Susan Kuhnhausen Killed the Hitman Sent to Kill Her
On September 6, 2006, it was a cool autumn afternoon in Portland, Oregon. Susan Kuhnhausen, 51, was driving home from work as a nurse at Providence Hospital’s emergency room. She stopped at the hair salon, telling the stylist that she wanted a fresh hair color because she was going through a difficult divorce.
She got home at about 6:37 p.m. and kicked off her shoes, preparing to unwind for the rest of the evening. Susan was certain she had opened the curtains before leaving for work that morning, yet the home appeared strangely dark. She didn’t give it a second thought. She did, however, notice a man out of the corner of her eye a few moments later. In her bedroom, he was approaching from the darkness. He rushed towards Susan, wielding a red and black claw hammer and swinging it madly in her direction.
Susan was smashed across the head and face by the invader, but she miraculously managed to get the upper hand on him after biting him. “I wanted it to be known if I died that I struggled to live,” she stated. They crumpled to the floor, squabbling over the claw hammer. The mysterious man said, “You’re strong.” But he had no idea how strong Susan was… Susan managed to get on top of him and pin him to the ground moments later. “Tell me who sent you, and I’ll call a f***ing ambulance!” she cried as she choked the intruder. “Susan received no response. Susan resisted the intruder’s attempts to shrug her off by tightening her grip until he stopped moving. She had killed him to death.
“We have an intruder in the house next door…The intruder was in the bedroom with a hammer,” Susan told a neighbor, who contacted 911. She believes she killed him, according to the woman who lives there. “When she left, he was down,” she told the 911 operator. Susan wondered aloud as she lay in the same emergency department where she had worked as a nurse for the previous 30 years if her ex-husband, Michael Kuhnhausen, was somehow involved in this assassination attempt. Susan and Michael were going through a divorce, and the affidavit stated that “her spouse was upset but that she was pressing on the divorce.”
Michael composed a suicide note and bought a gun as word of the incident spread via the media. He waited nearly a week before contacting his older children and asking if they might assist him in checking into a psychiatric facility. When authorities finally tracked him down, he claimed that he hadn’t contacted his ex-wife after the incident because he had learned she had survived. His actions were undoubtedly unusual, and they raised a few eyebrows.
Edward Dalton Haffey, the man who attacked Susan, was initially thought to be a burglar who had mistakenly targeted the wrong property, according to authorities. Susan scoffed at this argument, noting that the man had made no attempt to steal anything or even inquire about her money. He walked around in the shadows, waiting for her to return. He’d set his sights on her. She stated, “He is here to kill me.” “I’m not sure why.” I’m not sure who he is. But his aim was clear.” Susan’s suspicions were confirmed after a thorough investigation: Haffey had been hired as a hitman by Michael.
Haffey had previously worked as a custodian at an adult video store under Michael, according to an affidavit submitted by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Haffey was addicted to crack and desperate for money, to the point where he would murder. Police discovered a letter in Haffey’s backpack that said, “Call Mike.” Get the Letter.” Michael was arrested and charged with murder conspiracy.
Susan and Michael divorced in 2006 when Susan got the courage to evict Michael from their home due to his anger and anxiety disorders. She’d been afraid for far too long. Michael seemed desperate for reconciliation at first, but Susan refused. That anguish evolved into vengeance, and Michael began looking for a hitman to kill her. Before turning to Haffey, he had three people reject his proposition. Susan was lauded as a hero in the aftermath of the incident. “How can you be a hero when you take someone’s life?” she wondered, scoffing at the moniker. Susan identified herself as a “middle-aged woman in horrible form with bad knees,” according to her. However, in that terrifying moment, Susan “made a decision to live.”
Susan testified at Michael’s trial, saying, “You were willing for me to share your little, unhappy life until death did us part –the sooner the better, as it turned out.” She ended by saying, “I am damaged by what you have done to me.” I’ve been damaged. But I am not destroyed.” Michael Kuhnhausen pled guilty to murder conspiracy and received a ten-year sentence. Susan sued her ex-husband for $1 million after his imprisonment, claiming she wanted to ensure he didn’t have enough money to pay another hitman to “complete the job.”
Susan didn’t have to worry for long, either, because Michael died of natural causes in prison in 2014. Susan expressed her relief at the news, but said, “I don’t mourn his passing.” Instead, I mourn the life he could have lived if only he had given his heart to those of us who loved him.”
Andre Stander: The Police Officer Who Became a Bank Robber
Like scenes from a blockbuster movie, Andre Stander robbed Banks during his lunch breaks and returned to the scene as the lead investigating officer
Man who robbed bank to get away from wife sentenced to home confinement
In 2017, a 70-year-old man robbed a Kansas City bank, then sat down in the lobby waiting for the Police to arrive stating he’d rather live in jail than with his wife. He was arrested but rather than thrown in a cell he was sentenced to 6 months of home confinement.
'Super obedient' lookout parrot trained by Brazilian drug dealers is seized by police
In 2019, police in Brazil seized a 'super obedient' lookout parrot trained by drug dealers. According to reports, the bird had been taught to alert criminals to police operations by shouting: "Mum, the police!" As soon as the police got close, he started shouting.
Reason Behind The Suicide Of Christine Chubbuck Live On Air
Actor Rebecca Hall had serious reservations about tackling the macabre story around why Chubbuck killed herself in 1974. So what changed her mind?
The Birth of Stockholm Syndrome: The 1973 Bank Robbery That Changed Psychology
In 1973, a botched bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden, led to a six-day hostage crisis, where captives began defending their captors—giving rise to Stockholm Syndrome. Strangely, one hostage later befriended a robber, and another raised money for their legal defense, baffling psychologists and law enforcement alike!
