She Killed the Man Who Almost Killed Her: The Jema Heffernan Story, Part 2

Sep 9, 2026 · 36 min · 18 segments

Part One left off with Jema Heffernan taking in a man named Javon Donahue — and Javon nearly strangling her to death. In Part Two, that single act of violence hardens into a decade-long "hostage…

Part One left off with Jema Heffernan taking in a man named Javon Donahue — and Javon nearly strangling her to death. In Part Two, that single act of violence hardens into a decade-long "hostage relationship": Javon controls her money, her car, her ability to leave, and every time she manages to get away, he finds her. In 2017, after a four-hour standoff that ends with Javon forcing the gun into her own hand, Jema shoots him, and survives being shot herself. What follows is a botched cover-up, a shallow grave, and a trial where prosecutors argue that a decade of documented abuse doesn't excuse the killing. Jema is convicted and sentenced to 10 years. Justine van der Leun tells us what happened next, including the day, seven years later, she was there to pick Jema up. Subscribe to our newsletter: ⁠https://jedlipinski.substack.com/⁠ Connect with Jed Lipinski: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/gonesouthpodcast/ ⁠ https://www.facebook.com/groups/gonesouthpodcast/ ⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jed-lipinski/⁠

Part One left off with Jema Heffernan taking in a man named Javon Donahue — and Javon nearly strangling her to death. In Part Two, that single act of violence hardens into a decade-long "hostage…

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She Killed the Man Who Almost Killed Her: The Jema Heffernan Story, Part 2

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She Killed the Man Who Almost Killed Her: The Jema Heffernan Story, Part 2