Dateline: 5 harrowing details about Rachel Owens' attempted murder, revisited 

When Dateline NBC revisited the 2014 shooting of Rachel Owens in its episode titled The Intruder, it uncovered a story that still shocks viewers years later. What looked like a terrifying home invasion turned out to be something far more personal — and disturbing.

Rachel had gone to Saco, Maine, for a quiet stay with friends. In the early morning hours, she was shot multiple times while sleeping. Her injuries were critical. The trail of evidence spread across state lines and pointed back to someone she knew well — her husband, Gregory Owens.

The Dateline episode laid out the facts in painstaking detail. Read on to know the key aspects of the case that left an impact.

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Dateline: The Intruder - 5 key aspects worth noting

1. Rachel was targeted in her sleep

Rachel Owens was staying with friends for a few days when the shooting happened. She was asleep in a guest bedroom in the basement when someone broke in through a window and shot her three times. She was hit in the arm, shoulder, and face.

Despite the serious injuries, Rachel survived. Another person in the house, the homeowner, was shot, too — through a door. The attacker didn’t steal anything. Whoever did this came with one goal: to kill.

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2. Her husband, Gregory Owens, pulled the trigger

At first, Gregory Owens acted like a concerned husband. He told the police Rachel had been dealing with health issues and needed a break. However, it didn’t take long for investigators to start asking questions — especially when physical evidence started pointing in his direction.

Ballistics, GPS records, and phone data eventually proved that Gregory had driven from New Hampshire to Maine that night. He broke into the house himself, carrying a 9mm pistol, and shot his wife while she was sleeping.

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3. Gregory was leading a double life

Gregory was seeing another woman, Roxanne Jessee, for over a year. He had even told Roxanne that Rachel was mentally unwell and that their marriage was essentially over.

Instead of ending things through divorce, he had taken a darker route. Prosecutors argued that he saw Rachel as an obstacle and wanted her out of the picture so he could move on with his life — without consequences.

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4. Rachel lived to testify

Rachel’s recovery was nothing short of remarkable. Doctors weren’t sure she would survive — let alone speak. But she did and, according to the Dateline episode, her testimony played a huge role in the case.

She shared what she remembered from the night of the shooting and talked about her relationship with Gregory. Her presence in the courtroom was powerful. It reminded everyone what, and who, this case was really about.

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5. Gregory Owens was sentenced to life in prison

In 2016, a federal court convicted Gregory Owens of interstate domestic violence and the use of a firearm during a violent crime. He was sentenced to life behind bars, plus an additional 20 years.

He appealed, but the conviction held. Today, he remains in federal prison, while Rachel continues to live with the aftermath of what happened.

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The Dateline episode does not rely on drama. It lets the facts speak for themselves, and the facts were chilling. A decorated veteran. A secret affair. A wife nearly killed in her sleep. It’s a story that stays with you.