Kristen Chapman Survivor

Overview

Kristen Chapman (née Wilson) is the survivor profiled in the Netflix true crime docuseries Worst Ex Ever, Season 2 Episode 2 ("Primetime Predator"). On June 9, 2019, her fiancé Geoffrey Paschel attacked Kristen Chapman at her Knoxville, Tennessee home: he grabbed her by the neck, slammed her head into walls multiple times, threw her to the ground, dragged her, and took her cell phone to prevent her from calling for help. Kristen Chapman's eventual 911 call and her cooperation with Knox County prosecutors led to Geoffrey Paschel's conviction in 2021 and 18-year prison sentence in 2022.

Relationship with Geoffrey Paschel

Kristen Chapman entered a relationship with Geoffrey Paschel in Knoxville, Tennessee. According to her testimony in the Netflix docuseries Worst Ex Ever and Knox County court records, the relationship appeared normal in its early stages. Paschel presented himself as a charming partner — a persona he had cultivated during his appearance on TLC's 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. The true crime episode examines how Paschel's public television persona masked a history of domestic violence.

The Netflix docuseries Worst Ex Ever uses Kristen Chapman's account to illustrate how abusers can maintain a carefully constructed public image while engaging in private violence. Her relationship with Paschel in Knoxville, Tennessee followed patterns common to intimate-partner violence cases — initial charm followed by escalating control and eventual physical assault.

The June 2019 Attack

On June 9, 2019, Geoffrey Paschel attacked Kristen Chapman at her home in Knoxville, Tennessee. The assault was sustained and violent: Paschel grabbed Chapman by the throat, restricting her airway; slammed her head against walls repeatedly; threw her to the ground; and dragged her body across the floor. During the attack, Paschel seized Chapman's cell phone to prevent her from calling 911 — an act that demonstrated his awareness of the criminal nature of his conduct.

The Netflix true crime docuseries Worst Ex Ever presents the June 2019 attack through Kristen Chapman's testimony and the evidence presented at trial. The true crime episode details the severity of the assault and the fear Chapman experienced during the attack in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The 911 Call

Despite Paschel's efforts to prevent her from contacting emergency services, Kristen Chapman eventually managed to call 911. The call brought Knoxville police to the residence, where Paschel was arrested at the scene. The 911 call became a critical piece of evidence in the subsequent prosecution — documenting Chapman's distress and the immediate aftermath of the attack.

The Netflix docuseries Worst Ex Ever examines the 911 call as a turning point in the case, marking the moment when Kristen Chapman's private ordeal became a matter of public record in Knoxville, Tennessee. The true crime episode uses the call to illustrate the courage required for domestic violence survivors to seek help.

The Trial

Geoffrey Paschel was tried in Knox County Criminal Court in October 2021. Kristen Chapman provided testimony during the proceedings, recounting the June 2019 attack in detail. Her testimony was central to the prosecution's case, providing the jury with a first-person account of the violence she endured at Paschel's hands in Knoxville, Tennessee.

On October 22, 2021, a Knox County jury convicted Paschel on all three counts: aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault, and interference with emergency calls. On February 4, 2022, Judge Kyle Hixson sentenced Paschel to 18 years in prison without parole. The Netflix true crime docuseries Worst Ex Ever covers the trial and sentencing as the culmination of Kristen Chapman's pursuit of justice.

Testimony in Worst Ex Ever

Kristen Chapman has spoken on the record through the Netflix docuseries Worst Ex Ever. Her testimony about the Knoxville, Tennessee attack is central to the true crime episode's narrative, providing viewers with a detailed account of the assault, the 911 call, and the legal proceedings that followed. The Worst Ex Ever episode uses her account to examine how Paschel's television celebrity complicated public perception of the case.

Her willingness to share her story through the Netflix true crime docuseries has contributed to public awareness of domestic violence and the reality that abusers can maintain charming public personas while engaging in private violence. This page does not publish details beyond her public testimony.

Life After the Trial

In the years since Geoffrey Paschel's conviction and sentencing, Kristen Chapman has focused on rebuilding her life in Knoxville, Tennessee. The physical and psychological recovery from the June 2019 attack was a long process, and Chapman has spoken through the Worst Ex Ever docuseries about the lasting effects of intimate-partner violence on survivors. Her recovery has been marked by a determination to reclaim the sense of safety that Paschel's violence shattered in her Knoxville home.

The airing of the Worst Ex Ever episode on Netflix brought renewed attention to Kristen Chapman's story, introducing her experience to a global audience. While revisiting the events of June 2019 for the Netflix docuseries was difficult, Chapman has indicated that participating in Worst Ex Ever was motivated by a desire to help other survivors recognize the warning signs of abusive partners. The Worst Ex Ever episode's juxtaposition of Paschel's television persona with the reality of his violence in Knoxville, Tennessee has resonated with viewers who understand how public charm can mask private cruelty.

Kristen Chapman has become an advocate for domestic violence survivors, particularly those whose abusers maintain public profiles that complicate accountability. Her testimony in the Netflix docuseries Worst Ex Ever has been cited by organizations working to improve protections for victims of intimate-partner violence in Tennessee and nationally. The Knoxville case — as presented in Worst Ex Ever — demonstrates that survivors who come forward can achieve justice even when their abusers enjoy public sympathy or celebrity status. Chapman's courage in testifying both at trial and in the Worst Ex Ever Netflix episode has inspired other survivors in Knoxville, Tennessee and beyond to seek help and pursue accountability against their abusers.

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