A Denver courtroom witnessed the emotional sentencing of Stephen Matthews, a former cardiologist convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting women he met through dating apps.
Matthews, now sentenced to 158 years, terrorized multiple women over a span of four years.
Convicted on 35 counts involving 11 survivors, prosecutors suspect that Matthews may have targeted many more, marking him as one of Colorado’s most prolific serial rapists.
Survivors Stand Together, Embracing Justice
While Matthews broke down in tears as the verdict was read, his victims found strength in his sentencing.
Many expressed relief, describing him as a “narcissistic monster” finally brought to justice.
In a powerful statement, one survivor declared, “We are now a powerful army of survivors, and you are nothing.”
Though Matthews’s mother pleaded for leniency with words of unconditional love, the survivors saw the sentence as a necessary step toward healing.
A Predatory Strategy Unfolds
Presenting himself as a charismatic and outdoorsy professional, Matthews used dating apps like Hinge and Tinder to meet his victims.
One survivor, Allie, shared that her date with him seemed normal until he made her a drink without asking; soon after, she felt dizzy and incapacitated.
She barely managed to escape, but many others experienced the same disturbing pattern.
Another survivor, Audrey, woke up disoriented and injured, with no memory of what had happened.
The details from each woman revealed Matthews’s methodical pattern: a public meeting, a casual invitation to his home, and drinks that left his victims helpless.
Survivors Speak Out Against the Lasting Impact
For many survivors, the trauma goes beyond the physical incidents, leaving emotional scars they carry daily.
As one survivor expressed, “Your body becomes the crime scene, and you carry that forever.”
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann praised their courage, thanking them for their bravery in testifying and helping bring Matthews to justice.
Matthews’s sentencing, she said, should offer a measure of peace to the women who stood united against their assailant.