, okay, back off, Bonnie. Although Judy met Michael through a group of friends, she had no idea who he really was. He has theft, domestic violence, menacing, aggravated menacing, making a false police report, domestic violence, aggravated menacing, assault, aggravated menacing, domestic violence, assault, domestic violence, assault, domestic violence, endangering children, domestic violence, endangering children.

rape, which was, I think, pled down to a sexual battery. So he began to, I would say, dot her. Like, just messaging her and just everything, I guess, a girl wants to read, especially, you know, where Judy was in her life. Did you have a diagnosis and a surgical procedure when you were 27 years old? Yes. Obeying care care. Okay, thank you.

And you had some complications as a result of that surgery, correct? Yes. I was placed on very strong painkillers. I got addicted to them. And she had told me, Mom, I'm getting addicted to this pain medicine. And I said, Judy, it's fine. Just take them as the doctor prescribes him. I realized that she was a bench user.

and she would go and use and self-medicate whatever she needed. In the months that follow her procedure, Judy starts to struggle with addiction. It doesn't take long for her to understand that her behavior is harming her children. She doesn't trust herself to take care of them anymore. She sends her two daughters to live with Bonnie, their grandmother, while Judy admits herself into rehab at a place called Parkside. Taking her recovery at heart for her daughters, It isn't long that Judy becomes sober again.

And she was going to meetings, like three, four, five medians a week. They got her on the right track, and now she was living with the girls. She was doing the best she had ever done. Everything went downhill when Michael came into the picture. That's when drugs and all that came into play. He brought her drugs. She relapsed, so he had complete control over her. I don't think that Michael ever did drugs.

He definitely preyed on women that had addiction problems. In the months that follow, Judy discovers the true face of Michael Slager when he starts to abuse her physically. But although she tries to leave him and run away, Michael always finds a way to bring her back. Judy had called me when he had choked her before, and I can remember her being so scared. scared of him. She hid in hotels, left her own home. Judy calls the police multiple times over the course of the relationship, telling them that she's being abused by her boyfriend.

What Judy doesn't know is that Michael is also calling the cops on her every time something happens, covering for himself, painting a picture to the cops of a concerned boyfriend. He knows what he's doing. He's intelligent. He's calculating. Near the end of May of 2015, Had a lengthy conversation with Judy.

She flat out said that if she left him or he found out about this conversation that he would kill her. And then the call disconnected after that. It's spring of 2016 when Judy wakes up in the hospital. For the first time since the attack, Judy's daughters will get to see her, along with her siblings. They know the shock they're about to get. And yet... When I walked in, I definitely was like, that's not my mom. You just don't believe that that's who they're telling you it is.

There was a dude in the hospital bed. And just her dude said, if some were right, and she asked me for a hug, I said, no, you're hurt. I don't want her to get hurt. Although Bonnie is thrilled that her daughter is finally awake, Judy's battle is about to get worse. December 2016, the trial begins.

As Judy is still alive, Michael is only being charged with aggravated arson and felonious assault. Still, he continues to claim this was all an accident. Judy knows there's more to the story, but for now, the defense thinks Judy won't be able to testify in her condition, so they enter a plea if not guilty. Without her testimony, it's likely that Michael will escape justice. And then, Judy's condition improved. She wanted to tell her story. I think she wanted somebody to finally listen to her.

This might be the only chance Judy Gets of testifying. If she survives, Michael escapes the murder trial. But if she dies, Michael will be charged with murder, and her testimony will be on the record as evidence against him. But then, something happened. Slaker changed his plea from not guilty to no contest. And that way he avoided a trial, and she was not able to testify. He silenced her again.

Nothing we could do. What are you going to do? The Gahanna woman doused with gasoline and set on fire. She will never get the chance to testify against her ex in court. And the judge sentenced him to 11 years in jail. The maximum sentence Michael could receive for dousing her in gasoline and lighting her on fire was 11 years, which is very similar to the penalty you would receive for lighting a car on fire. Judy has a life sentence, and her children have a life sentence,

and with domestic violence, it's ugly, it's cruel. Mrs. Bose was correct when she said, this girl has a life sentence, and you've done it, and you haven't been sorry, you've done all the things that really show what a despicable individual you are. You really do seem like one of those people that have no soul, then you need to be incarcerated. That's all, I have to say, take him out. I can't.

It's not fair. Sorry, when he just sit over any, I don't mean to break down. So I'm trying so hard to stay strong, but it's just so hard. Been over a year since her attack. And still, every day Judy fights to survive. Michael's sentencing comes as a shock to Judy, who doesn't feel she got the justice she deserved, while she might not make it much longer. The one thing that keeps her going is her daughters.

