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The Wounds That Do Not Heal - Episode 10: Moral Injury, Mistreatment, and Murder: The Tragic Story of Private John Needham and Jacqwelyn Villagomez

Episode 10: Moral Injury, Mistreatment, and Murder: The Tragic Story of Private John Needham and Jacqwelyn Villagomez

10/08/24 • 36 min

The Wounds That Do Not Heal

Do you have a story you’d like to share on TWTDNH or are you a subject matter expert who would like to shed light on any of the topics I cover? Shoot me a message!

John Needham was a decorated soldier, an artist, and a man battling demons after serving in the Iraq War.

Despite surviving the horrors of war, his battle with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and moral injury led to a tragic outcome—taking the life of the woman he loved, Jacqwelyn Villagomez. Their story reveals the devastating failures in the military’s mental health care system.

This episode talks about the long-lasting impact of untreated mental health issues and the moral injuries that soldiers like John endure.

How did someone so full of potential end up in such a dark place? Could better mental health care have saved both John and Jackqwelyn?
What You’ll Learn:

  • Who are John Needham and Jacqwelyn Villagomez?
  • John’s military career and deployment to Baghdad.
  • The mental health decline that led to tragedy.
  • The concept of moral injury and how it affects soldiers.
  • The tragic incident involving Jacqwelyn.
  • How military failures contributed to John's fate.
  • The ripple effects of trauma, both in John's life and for those around him.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

  • “The military makes these combat warfighters weapons. They make them weapons and they don't care when they are broken because, quite frankly, it doesn't always affect their ability to be good in combat.” - Tressa Brady
  • “What happens when these men don't get the help they need and the men stop compartmentalizing, and they come home and they can't turn off the war? Women die.” - Tressa Brady
  • “Many warfighters experience moral injury when they're in combat, when they're involved in events that just go against their moral code while they're deployed.” - Tressa Brady

Resources

Podcast source:

Articles referenced:

For Social Media Platforms/contact :

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Do you have a story you’d like to share on TWTDNH or are you a subject matter expert who would like to shed light on any of the topics I cover? Shoot me a message!

John Needham was a decorated soldier, an artist, and a man battling demons after serving in the Iraq War.

Despite surviving the horrors of war, his battle with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and moral injury led to a tragic outcome—taking the life of the woman he loved, Jacqwelyn Villagomez. Their story reveals the devastating failures in the military’s mental health care system.

This episode talks about the long-lasting impact of untreated mental health issues and the moral injuries that soldiers like John endure.

How did someone so full of potential end up in such a dark place? Could better mental health care have saved both John and Jackqwelyn?
What You’ll Learn:

  • Who are John Needham and Jacqwelyn Villagomez?
  • John’s military career and deployment to Baghdad.
  • The mental health decline that led to tragedy.
  • The concept of moral injury and how it affects soldiers.
  • The tragic incident involving Jacqwelyn.
  • How military failures contributed to John's fate.
  • The ripple effects of trauma, both in John's life and for those around him.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

  • “The military makes these combat warfighters weapons. They make them weapons and they don't care when they are broken because, quite frankly, it doesn't always affect their ability to be good in combat.” - Tressa Brady
  • “What happens when these men don't get the help they need and the men stop compartmentalizing, and they come home and they can't turn off the war? Women die.” - Tressa Brady
  • “Many warfighters experience moral injury when they're in combat, when they're involved in events that just go against their moral code while they're deployed.” - Tressa Brady

Resources

Podcast source:

Articles referenced:

For Social Media Platforms/contact :

Previous Episode

undefined - Episode 9: Selena Roth: The Advocate

Episode 9: Selena Roth: The Advocate

Do you have a story you’d like to share on TWTDNH or are you a subject matter expert who would like to shed light on any of the topics I cover? Shoot me a message!

The youngest of nine, Selena was a force of nature—a talented violinist, star athlete, and dedicated military intelligence analyst.

But behind her achievements lay a dark secret: a troubled marriage marked by manipulation and control. Just weeks after advocating for victims of domestic violence, Selena became a victim herself.
This disturbing look at domestic violence in the military makes you think: How did a woman so full of life fall prey to such a tragic fate?
This episode paints a full picture of Selena—not just as a victim, but as a cherished sister, friend, and mother whose life was tragically cut short.
What You’ll Learn:

  • Who is Selena Roth?
  • Selena's military career and family.
  • Her relationship with Raul Hernandez Perez.
  • Why coercive control is the top predictor of an abuser killing their victim.
  • Patterns leading up to Selena’s death.
  • The aftermath and advocacy.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

  • “If you're looking for signs of abuse in a marriage, very often the abuser is so talented at hiding their instability and abusive side that you have to look more at the spouse to see changes in them.” - Tressa Brady
  • “Statistically, physical violence is not the top predictor of whether or not an abuser will kill their victim, but rather, being coercively controlling is the top predictor.” - Tressa Brady
  • "When you’re dealing with the repercussions of any disagreements with an abuser, you bend and compromise yourself to keep them from getting angry.” Tressa Brady

Resources
Podcast: “True Crime Date Night”

  • Hosted by: Married couple KC Witzens (audio engineer) and wife Nicole Friday (True Crime Expert).
  • Guest Expert: Erin Roth (Selena’s older sister)

Facebook Memorial Page:

Media Article:

For Social Media Platforms/contact:

Next Episode

undefined - Episode 11: The Systemic Failures of Criminal Courts that are Costing Women Their Lives: The Story of Jackelyn Wilson’s Preventable Murder

Episode 11: The Systemic Failures of Criminal Courts that are Costing Women Their Lives: The Story of Jackelyn Wilson’s Preventable Murder

Do you have a story you’d like to share on TWTDNH or are you a subject matter expert who would like to shed light on any of the topics I cover? Shoot me a message!

Judge DaSean Jones had a chance to stop a violent man from causing more harm. Instead, his leniency led to tragedy—a mother of four, Jackelyn Wilson, was killed in front of her children by a man with a history of violence.

Despite clear warnings and previous convictions, Jackelyn's pleas for protection were ignored. Her story is just one of many tragic tales that show how broken the system is that is meant to shield victims of domestic abuse but often fails them instead.

In this episode, we talk about the consequences of judicial negligence and the disastrous ripple effect it has on families. Why are violent offenders allowed to walk free, and what needs to change in the way our courts handle domestic violence?

Could Jackelyn and her children have been saved if the system took her threats seriously? Should judges bear responsibility for the preventable deaths of victims like Jackelyn?

What You’ll Learn:

  • Who Jackelyn Wilson was and her tragic story.
  • The series of judicial failures that led to Jackelyn’s murder.
  • The violent history of Jackelyn’s abuser, Howard Ruffin.
  • The systemic failures in handling domestic violence cases.
  • Judge DaSean Jones’ controversial leniency on violent offenders.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

  • “We don't punish these men until they kill. They assault and assault and assault, and the judges look the other way, and when they kill, they go, ‘How'd this happen?’” - Tressa Brady
  • “The legal system is not set up to favor women. Not by a long shot.” - Tressa Brady
  • “It shouldn't be surprising that one of the most common reasons women stay with their abusers is because they know the court won't punish the abusers; they'll get away with it, and then they will retaliate for the woman trying to expose them.” - Tressa Brady

Resources

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Breakup Recovery Podcast

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In The Dark

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Cold

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Heavyweight

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Murdertown

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