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Jennifer Magnano endured 15 years of abuse before attempting to break free from her husband Scott, who fatally shot her in August 2007. At the time of her death, she was planning to move to California from Connecticut to finally put an end to the abuse. Her son David witnessed the tragic incident, but reportedly blacked out and only remembers having a faint memory of it.
After shooting her, Scott fled the scene in the family's van and was reportedly found dead inside the vehicle not long after. His death was declared a suicide after an autopsy confirmed he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
An upcoming episode of Evil Lives Here will further delve into Jennifer Magnano's case. The all-new episode, titled Kill Him, Save Yourself, will air on ID this Sunday, February 19, 2023, at 9 pm ET.
The synopsis reads:
"David Magnano and his stepsister, Jessica, know that Scott Magnano is dangerous; they know they would be safer if he were gone; what David doesn't know is how much he will regret not killing Scott when he has the chance."
Disclaimer: This article contains descriptions of violence and may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.
Jennifer Magnano's murder: Five quick facts about this Connecticut mother who was tragically shot dead
1) Jennifer managed to escape her abusive marriage a few months before the murder
As per Inside Edition, five months before the murder, Jennifer Magnano managed to escape her abusive husband in April 2007. Taking her three children, she left Connecticut on a three-day trip to California.
Unfortunately, the Connecticut criminal justice and family court system helped Scott by completely ignoring and nullifying Jennifer's claims and complaints against her abuser. He was granted custody of their kids, and the court ordered Jennifer to return to Connecticut.
After returning, Jennifer managed to get a divorce and gain custody of her children again. She was all set to pack up and leave when the incident took place.
2) Jennifer Magnano's abusive husband shot her while their teenage son witnessed the incident
After her return from California following a court order and a protracted legal struggle, Jennifer was able to secure a divorce. She subsequently gained custody of her children and the family house in August 2007.
On August 23, she took her children to their former house to collect some of their belongings before leaving Connecticut for good, when Scott Magnano ambushed them. He was lying in wait as she prepared to move out of the house. He shot Jennifer while their son David witnessed the incident.
David Magnano reportedly said that he saw Scott grab his mother and take her into the kitchen while she begged him not to do this in front of the children. He tried to follow them and was running down the stairs when he heard a gunshot. Jennifer Magnano died at the scene before first responders could arrive.
3) Scott Magnano was found dead inside the family van
Scott Magnano killed himself before he could be arrested for his crimes or brought to justice. After the shooting, he escaped the scene and was eventually found dead in the driver's seat of the family van in an abandoned lot close to the crime scene. A subsequent autopsy determined his cause of death as suicide due to a self-inflicted gunshot.
4) Scott subjected his children to coercive control and also s*xually abused Jennifer's eldest daughter
Jennifer Magnano and her three children - Jessica, David, and Emily - were subjected to isolation and a complex system of rules and harsh punishments by Scott. This included humiliation, threats, coercion, cruelty, s*xual abuse, and violence.
Jennifer's eldest daughter from a previous relationship, Jessica, had also been a victim of abuse at the hands of her stepfather. He started s*xually abusing her when she was 18 and it reportedly continued for the next three years.
According to Inside Edition, Jessica recalled the instances, stating:
"I think the first time he was snuggling in bed with Emily. And I came in and he wanted me to get in the bed too. He always called it snuggling. And then after that he only wanted it to be me. And he would just be wearing his underwear, and it was very uncomfortable. It was just a lot of inappropriate touching, inappropriate conversations."
5) The passing of Jennifers' Law in Connecticut honors the death of Jennifer Magnano
In honor of their mother’s life, Jessica, Emily, and David fought to have a law passed in Jennifer's name. The initial Jennifers' Law, which was passed in 2007, after Jennifer Magnano's death, allowed victims of domestic abuse to attend court hearings remotely and not have to return to the state if they’ve left to avoid putting themselves at risk. But the law was never acted upon as some didn’t know it existed.
A new Jennifers' Law was passed in June 2021 in honor of Jennifer Magnano and another victim named Jennifer Dulos. She was killed by her husband, Fotis Dulos, who later died by suicide.
The new version of the law also includes 'coercive control,' making it easier for those who work in the legal system, particularly in the family court system, to identify domestic violence and understand that abuse isn't always just physical.
Evil Lives Here will shed some more light on Jennifer Magnano's case on February 19, 2023, at 9 pm ET.