There was this part of her that wanted to make it and to live, to fight for every other woman that had been through something like that. And she was willing to do whatever she needed to do to help change the law. Judy's law would increase the maximum sentence for intentionally disfiguring someone by up to 20 years. It's named after Judy Malinowski, who is still fighting to stay alive after being set on fire a year and a half ago. The law would not be retroactive, meaning it won't have any impact on her case. Still, Judy continues to fight for other survivors of domestic violence. Doctors say they really have no medical explanation as to how she is still alive.

But Judy's mom, Bonnie Bowes, says she believes that Judy is fighting to see. Judy's law through to the very end. All Judy wanted to do was help people. She fought so hard to help people and for justice. This was a miracle that she survived that. With her spirit intact, her will to want to help other people intact. I just think her body was giving out before her spirit. As her state continues to deteriorate, it becomes clear that Judy will most likely die very soon.

Judy remains bedridden. Doctors now focus on making sure she feels the least pain possible. Bonnie, her mother, has been by her side the entire time. Letting her child go will be the hardest struggle yet. Although they don't give her much time, even if God takes her, she'll always be here. As the prospect of a murder trial becomes more and more likely, Judy and her mother Bonnie are approached by the prosecutors with an idea. That's when they approached Judy about testifying to her own homicide. It was a long shot because it had never been done. Nobody had ever testified to their own homicide in the United States.

The only caveat is that in order for Judy to have all her mental capacities, she would have to be taken off pain medication. As a mother, you know your child, where was her limitation? she do this even though her intentions were good. Judy Malinowski will be allowed to testify about her own death in the trial of her accused killer. The case that's drawn national attention. This would be the first time that a victim was allowed to testify from the grave in a murder case. She said, Mom, I know I haven't entered this much pain in vain.

Tell me your name and are you ready to testify. Hi, my name is Judith Malinels. I think Judy expressed being tired of fighting and in pain. But she would not say to me, mom, I want to give up. I want to stop because she knew what that would do to me. After nearly 60 surgeries and two years in the hospital, Judy has been moved to a care facility and is no longer getting medical treatment. Judy Malinowski's mom, Bonnie Bose, told me in an interview.

Tuesday, her daughter's body can't take much more. So they asked me to sign these papers, and I said, no, I'm not going to sign these auspice papers. She said, Mama, well, she put an X, and I know Judy, because Judy would have normally tried to do a day, and she just put. I said, okay, Judy, I'll hold your hand to hold. Jesus takes the other. Judy Melanowski died on June 27, 2017, having survived for nearly 700 days. She leaves behind her two young daughters, her siblings, her mother. I lost someone very important to me, my sister, Judy, and she was my favorite sister for a very long time.

Well, a new chapter in one family's long fight for justice. Ellie, prosecutor Ron O'Brien calls this case unprecedented. Slaker is now charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated murder. He could get the death penalty if he is found guilty. As Michael Slaker prepares for his trial, he has no intention this time of pleading guilty. His lawyers are trying hard to keep Judy's testimony out of the trial. Once again, they want to silence Judy. We'll fight like heck to keep that testimony.

of the victim excluded from any jury trial. Bonnie is furious. If Judy's deposition isn't admitted into the trial, all the pain she went through to deliver her testimony will have been for nothing. She went to her grave thinking that she did justice and she told her story. And now, Michael's attorney claims the entire procedure

was unconstitutional. At this point, only a judge can decide if Judy will be heard or not. A criminal defendant's right to confrontation is of paramount importance. But the defendant in this case did have an opportunity to confront the accuser. Thank you, God.

A potential historic decision. Today's judge's ruling makes her the state's first murder victim to testify at her killer's trial. New hope for Judy Malinowski's family that not only justice will be served in her death, but that her own voice will be heard in court. On July 5th, 2018, the court prepares to view Judy Melanowski's three-hour testimony. Judy's mother, Bonnie, is there.

So are her daughters, Kalin, and Madison. No one has seen her deposition as it was filmed behind closed doors. They are all waiting to see Judy tell her story. Could you please raise your right hand to the extent that you possibly can? Do you solemnly swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this deposition will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. as usual answer to God are under penalty of perjury. I do. Thank you. Now, Sunday, August 2nd, 2015. Do you recall that day? August 2nd, 2015, yes, I do.

So when you were with Mr. Slegger, you indicated that the two of you stopped at Speedway. What did you stop there for? Get cigarettes. We were on the exacting for. Either one of us were very happy with each other. While he went inside, you got out of the truck and went behind that speedway. What happened as you stood behind that speedway? Well, he made him in a matter of no time at all around in his truck. You saw me in the media leased way in the truck to the park, got out, demanded that I got into the truck with him.

