Lovefraud has just posted a new case study on Lovefraud.com. It’s probably the most frightening article in True Lovefraud Stories:
Mark Ledden stabs his wife 11 times, then accuses her of attacking him
This is the story of a man who would probably score at the top of the PCL-R, the tool that measures psychopathic traits. He was charming, scamming and over sexed. He coldly threatened violence. Then, when he was crossed, he brutally acted on his threats.
It is also the story of a woman caught in a no-win situation. He seemed like a good guy, a responsible guy, when they became involved. Three months later they were engaged, and three months after that she was pregnant.
After the second child, Mark Ledden started threatening to kill his wife if she ever left him. By this time, Denise knew him well enough to take the threats seriously. She knew he was capable of committing that act of violence.
She also knew that if she left him, he would track her down and make good on his threats. So she stayed—until he did commit violence so atrocious that he was sent to prison. Luckily, she survived.
What do you do?
This case brings up the most difficult scenario when involved with a psychopath: What do you do when he (or she) threatens brutal violence, and you know the person means it?
What good is a restraining order? In reality, they are nothing but pieces of paper, and violence-prone psychopaths don’t care about paper.
Do you go off the grid and completely disappear? If so, how do you start over? You’ll have no identity, no background, no support network.
If Denise had called me for advice while she was still with this man, I don’t know what I would have told her. So I ask Lovefraud readers for your views. How would you advise someone who is living with a psychopathic volcano that could explode at any time?
backonmyfeet
I read stories like this and thank God I got out when I did. I was with my second husband for about a year and a half; six months of that we were separated. It was a whirlwind romance and we were married in six months. His “mask” slipped right off when we were on our honeymoon. Months of him drinking to the point of throwing up and sleeping in his vomit, blacking out, and his rages were so bad I developed a twitch above my left eye. A LOT of name calling, controlling behavior, isolated from my family and friends and some physical violence. I blamed it on the drinking at first… thought if he would stop drinking, he would be his charming self again. He quit, but since he had no oulet for his rages anymore he became more violent and I became the sole target. I thought maybe he was bipolar. Maybe… maybe not. Knowing what I know now and recognizing the traits he was definitely a sociopath. The day I moved out for good, he left bullets scattered all over the bathroom counter and his gun was gone. I heard he died about 4 years later from a “heart attack” in Puerto Vallarta. All very mysterious. IRS problems? I would not be surprised if he is still alive. He had a very successful business. When I worked for him that year, we grossed $300,000 and we worked out of our home. I received a $1,000 month. I didn’t dare ask where the rest was going. I was planning my escape anyway.
I WIN
This is my true lovefraud story, and I thank you all for your comments about it. Donna is a true artist at writing and telling my story exactly the way it happened. Thankfully for at least the next 6 years, this psychopath will be where he and all of them belong: in prison 🙂 God bless anyone who has come in contact with a psychopath and may you live to tell your story as I was lucky enough to.
Denise~Philadelphia, PA
bluejay
I WIN,
I am amazed by you. You and your children deserve to live a peaceful, P-free life. God Bless You.
Aerin
backonmyfeet,,
You’re lucky & smart you got out when you did. My ex is a drug addict, although currently he is clean and working on his recovery. He is also bipolar and taking meds for it. I, like you, kept on blaming his behavior on his drug addiction. I couldn’t understand how the sweet, caring person I was so happy with became this completely different person. He was never physically or verbally abusive with me. I would never tolerate that behavior. I was psychologically abused…lying, manipulative behavior, gas lighting. I new something was terribly wrong and knew I had to get out. There I am, a brand new mother, hating my newborn daughter’s father. Really not what I envisioned for myself, but it is what it is, and I am slowly getting on with my life.
Denise, my heart goes out to you. I’m glad you survived your ordeal. Maybe, since you are a teacher, and live in the Philly area you can team up with Donna and maybe do some school presentations in PA & NJ. Not only would you be doing good spreading the word about sociopathy, but you would also be helping yourself and show your sons what a survivor you really are!!! Just a thought!!! God Bless
skylar
Iwin
Thank God you’re alive.
Please spend the next six years becoming armed and dangerous.
(((Hugs)))
Ox Drover
Dear Denise, congratulations on your survival and on your children being safe! God bless you. Stay safe and keep your children safe. Take the time you have while he is in prison and use it to heal. God bless.
aussiegirl
I WIN –
If you need somewhere to run, I have a large backyard in Australia that you can park a caravan/RV in anytime. Please stay safe and get strong. xxx
Ox Drover
Hey, Aussie girl, can I come too? I can’t figure out how to swim the asses and the RV across the ocean, but otherwise no problem! LOL Maybe I could be like that old man in Japan who perched on his roof and they found him 10 miles out to sea!
Actually, though, as many problems as you guys are having in that end of the world from fires to floods and earthquakes in NZ I might as well stay home and wait for a tornado or another earthquake here!
aussiegirl
Oxy –
Anytime sweetheart! Fat Ass and Hairy Ass are also more than welcome (although if they bray, I would need to stash them on a friend’s farm nearby, as in town here – even on the edge of town – I am not even really supposed to have Wallace and Grommet (my two pet sheep). I am only allowed to keep them here as lomg as none of my neighbours complain. Luckily the boys are very quiet and nobody minds…) Maybe you could stash them on Hens’ little acreage? Then he would have plenty of manure for his gardens?
As for disaster, apart from the occasional big bushfire over Summer (like the one 2 months back that came within 20km of here), we are in a pretty safe spot. Not on any faultlines, so no earthquakes. Not on a floodplain or in a valley, so fairly safe on the flood front. Great emergency fire service, so even that is not usually a cause for panic. Not a cyclone/hurricane prone area.
Sell the RV and buy a new one when you get here! xxx
Ox Drover
Well, Aussie Girl, actually I would if I could, unfortunately nothing is moving or selling here now in this economy…I’m afraid I’d have to give it away. Actually, I have thought about moving out of the country and have actually even looked at some of the various countries that encourage retirees to move there and offer either dual citizenship or residence …problem is also medical insurance out of the country….Medical insurance in another one in which you are not a citizen is a problem.
I would have considered Mexico but the way the narcos are taking over down there, (and I love Mexico) I’m not even comfortable going there for a visit any more…Canada is way too cold….and some others are way too hot/humid most of the year…soo for the time being any way, I’ll just hunker down here where I am. If I was richer I’d come for a visit though!
BTW of course they bray!!! Usually about day light! It echoes across the hills and is the most musical sound! What breed are your sheepsies? Hair or wool? I really like sheep and goats! My friend has hair sheep and he has so many lambs now….they had 9 bummer lambs in the house! His wife was complaining because she said it was like a sheep barn! It warmed up enough that they could put them back outside though, but she is still bottle feeding them.