In 2006, Susan Kuhnhausen opened her front door, only to be confronted by a hammer-wielding stranger. “I could see in his eyes he was here to kill me,” said Susan. She was right, the stranger turned out to be a hitman named Edward Haffey, who immediately began to hit Susan around the head and face. Rather than succumbing to the attack, Susan fought back, pushing Haffey to the floor. She got on his back, leaned forward, put her left arm under his neck and squeezed. Then she said, “Tell me who sent you here and I’ll call you an ambulance.” When Haffey tried to flip the 51-year-old ER nurse, instinct kicked in and she leaned harder until he stopped moving. Not sure whether he was unconscious or dead, Susan grabbed the hammer and ran to her neighbor’s house to call 911. Police found Haffey deceased in the house, and during their investigation discovered his day planner with the note “Call Mike” with Susan’s husband Michael’s phone number. A week later, police found Michael Kuhnhausen hiding in in Sunnyside, Oregon. The following day, Susan filed for divorce. Michael pled guilty to murder-for-hire and was sentenced to just seven years in prison. He died of cancer in prison, three months before his scheduled release. Susan has since remarried and is now involved in victim advocacy work.
The Woman Who Fought Off a Hitman
In 2006, Susan Kuhnhausen opened her front door, only to be confronted by a hammer-wielding stranger. “I could see in his eyes he was here to kill me,” said Susan. She was right, the stranger turned out to be a hitman named Edward Haffey, who immediately began to hit Susan around the head and face. Rather than succumbing to the attack, Susan fought back, pushing Haffey to the floor. She got on his back, leaned forward, put her left arm under his neck and squeezed. Then she said, “Tell me who sent you here and I’ll call you an ambulance.” When Haffey tried to flip the 51-year-old ER nurse, instinct kicked in and she leaned harder until he stopped moving. Not sure whether he was unconscious or dead, Susan grabbed the hammer and ran to her neighbor’s house to call 911. Police found Haffey deceased in the house, and during their investigation discovered his day planner with the note “Call Mike” with Susan’s husband Michael’s phone number. A week later, police found Michael Kuhnhausen hiding in in Sunnyside, Oregon. The following day, Susan filed for divorce. Michael pled guilty to murder-for-hire and was sentenced to just seven years in prison. He died of cancer in prison, three months before his scheduled release. Susan has since remarried and is now involved in victim advocacy work.