Where is C.C. Opanowski now? Details explorer ahead of 48 Hours on CBS

C.C. Opanowski was only 18 when her ex-boyfriend, Shawn Doyle, violently attacked her while she was house-sitting in Hudson Falls, New York. As per a CBS News report dated May 9, 2025, she later testified that Doyle physically restrained her and cut off her hair with scissors, holding her at knifepoint before police intervened.

Doyle was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to menacing, but Opanowski left her hometown, transferred colleges, and remained silent about the trauma for nearly a decade. Her life took another turn in 2005 when she learned that Doyle had been charged with murdering Lori Leonard.

Now, nearly three decades later, Opanowski returns to the public eye in her first-ever interview on 48 Hours on CBS. The May 10, 2025 episode Facing a Monster revisits the case, with Opanowski sharing her experience and the strength it took to relive it.

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In January 1996, C.C. Opanowski, then a college student from Hudson Falls, was assaulted at her mother’s home by her ex-boyfriend, Shawn Doyle

C.C. Opanowski was only 18 years old when she was attacked in her childhood home during a college break. Her ex-boyfriend, Shawn Doyle, forced his way in, restrained her, and held scissors to her throat. During the ordeal, he cut off her hair and left her deeply traumatised.

As reported by CBS News, she later told 48 Hours on CBS,

"He pushed me onto the couch, started holding me down, restraining me, yelling at me."

The case initially resulted in Doyle pleading guilty to second-degree menacing and receiving three years' probation. However, the attack had lasting psychological effects on Opanowski, prompting her to leave her hometown and transfer to a new college, cutting off contact entirely with Doyle.

Years later, in 2005, C.C. Opanowski discovered that Doyle had been arrested for the murder of 33-year-old Lori Leonard, a single mother from Chittenango. Leonard had briefly dated Doyle after meeting him online. When she disappeared in May 2005, her family raised concerns, prompting a police investigation.

Her car was found abandoned, and her dogs had been left alone. After months with little progress, a fisherman discovered a metal toolbox in the Lake Champlain Canal. Inside was Leonard’s body, bound with duct tape and handcuffs, her mouth gagged with a bandana.

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How Opanowski's Testimony Helped Secure Justice for Lori Leonard

The breakthrough in the case came when investigators linked the toolbox to a key found in Doyle's truck. A search of his residence turned up duct tape, handcuffs, and bandanas resembling those used in the crime. One day after the body was found, Doyle was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

During his 2006 trial, prosecutors brought in C.C. Opanowski as a witness. Her account helped establish a pattern of violence and control. As reported by CBS News on May 9, 2025, Washington County District Attorney Kevin Kortright stated,

"it shows what he (Doyle) is capable of … it's his modus operandi. It's strong proof."

The trial also featured testimony from another woman who had allegedly been attacked by Doyle five years after the assault on Opanowski. Both were permitted to testify under a judicial ruling that allowed evidence of prior bad acts. Kortright later revealed to CBS News that he chose to call Opanowski as his final witness, emphasising the emotional and evidentiary weight of her story.

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Where Is C.C. Opanowski Now?

While C.C. Opanowski has not publicly disclosed her current residence, she is known to have relocated after the 1996 assault. According to cbs6albany.com, she moved far away from Hudson Falls and has maintained a low profile for personal and safety reasons.

Until 2025, she had not spoken about her experience in any media outlet. Her appearance on 48 Hours on CBS in Facing a Monster marked her first public interview. She reflected on the trauma and her decision to testify years later, stating,

"I need to make sure that he is put away for murdering Lori."

Despite the ordeal, C.C. Opanowski's courage played a critical role in achieving justice. Her testimony helped secure Doyle's conviction. He is now serving 25 years to life in a New York state prison. In a follow-up ruling cited by the Times Union report dated March 26, 2014, the court denied Doyle's appeal, citing prison evidence of gang-related behaviour, including his possession of a "1%-er" wristband.

The episode Facing a Monster airing on May 10, 2025, at 10 pm ET, continues to shine a light on how survivor testimony can make a difference in long-standing criminal cases.

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Stay tuned for more updates.