The truth behind the murder of Cara Knott
After the murder of Cara Knott in 1986, a local news station filmed a ride-along segment with a highway patrol officer named Craig Allen Peyer who talked about women’s safety and gave tips on what to do when stranded on the road. That same officer later turned out to be the “Knotts killer.” He was convicted of the crime in 1988.
The Unsolved mystery of Bobby Dunbar's Disappearance
In 1912, a four-year-old boy named Bobby Dunbar went missing on a family trip, 8 months later he was found and reunited with his family. Nearly a century later, DNA testing of his descendants revealed that the child reunited with the Dunbar family was not Bobby, but rather a boy named Charles (Bruce) Anderson who resembled Bobby.
The Heartbreaking Story Of Robert Turner, The Boy Whose Mother Died Because 911 Failed Him
Five-year-old Robert Turner of Detroit witnessed his mother Sherrill die from a heart condition in February 2006, all because two 911 operators mistook his desperate calls for help for a prank.
The Horrific story of Ariel Castro and the Cleveland abduction
Cleveland abduction victims Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight, and Amanda Berry were forced to live in Ariel Castro's house of horrors for 10 years. He raped and beat them until they escaped in 2013.
Scientists separated triplets at birth for a controversial experiment and had no idea what they were doing
As part of an experiment, a set of triplets was intentionally separated at birth and given to three sets of parents from different socioeconomic backgrounds. It was discovered in 1980, when two of the triplets attended the same college.
The Bizarre Courtroom Act of Serial Killer Rodney Alcala: When a Killer Played Lawyer
Serial killer Rodney Alcala acted as his own attorney in his trial. For five hours he interrogated himself on the witness stand, asking questions addressed to "Mr. Alcala" in a deep voice and answering them in his normal voice.
D.B. Cooper: Man who hijacked a plane and jumped out with a $200,000
On November 22, 1971, DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, drank a whisky, smoked a fag, and then jumped out of the plane with $200,000. He was never again seen.
Quaker Oats Fed Children with Radioactive Oatmeal
In the 1940s and 1950s, Quaker Oats and MIT conducted experiments on radioactive iron and calcium-containing cereal. The diet was part of a study to see if the nutrients in Quaker oatmeal traveled throughout the body. In January 1998, a $1.85 million settlement was reached for 30 victims who came forward.
Man dressed up as his dead mother to keep home, benefits
A 51-year-old man in Brooklyn named Thomas Parkin dressed up as his dead mother Irene for six long years since 2013 and collected her social security checks. He did other real estate frauds too that totaled up to $115,000.
The 1978 Lufthansa Heist: Unraveling the Mystery of America's Most Infamous Airport Robbery
During the 1978 Lufthansa heist, robbers infiltrated JFK Airport, restraining employees and holding a night guard hostage. They escaped with $5.9 million—worth over $27 million today. The crime, linked to the Lucchese crime family, remained unsolved for decades, with most suspects vanishing
Recipient of suicide victim's heart kills himself 12 years later
In 1995, Sonny Graham received a transplanted heart from a suicide victim. He then committed suicide in the very same manner as the donor.
A woman accidentally tipped $7,723 for coffee and some cake and never get the money back
In 2018, a woman accidentally paid $7732 for a cup of coffee and a cake at a Swiss café after accidentally entering her PIN code as a tip. She never received a refund.
During the 1996 Olympic bombing, Richard Jewell falsely accused of committing the crime after saving dozens of people
Richard Jewell, an American security guard, discovered a bomb during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and assisted in the evacuation, but was later wrongfully accused and faced public scrutiny. He was cleared, but it had a lasting impact on him until his death in 2007 at the age of 44.
The Great Greek Swimming Pool Scandal: When Satellites Exposed a Tax Evasion Wave
Only 324 residents of a wealthy neighborhood in Athens admitted to owning swimming pools on their tax returns. To verify the truth, Greek tax authorities studied satellite photos of the area and found a total of 16,974 pools. The majority of people had simply lied about their assets to save on taxes.
The story of Nike's famous tagline "Just do it"
Nike’s inspiration for their slogan “Just do it.” came from a man who was about to get executed, and his final words to the firing squad was “let’s do it!”
A woman finds her ex-boyfriend living in her attic 12 years after they broke up
Most people have heard of "things that go bump in the night," but for one South Carolina lady, that "thing" was her ex-boyfriend, whom she discovered living in her attic more than 12 years after they broke up.
Albert Spaggiari: The Man Who Stole 45m Francs And Was Never Caught
In 1976, French gangster Albert Spaggiari was arrested after his gang stole 100 million francs worth of valuables from a bank. At his trial, he distracted the judge then jumped out of a window and fled on a motorcycle set up for him. He was never caught and died a free man.
A man faked his death in 2016 after his Mexican wife plotted to kill him by paying a hitman $2,000
In 2016, a guy faked his death after his Mexican wife plotted to murder him by hiring a hitman $2,000. He cooperated with the FBI to create fake murder images, which landed his wife in jail for 20 years.
Story of Dennis Lynn Rader, the BTK Killer
Dennis Lynn Rader is an American serial killer known as BTK who worked for a home security company and installed systems in the homes of numerous citizens who were concerned about the murders he himself had committed.
Japanese man accidentally switched at birth grew up in poverty while other baby lived life on privilege
In 2013, a 60-year-old Japanese man found out that he had been accidentally switched at birth. His biological parents were wealthy, but he was given to a struggling, single mother. While the infant who took his place grew up with all the luxuries and became the president of a real estate company, he grew up poor and became a truck driver. He later sued the San Ikukai Hospital in Tokyo that made this awful mistake in 1953.
