Cardiologist lured women into his home before drugging, raping and gaslighting them: ‘Narcissistic monster’

Stephen Matthews, 37, of Denver, was sentenced Friday to 158 years in prison

A Denver cardiologist was sentenced to 158 years in prison — the maximum penalty — after being found guilty of drugging 11 women he met on dating apps and sexually assaulting eight of them, prosecutors said.

Stephen Matthews “incapacitated his victims and then sexually assaulted eight of them,” according to Denver District Attorney Beth McCann. said in a press release on Friday, October 25.

“This man is one of the most prolific serial rapists in the history of the state of Colorado,” said former Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey. KDVR reports.

The verdict was received with cheers and applause in court by the victims who shared the pain and long-lasting trauma they suffered after being drugged and raped by Matthews.

One of the victims who spoke at the sentencing called him a “narcissistic monster” and a “serial rapist” and said, “We are now a mighty army of survivors,” adding, “and you are nothing.” CBS News reports.

Another victim said: ‘This was methodical. This wasn’t about consent. This wasn’t about sex. It was about control. He used his position and title of former doctor to abuse trust in myself and others,” KDVR reports.

In August, Matthews, 37, was convicted of 35 of 38 charges related to the drugging and sexual abuse of numerous women.

He was arrested in March 2023 after a woman came forward to Denver police reporting she had been drugged and raped during a date at Matthews’ mansion, according to the arrest affidavit: Deventer 7 reports.

Believing that Matthews may have drugged and raped other women, Denver police asked other potential victims to come forward.

In May 2023, Matthews was arrested again after nine other women came forward and said they too had been drugged and raped by Matthews, according to the arrest affidavit.

During the trial, jurors learned how Matthews lured women to his mansion by meeting them on dating apps such as Tinder and Hinge.

A woman said during the sentencing hearing that his profile, which advertised an athletic, handsome doctor with a dog, was attractive to women, Denver 7 reports. “He used my softness as a reason to attack me” , the woman said.

He spiked their drinks with a substance that left them with bad memories of their time with him.

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Some victims testified that they passed out after having drinks with Matthews and when they woke up they were shocked to find themselves naked in bed with Matthews after he raped them, prosecutors said, CBS News reported.

After the assaults, Matthews tried to “gaslight” the victims by telling them they were drinking too much. One victim said Matthews engaged in a “terrible amount of gaslighting and victim blaming,” Denver 7 reports.

During closing arguments, a prosecutor said: “This is an obvious, obvious case of a man who feels entitled to fight against women for his own benefit by robbing them of their memories, by robbing them of their bodily autonomy, and by affecting their memories. to have them come in and testify and criticize the fact that (their memories) don’t exist.

Matthews’ attorney, Douglas Cohen, said Matthews will appeal the conviction, CBS News reported.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit regenn.org.

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