Woman marries attorney who put her attacker in jail: ‘He’s my hero’

By Athena Stavrou via SWNS

A woman sexually assaulted by a burglar who broke into her home in the middle of the night married the "hero" lawyer who put her attacker in jail.

Kimberly Corban, 37, was assaulted by a man in her student home in Greeley, Colo.

Her attacker broke into her home while she was asleep and stayed for two hours.

He was arrested and charged with trespassing and sexual assault after police found him with bags of women's underwear and a video camera.

Ronnie Pieros, then 24, was sentenced to 24 years to life in prison for second-degree burglary and sexual assault charges, with help from prosecuting district attorney Michael Rourke.

After the trial, Kimberly went on to pursue a postgraduate in criminal justice and begin her career as a victim advocate.

Years later, Kimberly started a job at Michael's office, and they were friends for five years while they both got divorced.

When Kimberly was preparing to move jobs, she realized the love of her life had been "in front of her the whole time."

The pair got married in Pebble Beach, California, and now co-parent four children from previous relationships together.

Kimberly, who now works as a public speaker and survivor advocate, said: "Mike is my true north.

"I have this internal compass that has always pointed me in the right direction, and it may get off course, but he always sets me back to where I'm meant to be and where I'm meant to go.

"When I was getting ready to leave in 2016, I was like 'wait a second' - you've been here the whole time. This is my person.

"There has always been a magnetism for different reasons in different seasons in our lives, but I realized this is the man that I respect most and compare all men to.

"We met through this horrible time, but he doesn't see me as a victim - he sees me for who I am. Michael didn't just believe me, he believed in me."

"We created an incredible foundation for our relationship and not a single day goes by when I'm not grateful for who we are and what we created."

At the time of the attack, she had just moved into a house with her fellow students at the University of North Colorado - where she was studying a business major- for their junior year.

As she grew up nearby, in Greeley, Colo., Kimberly felt "very safe" in the area and was excited to live with her five best friends and sorority sisters.

On the night of her attack, she had gone to sleep at 1.30 a.m. but woke up to find she couldn't breathe and was being pushed into her pillow.

Her attacker told her "shut up and don't say anything," and she and her roommates "needed to stop being little bitches to people."

Pieros had brought a video camera and sexually assaulted Kimberly.

He stayed until the early morning and got a glass of water before walking out of Kimberly's front door.

Kimberly said: "I couldn't scream or fight or kick or get out like I always thought I would if I was in this situation.

"As he sexually assaulted me, I had to lay there at 20 years old, truly believing that was how I was going to die.

"I was thinking of the last things I said to my parents, my brother, my friends - wondering if anyone would find my body."

Kimberly immediately called the police after he left the scene on May 12, 2006, and after three weeks of investigating Piero was arrested.

During the investigation and trial, Kimberly sunk into a deep depression and began having panic attacks and seizures.

Kimberly says she "doesn't really remember" meeting Michael for the first time.

She said Michael's support helped her and he went to every effort to help her family and friends understand the legal jargon during the trial at Weld County district court, in Colorado.

She said: "Michael and his team would take all of us into the jury assembly room after every single meeting and they'd answer questions, so everyone understood.

"When we were set to trial, we were unsure whether I should go on the stand in case I had a seizure, which I had started having due to traumatic stress, on the stand, and risk a mistrial.

"But I insisted. I had to sit in front of so many people, including the man who did this to me, and answer questions that no one should have to.

"When the defense attorney cross-examined me, it was awful. But after Michael told me I was doing great, and he would fix all of it."

"There was a bond and mutual respect, but it was never anything romantic - we built a foundation of passion surrounding the same mission.

"When we got the guilty verdict, my eyes shot open, and I looked to Michael straight away and I was met with him looking back with the biggest smile on his face.

"I couldn't wait for the jury to be excused so he could come right through, and I could hug him - the amount of relief and gratitude I felt in that moment I can't accurately explain.

"We were a team, and he was fighting not only on behalf of the people of Colorado but on behalf of me - he's my hero."

They got married in Pebble Beach, Calif., in 2018.