Expert: Carmen Curtis - 5/27/2008

Question
Hi Carmen! I've only seen up to season 7 so I have a few questions for you. Is it true that Valerie shot her father? I remember reading about it on a forum but I didn't know if it was true or not. Which episode do we find out that she shot him? Does she go to jail for it? What happens? Sorry to be a bother.

Answer
Hi Kaelyn,
In the first episode of season 9, Valerie admits to David that she did indeed shoot her father and covered it up with the suicide story. David wants to know why Valerie always pushes people away and sabotages relationships and she explains that it's because she killed her father. He was abusing her repeatedly and one night when he is in the bathroom with his own gun there is a struggle and she shoots him. She says it was an accident, but admits that she is not sorry he's dead. She tells her mother the truth who threatens to turn Val into the police, but her mother decides not to because she doesn't want the humiliation. Val is relieved but still needs closure and to stop feeling "dirty and afraid," and decides that to get rid of her guilt and turn herself in. After telling David what she's going to do, Val goes to the police station ready to confess. David intervenes and calls Val's mother, who meets her at the station. Her mother says that she forgives Val for whatever she thinks she's done and that it's her fault, not Val's (since the mom knew about the sexual abuse and did nothing), that the father is dead. So Val seems to come to a peace about his death and decides not to turn herself in. It's actually one of my favorite scenes of the show since it's very emotional. Soon after that episode, Val leaves the show and moves back to NY to live with her mom.

Hope this helps,
Carmen