68-Domestic Violence MURDERED: Dorothy Giunta-Cotter
Explicit content warning
05/14/25 • 14 min
Trusting a victim's instincts could be the difference between life and death. Dorothy Giunta-Cotter knew her husband was dangerous. She told authorities he repeatedly threatened to kill her if she ever left him. She did everything right - fled with her child, sought help from a crisis center, filed a restraining order, and reported violations. Yet despite all these precautions, Dorothy's worst fears came true when her estranged husband William fatally shot her in her Massachusetts home in 2002, with their young daughter hiding under the bed as tragedy unfolded.
Dorothy's heartbreaking story reveals a critical gap in our response to domestic violence cases. While individual agencies each performed their designated roles, the lack of true collaboration between domestic violence organizations, law enforcement, and the judicial system created fatal vulnerabilities. A judge's decision to release William on just $500 bail, without fully understanding the severity of his threats, set in motion the tragic events that followed just five days later.
From this devastating loss emerged meaningful change. Kelly Dunne of the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center partnered with domestic violence expert Jacqueline Campbell to develop a coordinated community response that's saving lives today. The Greater Newburyport High Risk Response Team established in 2005 brings together advocates, hospital liaisons, and police departments to assess risk factors using Campbell's Danger Assessment tool. This episode breaks down this vital 20-question assessment that helps identify potentially lethal situations before tragedy strikes.
Whether you're personally facing abuse, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand the real-world challenges in protecting domestic violence victims, this episode provides crucial insights into recognizing danger signs and navigating safety systems. Remember that regardless of any assessment score, your instincts matter most. If you feel unsafe or threatened, reach out immediately to trusted resources like your local domestic violence shelter, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Sources:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/07/22/a-raised-hand
https://feminist.org/news/911-tape-reveals-final-moments-of-domestic-violence-victims-life/
https://www.postandcourier.com/app/till-death/assets/d4-pdf.pdf
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7878014/
1 in 3 is intended for mature audiences. Episodes contain explicit content and may be triggering to some.
If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.
Contact 1 in 3:
- Send your emails to [email protected]
- Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @1in3podcast
- Check out the website https://www.1in3podcast.com/
Thank you for listening and please remember to rate, review & subscribe!
Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe
Trusting a victim's instincts could be the difference between life and death. Dorothy Giunta-Cotter knew her husband was dangerous. She told authorities he repeatedly threatened to kill her if she ever left him. She did everything right - fled with her child, sought help from a crisis center, filed a restraining order, and reported violations. Yet despite all these precautions, Dorothy's worst fears came true when her estranged husband William fatally shot her in her Massachusetts home in 2002, with their young daughter hiding under the bed as tragedy unfolded.
Dorothy's heartbreaking story reveals a critical gap in our response to domestic violence cases. While individual agencies each performed their designated roles, the lack of true collaboration between domestic violence organizations, law enforcement, and the judicial system created fatal vulnerabilities. A judge's decision to release William on just $500 bail, without fully understanding the severity of his threats, set in motion the tragic events that followed just five days later.
From this devastating loss emerged meaningful change. Kelly Dunne of the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center partnered with domestic violence expert Jacqueline Campbell to develop a coordinated community response that's saving lives today. The Greater Newburyport High Risk Response Team established in 2005 brings together advocates, hospital liaisons, and police departments to assess risk factors using Campbell's Danger Assessment tool. This episode breaks down this vital 20-question assessment that helps identify potentially lethal situations before tragedy strikes.
Whether you're personally facing abuse, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand the real-world challenges in protecting domestic violence victims, this episode provides crucial insights into recognizing danger signs and navigating safety systems. Remember that regardless of any assessment score, your instincts matter most. If you feel unsafe or threatened, reach out immediately to trusted resources like your local domestic violence shelter, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Sources:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/07/22/a-raised-hand
https://feminist.org/news/911-tape-reveals-final-moments-of-domestic-violence-victims-life/
https://www.postandcourier.com/app/till-death/assets/d4-pdf.pdf
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7878014/
1 in 3 is intended for mature audiences. Episodes contain explicit content and may be triggering to some.
If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.
Contact 1 in 3:
- Send your emails to [email protected]
- Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @1in3podcast
- Check out the website https://www.1in3podcast.com/
Thank you for listening and please remember to rate, review & subscribe!
Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe
Previous Episode
67-Domestic Violence WARRIOR: Dana Hanuszczak; Part 2
Dana's transformation from abuse survivor to community leader shows how trauma can become purpose when channeled into helping others. After enduring 17 years of family court battles and multiple forms of abuse, Dana founded the Survivor Center to create the support system she wished she'd had during her darkest moments.
The Survivor Center began with online support groups connecting women across the country facing similar struggles with domestic violence. What started as informal conversations evolved into a structured "survivor support bootcamp" addressing every aspect of healing - from identifying different forms of abuse to processing childhood trauma through powerful exercises like writing letters to your younger self.
Dana's approach combines emotional healing with practical support. Beyond the therapeutic elements of the program, she provides court accompaniment, teaching survivors how to navigate the complex and often biased family court system. Drawing from her extensive personal experience, she offers crucial guidance on everything from how to present yourself effectively in court to avoiding retraumatization when facing an abuser in legal settings.
The work extends to prevention through youth mentoring, prison ministry for incarcerated women, and Dana's book "Savage Angel," which provides spiritual guidance while supporting the nonprofit's mission. Throughout all these initiatives runs a thread of profound empathy and lived experience - Dana knows exactly what survivors need because she's walked the same path.
What's most striking about Dana's work is how she transforms even the most painful experiences into tools for helping others. Her message resonates with unwavering hope: "If I made it through, you can too." For those trapped in cycles of abuse, these words and the support system behind them may be the lifeline they desperately need.
To connect with the Survivor Center, visit survivorcenter.org, call 386-450-1966, or email [email protected]. All proceeds from Dana's book "Savage Angel" directly support the organization's vital work.
Dana's 1in3 bio: https://www.1in3podcast.com/guests/dana-hanuszczak/
1 in 3 is intended for mature audiences. Episodes contain explicit content and may be triggering to some.
If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.
Contact 1 in 3:
- Send your emails to [email protected]
- Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @1in3podcast
- Check out the website https://www.1in3podcast.com/
Thank you for listening and please remember to rate, review & subscribe!
Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe
Next Episode
69-Domestic Violence MURDERED: Baby Aaden Moreno
The murder of seven-month-old Aaden Moreno stands as a haunting example of what happens when our protective systems fail those they're designed to protect. Just days after a Connecticut judge denied a restraining order that would have protected the infant and his young mother, 21-year-old Tony Moreno took baby Aaden to the Arrigoni Bridge and threw him 90 feet into the waters below.
We walk through the devastating timeline of events that led to this tragedy. Nineteen-year-old Adrianne Oyola had documented a pattern of escalating abuse from her ex-boyfriend - verbal attacks, physical intimidation, controlling behavior, and most disturbingly, explicit threats that he could "make them both disappear." Despite these red flags, the judge dismissed the extension of the restraining order, characterizing their troubled relationship as mutual immaturity rather than recognizing the dangerous power dynamics at play.
Years later, Adrianne continues fighting for accountability, pursuing legal action against the Department of Children and Families for their absence at the crucial restraining order hearing and their failure to conduct safety assessments after custody was granted. Her struggle reminds us that justice isn't just about punishment after tragedy strikes—it's about creating systems that recognize danger before it's too late.
Sources:
https://www.cga.ct.gov/2021/juddata/tmy/2021HJ-00233-R000326-Moreno,%20Aaden-TMY.PDF
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/mom-testifies-at-trial-of-man-accused-of-killing-infant/
https://www.wkrn.com/news/father-sends-chilling-texts-before-7-month-old-son-thrown-from-bridge/amp/
https://www.courant.com/2016/07/06/mother-of-child-thrown-from-bridge-wants-to-sue-dcf/
https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/ct-dcf-lawsuit-arrigoni-bridge-middletown-20268463.php
If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.
Contact 1 in 3:
- Send your emails to [email protected]
- Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @1in3podcast
- Check out the website https://www.1in3podcast.com/
Thank you for listening and please remember to rate, review & subscribe!
Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe
1 in 3 - 68-Domestic Violence MURDERED: Dorothy Giunta-Cotter
Transcript
Warriors . Welcome to One in Three . I'm your host , Ingrid . You've heard me say this before and I'll say it again no matter the education a domestic violence advocate has , no matter the degrees held by professionals in the field , no matter the hours poured in by legal teams or therapists trained in domestic violence , and despite all the data , all the research and all the stat
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/1-in-3-680843/68-domestic-violence-murdered-dorothy-giunta-cotter-91152874"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to 68-domestic violence murdered: dorothy giunta-cotter on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy