Episode 25: From Homecoming to Homicide: The Betrayal of Amy Contreras

TWTDNH is a truth-telling podcast on domestic violence, trauma, and systemic injustice. If you’ve survived abuse, loss, or institutional neglect—or work in these spaces—we’re seeking collaborators and experts to help amplify unheard voices. 📧 healingwounds13@gmail.com

Last episode, we mourned the consequences of untreated PTSD. This time, we confront something far more calculated: a story of entitlement, control, and the deadly cost of leaving.

Sergeant Amy Colbert had done the unimaginable—survived war zones, brought daughters into the world, and chosen freedom after years of abuse. Days after returning from deployment, she packed up her life.

What followed was a chilling truth: for some, being left isn't just rejection—it’s justification for violence. 

This episode unpacks the story of a devoted mother, soldier, and woman who was finally ready to walk away. It explores what happens when power, ego, and entitlement collide.

Sources: 

📰 News Coverage & Initial Reports

• NBC News
• Great Basin Sun
• Austin American-Statesman

🪦 Memorial & Obituary 

• Find a Grave Memorial
• https://greatbasinsun.com/news/2019/apr/12/obituary-amy-contreras/

If you’re experiencing DV—please explore the resources below using a device that your abuser cannot monitor. 

U.S. Resources

• National Domestic Violence Hotline
  24/7 confidential support via phone (800-799-7233), text (“START” to 88788), and online chat. Offers safety planning, & more.
• DomesticShelters.org
  Searchable database of over 3,000 shelters and programs across the U.S. & Canada. 
• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)
  Offers training, technical assistance, and policy advocacy. 
• Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)
  U.S. Department of Justice site with links to state coalitions, tribal programs, & national hotlines.
• State-by-State Resource Directory
  From the Office on Women’s Health—clickable map of DV coalitions & services in every U.S. state/territory.

Global Resources

• NO MORE Global Directory
  A comprehensive international directory of DV services in nearly every UN-recognized country.
• Hot Peach Pages
  Offers DV information & hotline listings in over 110 languages. 
• Global Network of Women’s Shelters
  Connects shelters worldwide for advocates/survivors globally.
• Pathways to Safety International
  Tailored support for Americans experiencing abuse while abroad

If you’re a service member struggling with mental health:
 • Call 988, then press 1