Suvechha Sarkar
Jessika Rovell-O’Melia and JoAnn Buttaro Cooper are both successful women. They were at the prime stage of their careers in the 2000s when their lives got entangled with Jeffrey Marsalis. What initially appeared to be a fairy-tale romance unraveled into a nightmare, as both women discovered that he had drugged and sexually assaulted numerous women. A swift investigation followed after a complaint from one of the survivors, ultimately leading to three trials for justice to be served. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?: Dr. Date Rape’ sheds light on the harrowing experiences of the survivors and how Jeffrey was brought to justice. It also features emotional interviews with Jessika and JoAnn alongside officials related to the case.
Jessika Rovell Reclaimed Her Life on Her Terms and Found True Love
Jessika Rovell-O’Melia was a second-year student at Rutgers Law School when she was introduced to Jeffrey Marsalis for a blind date by her friend. During their second date, the then-24-year-old blacked out after just half a glass of wine. She discovered the following morning that they had been intimate, but she had no recollection of it. Since she could not recall what had transpired, she moved on. The duo soon got into a serious relationship and were engaged by April 2004. Jeffrey claimed to be a doctor and a CIA Agent during that time. However, she broke off their engagement and reportedly got a restraining order against him because of the abuse that she was enduring. Everything changed by 2005, when the Philadelphia Special Victims Unit reached out to Jessika, informing her about Jeffrey allegedly raping two women while he was engaged to her.
Jeffrey was arrested in April 2005, which was followed by three trials throughout the next few years, finally bringing justice in 2009. Despite the traumatic experience, Jessika did not let it deter her zeal to reach heights. Since December 2002, she had been serving in the US Navy Reserve as a Senior Intelligence Officer. Simultaneously, she served as an Associate Attorney at Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling (June 2003- May 2005) and Saul Ewing LLP (May 2005-August 2007). Jessika further chose a life of service and purpose. In June 2014, she joined the FBI as the Deputy Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. Gradually, she was promoted to Special Assistant to the Director of the Security Division and then Senior Advisor in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion before moving on in March 2022.
Following that, Jessika embraced a new role as the Principal Corporate Counsel for Workplace Investigations at Microsoft, a position she continues to hold with pride. While working there, she left her post in the Navy in January 2023. A certified Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Advocate, she has supported survivors for years. Jessika is also the Director and Founder of JMAR Unlimited, LLC. It is a platform that provides workshops, consulting, and writing services focused on diversity, inclusion, domestic violence, and sexual assault awareness. On the personal front, Jessika has found true love with her partner, Daniel O’Melia. The couple finally tied the knot on November 17, 2017. Their beautiful home is filled with warmth, laughter, and their beloved pups. Jessika has rebuilt and redefined her life with courage and love through every step.
JoAnn Buttaro Cooper Turned Her Survival Into a Mission of Empowerment
JoAnn Buttaro Cooper was leading a successful career in Marketing in March 2004 when she crossed paths with Jeffrey Marsalis through an online dating site. Since she resided in New Jersey, she came down to Philadelphia for their date. He claimed to be a doctor and an astronaut. Following the dinner, they went back to Jeffrey’s place a few blocks away, where she drank a non-alcoholic drink and blacked out. When she woke up, she realized that they had been intimate. JoAnn did not think much of the situation, assuming she had consented. However, after his arrest, officials had begun reaching out to women who had any link with Jeffrey. It ultimately led JoAnn to come forward as one of the seven women who accused him of rape during his second trial in May 2007.
Following the devastating incident, JoAnn decided to reclaim her life and become an advocate for women who underwent the same experience as her. After serving in marketing till September 2013, she took on a creative role and became a Background Artist at Central Casting and continued to work until April 2017. The subsequent year, in March, JoAnn transitioned to her position as the Office Manager at Futurity First, where she served until May 2021. In February 2022, she joined the Salvation Army as an Administrative Assistant, where she remained until November 2024. Since then, JoAnn has been working as a Classroom Assistant with the Evesham Township School District, allowing her to give back to the community every single day.
As a Passionate Public Speaker and Survivor Advocate since 2009, JoAnn has shared her story through her initiative JoAnnSpeaksOut. She has also spoken on university campuses, been invited to advocacy trainings, and participated in Take Back the Night events. Furthermore, she had led a workshop at the 41st NOVA conference. Her powerful testimony has reached global audiences through features on ABC’s ’20/20,’ Discovery ID’s documentary series, BBC News World Service Radio, and podcasts. Through all this, JoAnn has found deep and profound happiness in her personal life. She married her soulmate, Steve Cooper, on September 13, 2019, and together, they have built a life filled with joy, romantic dates, and concert trips. JoAnn is a living testament that life can bloom with unwavering strength even after immense pain.
Jeffrey Marsalis is Likely Out on Parole, Awaiting an Evidential Hearing Today
Jeffrey Marsalis always claimed he was a doctor, a CIA Agent, and even an astronaut before his dates. He reportedly created an online dating profile. He had intended to lure women and drug them before sexually assaulting them. In April 2004, he got engaged to Jessika, who later broke off the engagement due to the constant abuse she faced. During that span, he was accused of having lured more than two women with drugs before raping them. By the time the survivors bravely came forward, too much time had passed to collect physical evidence through rape kits or blood tests to confirm the presence of any substances. Hence, the Philadelphia Special Victims Unit could not arrest him right away. However, a search warrant of Jeffrey’s home uncovered a doctor’s coat with his name on it, a vest, and classified CIA documents. The investigation reportedly determined that all of them were forgeries.
Officials also found a list of 50 women on Jeffrey’s computer with whom he had been intimate. He was finally arrested in April 2005 but went out on bail. While the defense claimed that he was innocent and was all a misunderstanding, the prosecution presented Jessika as one of the witnesses. However, the jury acquitted him of all three counts in January 2006. He was once again arrested in the courtroom for his second trial based on accusations brought forth by seven women. Two weeks before the trial, Jeffrey was working as a security guard in Sun Valley, Idaho. In October 2005, he and his co-worker were out drinking before he took her to his apartment and sexually assaulted her. However, the case took a turn when the woman claimed to have been a lesbian. The rape kit tests conducted by the authorities reportedly confirmed the accusation.
By May 2007, Jeffrey stood a second trial with 66 charges, including rape. He was convicted on two counts of unlawful sexual assault and impersonating a government official. On October 12, 2007, he was sentenced to 10.5 to 21 years in prison with four years of probation. His third trial on the count of rape in October 2005 began in April 2009. Jeffrey was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 years to be served consecutively to his previous sentencing. He had appealed his conviction to be overturned twice in 2016 and 2022, both of which were denied. However, in 2020, the Idaho Supreme Court gave him partial relief and remanded him for an evidentiary hearing on his expert testimony and legal notice issues. Ultimately, in May 2024, Jeffrey’s follow-up evidential hearing was scheduled. He is seemingly out on parole and awaiting his follow-up hearing.
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