Nick Pasqual, best known for his role 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 Los Angeles judge delivered the verdict on Tuesday, months after Pasqual was found guilty of stabbing Shehorn 20 times in May 2024. Her powerful courtroom statement and the brutal details of the attack underscore the horrors of domestic violence.
Nick Pasqual Sentenced To 32 Yrs To Life
Pasqual, 36, broke into Shehorn's Sunland, California, home around 4:30 a.m. on May 23, 2024, and stabbed her more than 20 times before fleeing the state, according to prosecutors. He was arrested a week later at a U.S.-Mexico border checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Shehorn, 37, was discovered by a family member and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. She underwent 14 hours of life-saving and reconstructive surgeries and spent nearly a week in intensive care after suffering deep cuts to her neck, arms, and abdomen.
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Brutal Attack At California Home
During sentencing, Shehorn appeared with visible scars on her arm and neck. She delivered a powerful victim impact statement: "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. I was terrified, I was in pain," she said, according to ABC7. She added, "You, who I had once trusted, decided my life was something that you could take away".
Authorities reported several prior incidents of abuse. Days before the attack, Shehorn had filed a restraining order against Pasqual, accusing him of choking, rape, breaking down doors, and assaulting her with a belt.
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Allie Shehorn’s Emotional Courtroom Statement
On Tuesday, Pasqual addressed the court: "Allie did not deserve almost to have her life taken from her. No amount of words can form an adequate apology for what she had to endure," he said. However, the judge questioned his sincerity, citing a recorded phone call from April 29 in which Pasqual mocked Shehorn. "You stated that you feel remorse for what occurred, but my response to you is, if that's true, then why on April 29th during that phone call with your friend, did you mock Allie Shehorn for what she went through?" the judge said. "The evidence showed that Allie's injuries were so catastrophic that she was clinically dead twice".
District Attorney Speaks Out
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated, "Allie Shehorn miraculously survived and courageously stood before her abuser in court to testify about the brutality she endured. Her trial testimony was crucial in securing a guilty verdict so Mr. Pasqual could no longer be free to hurt anyone else... This case underscores the painful reality that domestic violence thrives when its victims live in fear and stay silent. It can erupt into life-threatening violence, and far too many victims never get the chance to see their abusers brought to justice."
Pasqual's representatives released a statement: "I remain deeply saddened by everything surrounding this case, and I continue to wish healing and peace for everyone affected. I am grateful to those who have supported me during this process, and I intend to remain focused on sobriety, recovery, accountability, and a respectful appellate process moving forward".