A woman who was kidnapped, raped and tied up with scarves by her ex-husband says “he’ll never hurt anyone again.”
Trevor Summers, 47, snuck into his estranged wife Alisa Mathewson’s home in Valrico, Florida — while she was asleep — unable accept the finalization of their divorce.
Pinning the mom-of-five down, Trevor raped her while shoving a pillow in her face until she lost consciousness.
He then tied her wrists and ankles using scarves before putting a sock in her mouth and wrapping her entire body in nylon rope.
Holding her in the house, the next day, Alisa, 45, was forced into her car while hogtied — as Trevor drove through several counties in Florida.
Stopping at a supermarket parking lot, Alisa tried to escape but Trevor dragged her back into the vehicle and slit her wrist.
Thankfully, an employee witnessed the ordeal and called 911 on March 12, 2017.
After fleeing to a nearby field to hide from police and dragging Alisa with him, Trevor tried to strangle her with a rope.
When he noticed an unmarked police car, Trevor penned a suicide note telling their children they ‘would be watching from heaven’ and slit his throat with a razor — despite bleeding heavily, the cut was superficial.
Police cars surrounded the dark blue SUV the couple were in and Alisa was rescued, while Summers was arrested.
Pleading not guilty to 11 charges — kidnapping, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of sexual battery, four counts of child neglect, grand theft auto and violating a restraining order.
Summers represented himself in Circuit Court, Hillsborough County, Florida, after firing his legal team.
During his questioning, Trevor asked: “So you’re calling it rape?”
However, after just five hours, a jury found Trevor Summers guilty of all 11 charges — including two counts of attempted murder — and he was handed a life prison sentence in October 2022.
Alisa, an insurance agent from Tampa, said: “I’ll never forget waking up and seeing him towering over me.
“Being in court with him was horrendous and three of our children had to testify.
“It’s the last place you want your children in and it traumatized them hearing everything their father had done.
“He represented himself so he could grill me on the stand, I couldn’t breathe when he talked.
“I was relieved when he was found guilty but the length of his sentence was more than I expected.
“It’s taken time and different forms of therapy but I feel good — he’ll never be able to hurt anyone else.
“I’ve had the best support system around me.
“But above all, my children have kept me going — everything I do, I do for them.
“My unconditional love for them overcame their father’s evil intent.”
After nearly 16 years of marriage, Alisa and Trevor separated in 2016 and Alisa filed for divorce in March 2017.
Tricking their eldest daughter into leaving a window open, on March 11, Trevor snuck into the home, where she slept on the sofa and found Alisa asleep with their two other children.
Forcing their daughter — who was 14 and uninsured at the time — to drive her two siblings from Alisa’s house to his house where he’d left their remaining two kids alone, Trevor went on to carry out his sickening attack.
“I thought I was going to die when he was holding me hostage,” Alisa said.
“He then forced himself on me and raped me before tying me up using scarves which dehumanized me in a way I’ll never forget.”
Keeping Alisa tied up, Trevor forced her into her car and drove through rural Hillsborough and Manatee, Florida.
While parked up in a supermarket in Manatee County, Alisa tried to make her escape but Trevor dragged her back into the vehicle — catching the attention of a supermarket worker who phoned the police.
Taking an hour-long drive with Alisa, Trevor hid in a field from the police — where he slit his throat claiming “this is what love is.”
Trevor was arrested that same day, March 12, for 11 charges, including kidnapping, attempted murder and sexual battery, to which he pleaded not guilty.
During a week-long trial at Circuit Court, Hillsborough County, Florida, Trevor represented himself and claimed “sex doesn’t mean that much” to his ex-wife.
However, a jury found him guilty of all 11 counts — kidnapping, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of sexual battery, four counts of child neglect, grand theft auto and violating a restraining order – and he was sentenced to life in prison.
Alisa said: “For a long time, I’d get triggered if I saw a man that looked like him and nightmare flashbacks would mean I’d wake up screaming.
“But I’m doing great now.
“I have the best relationship with my kids and a successful insurance business.
“I get to help other survivors of domestic violence through advocacy and I’ve recently written a book.
“You think what you’re going through is going to be forever but there’s healing on the other side.
“What Trevor put me through doesn’t affect me anymore because I refuse to let it.
“It’s a battle I’ll have for the rest of my life but I will continue to win.”