Daughter Admits Leaving Window Open For Father Before He Allegedly Attacked, Kidnapped Ex-Wife
A daughter has testified against his father, detailing how he enlisted her help to get into the house where he allegedly kidnapped, sexually abused and attempted to kill his ex-wife.
Arden Summers revealed in her court testimony Wednesday that his father, Trevor Steven Summers, 45, got her help in his bid to end the life of his former spouse, Alisa Mathewson. The daughter, who was only 14 when the incident took place on March 11, 2017, said her father made her rummage through her mother's purse to check for any birth control pills and sought her help to sneak into the house, Law & Crime reported.
The daughter recalled being asked by Trevor to leave a window in the children's room ajar so he could secretly enter the residence. He allegedly told Arden he needed to speak with Mathewson to solve some legal problems. The former couple, who share five children, were going through a divorce and living apart at the time.
Arden admitted that she was angry with her mother at the time since Mathewson had moved on and was already dating her current partner Jeff Mathewson. In her testimony, the teen stated that she and her father had originally discussed executing the window plot a few days earlier. However, their plan fell through due to an argument.
Trevor raped Mathewson over the course of two days after tying her up with Christmas lights and brutally torturing her, the prosecutors said, as per the New York Post.
In an unexpected turn of events, Trevor, who has been on trial since March 2017, fired his attorneys Wednesday, to be able to directly cross-examine Mathewson by himself, New York Post reported.
Although shocked by the fact that she was being interrogated by her alleged abuser, Mathewson Mathewson answered Trevor's question.
Refuting the claims of sexual abuse, Trevor questioned the victim if she considered the encounter a rape. "You broke into my home in the middle of the night... attacked me and tied me up," Alisa answered, according to the outlet. "Yes, you threatened me to have sex with you. You raped me!"
When asked by Trevor if she's "calling it rape," Mathewson said, "It is! That is the definition of rape. To come into someone's home and attack them and tie them up and then have sex with them! That is the definition of rape!"
After the break-in, Trevor reportedly drove out with Mathewson in an SUV in search of a remote marina where he intended to rent a boat, kill her and then take his own life. But when he made a stopover at a supermarket in south Hillsborough County, Mathewson managed to escape. She sneaked out of the vehicle and dashed around the parking lot while calling for help.
A staff member alerted the police after seeing Trevor pushing Mathewson back into the car and then speeding off. Authorities were on the lookout for two days until they found the SUV in Ruskin, close to a coastal resort. They pursued the SUV to a house 2 miles away, where Mathewson eventually came out of the car, Tampa Bay reported.
Trevor attempted to slit his own neck before being apprehended and sent to Hillsborough County Jail, according to the outlet. Police also found a written confession by Trevor in which he told his children, "So we have ended it for your sake," the letter read, according to court records. "We wish you the best in everything you do and will be watching you from heaven."
Meanwhile, Mathewson claimed in her testimony Monday that Trevor slashed her wrist as a punishment for attempting to flee. She also accused him of trying to strangle her.
The trial is expected to last through the rest of this week.
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