Nick Pasqual, an actor known for appearances on How I Met Your Mother, has been sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for attempting to murder his estranged girlfriend, makeup artist Allie Shehorn. The sentencing took place in a Los Angeles court on Tuesday, months after Pasqual was found guilty of the attack in May 2024.
During the hearing, Shehorn, 37, delivered a powerful victim impact statement, describing the terror of the assault. 'When I was lying on the floor in a pool of my own blood, I remembered wondering if this was how my life was going to end,' she said, according to ABC7. Shehorn, who bore visible scars on her arm and neck, added, 'You, who I had once trusted, decided my life was something that you could take away.'
Prosecutors detailed that Pasqual broke into Shehorn's home in Sunland, California, at around 4:30 a.m. on 23 May 2024, stabbing her more than 20 times before fleeing the state. He was arrested a week later at a US-Mexico border checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Authorities noted prior reports of abuse, including a restraining order filed by Shehorn days before the attack, accusing Pasqual of choking, rape, breaking down doors, and assaulting her with a belt.
Shehorn was discovered by a family member and rushed to hospital in critical condition. She underwent 14 hours of life-saving and reconstructive surgeries and spent nearly a week in intensive care, having suffered deep cuts to her neck, arms, and abdomen. The judge noted that her injuries were so severe she was clinically dead twice.
Pasqual addressed the court, saying, 'Allie did not deserve to almost have her life taken from her. No amount of words can form an adequate apology for what she had to endure.' However, the judge questioned his sincerity, referencing a recorded phone call from April in which Pasqual mocked Shehorn's suffering. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman praised Shehorn's courage, stating, 'This case underscores the painful reality that domestic violence thrives when its victims live in fear and stay silent.'
