Shraman Mitra
David Magnanao, Jessica Rosenbeck, and Emily Thibeault were forced to witness how Scott Magnano abused their mother, Jennifer Magnano, for years. Even though she had had enough of the abuse and attempted to run away to California in April 2007, their father used legal notices to compel her to return before murdering her mercilessly in front of them. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here: Kill Him, Save Yourself’ chronicles the horrific tragedy and portrays how Jennifer’s death affected her children. Well, let’s dive into the details surrounding the crime and find out where David and Jessica are at present, shall we?
Who Are David Magnano and Jessica Rosenbeck?
While Jessica was Jennifer Magnano’s daughter from a previous relationship, David and Emily were Jennifer and Scott’s kids. However, when interviewed on the show, David mentioned that he refuses to acknowledge the latter as his father because of the horrible things he has been made to witness since childhood. Both he and Jessica claimed that no matter how loving and caring Jennifer was, Scott’s abusive ways kept them in a constant state of terror. Interestingly, the abuse started out small, with him making up numerous small rules to maintain around the house.
Although most of these rules had no basis and weren’t logical, Scott would fly into an almost murderous rage if anyone defied him. Besides, he was known to physically abuse the kids and even scream at them without any reason. Unfortunately, the situation turned even darker once Scott focused his anger on Jennifer. Other than beating, abusing, and harassing her as he pleased, she was also blamed for the children’s shortcomings; he would “punish” her as he saw fit. Furthermore, Scott did not allow his wife to put on makeup or dress as she pleased, and the mother of three was even discouraged from socializing with her neighbors.
When interviewed on the show, Jessica mentioned how she returned home from school one day to find Jennifer covering up her bruises with makeup. Not just that, she accused Scott of sexually abusing her but insisted that others in the family were helpless to put a stop to it. On the other hand, David revealed that the beating got so severe on one occasion that Jennifer screamed for his help, and he rushed to the room to find Scott kicking his mother mercilessly in the stomach. Eventually, in April 2007, Jennifer decided to escape her husband. Hence, she took her kids, bundled them into the car, and drove away when he was in the shower.
The family drove across several towns and took shelter in a motel for the night before taking a train to California. Jennifer even tried to divorce her husband there, yet he had other plans. Scott took the help of the legal system and complained that his wife had run away with their children without their consent. Sadly, Jennifer was compelled to return to their Terryville, Connecticut, house, but she got a court order forbidding Scott from contacting her.
Regardless, Scott refused to acknowledge such an order and broke into their home on August 23, 2007, with a gun. He threatened to kill anyone if they called the police before dragging Jennifer outside. David immediately called 911 and requested help, but before first responders could arrive, Scott shot his wife dead on the steps leading up to the front door and drove away.
David Magnano and Jessica Rosenbeck Are Moving Forward in Life Today
When authorities began investigating Jennifer’s murder, they tracked Scott to an abandoned area about three blocks away. They discovered that he had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his mouth. Meanwhile, David was devastated at losing his mother, but he knew he had to keep his sister, Emily, safe. On the other hand, Jessica was in college at the time of the murder, yet she immediately returned home to be with her step-siblings. Naturally, Jennifer’s shocking death left a massive void in their lives, and they busied themselves with other things to combat the pain.
On the show, Jessica mentioned that she got into a relationship with someone shortly after the incident and moved in with him, whereas David chose to pursue a college degree. Still, he always had her and Emily’s support, as they were beside him when he graduated. With time, the siblings were determined not to let anyone else meet their mother’s fate.
Thus, Jessica and David began advocating for Jennifer’s Law, which enables family courts to recognize coercive control and punish it accordingly. However, they have since embraced privacy and prefer to keep her personal life under wraps. Albeit, from the looks of it, David presently resides in Leicester, Massachusetts, while Jessica still seems to be based out of Connecticut. All three siblings have built a happy life surrounded by their loved ones.
Read More: Jennifer Magnano Murder: How Did Scott Magnano Die?