Call me all sorts of names. We argued for five to ten minutes and then I threw my pop on him. You threw a pop on him? Yes. He was extremely upset. He ran around to the other side of his truck and he got his um, these tenomes of gasoline that he kept the back of his truck. He ran around with me and started pouring gasoline.

Started up my head and worked his way down. Some got through my throat as he did that. What's his demeanor as he's pouring the gasoline on him? You all just completely able. He's not responding to any of my cries for help. Like, one girl's up on me, see what I'll do to you, bitch? And how do you like this? I looked at him and he pulled a lighter out of his pocket.

And he started walking towards me. And I just remember crying and begging for help. And he let me on fire and looked at his eyes where his eyes went back, literally. I thought for sure I was telling. I just prayed to Jesus to please forgive me for my sins and to take care of my children. Did you at any time produce a cigarette and ask for, For a light?

No. Okay. A matter of fact, did you have any cigarettes on you? No. Judy has shared her side of the story, but her fight is not over yet. Now, the defense will cross-examine her, which means they will do everything to make her seem unreliable. They dig into her past, speak of her addiction, question her judgment.

But at every turn, Judy stands strong, pushing back as best she can. As time passes, she's becoming weaker and weaker. Can you tell us what you were wearing that morning of August the 2nd? I don't remember. Do you remember getting dressed that morning? No, I don't. I don't remember a lot of me. Be fair to say that the trauma you've suffered has affected your memory?

Yes. And that it has affected your ability to recall events accurately. I'm trying to request for great, but... If you agree to... Because of the trauma that you have suffered, your ability to recall events accurately has been compromised. My ability to what? Recall events. Remember things.

I can recall the events, but the many details of them is what's hard your needs to recall. You have to understand when I'm on the second. I was still on fire. We're off on the ground and burst 95% of my bobby. I understand. I appreciate that. I just remember walking out thinking, that was awful. That was horrible.

I didn't want to do it. I felt bad for her from day one. I absolutely felt bad for her. Three hours of questioning. I couldn't interrupt. I couldn't knock on the door and see if she was okay. And when I went in there, she just grabbed me as best she could. as best she could, and her entire burned body just shook.

The question remains, will her testimony be enough to get justice for Judy? The prosecutors, as well as her family, are all pushing for the death penalty. Michael has shown no remorse and has taken their loved one in cold blood. Since then, his only concern has been saving his own skin. But before the trial ends, the court will listen to one more clip of Judy, that could play a crucial role in Michael's sentence. Judy, I would just like you to state here if you were to die from your injuries

and Mr. Sleger were to be convicted of having done that. I want you to tell a future judge what you want to see happen to Mr. Sleger. I would like to see him charge with murder and do a license. I think that he deserves that. She didn't believe in the death penalty. And while I very much think Michael Slager deserved to die for what he did, I think she had the right to tell the judge what penalty she wanted.

Judy refused to seek vengeance. She has proven to everyone that, even after everything she went through, she is nothing like Michael. And she fought for what she believed until her last breath. Sir, what you're pleaded, she has to look one kind of aggravated murder without their capital specification. Guilty. You understand that it is a complete admission of guilty and spent. Yes, right. You will spend the rest of your natural life in the accident.

Malinowski gets her wish. Slager avoids the death penalty, but we'll go to prison for life. I'm so proud of her and I know one day I'll see her. Judy Melanowski fought till the very end to seek justice, for herself, but also for every other victim. She has made her mother proud and has inspired her own daughter. inspired her own daughters. My mom taught me that you could stand out to anybody.

An emotional day at the State House where two young girls say they will fight to carry on their mother's legacy. Judy's daughters, Kalen and Madison, continue their mother's fight and will do everything they can to pass Judy's law. A brave young girl stood up for her mother, Kaylyn Malinowski, testified before a Senate committee. Hello, Mr. Chairman and Senate Committee. My name is Kaylan Malinowski.

I am Judy's daughter. Please pass my mom's law because together we can prevent this from happening to other families. If the bill passes, her memory will live on through Judy's law. We know that our mommy did not suffer in vain. Extending the sentence by six years for cases like Judis where an accelerant like gas is used. I think it's the first step towards what her legacy should and will be. House prepared and proceed to vote. Well today, every representative said yes.

And now, with the law passed, in their mother's name, Kalin and Madison find new ways to protect other domestic violence survivors. She was really brave. I admire her strength and I definitely hope that that strength lives on through me.