HIV has become a huge epidemic in the United States. More and more people contract the disease and sometimes they knowingly infect others. One man took his approach to a different level. Philippe Padieu, a 53 year old martial arts instructor from Dallas, Texas infected over 20 women with HIV. These women made it their duty to put this womanizer behind bars.
Padieu would look for vulnerable women, those who are just coming out of a long term marriage or relationship. He would win these womens’ hearts by telling them he loved them. Little did they know they were dealing with a murderer. After he won their hearts he then convinced them to have unprotected sex with him. Not knowing about his HIV, these women would agree to have unprotected sex thinking there was a very small chance they would contract an STD.
Susan Brown a mother of three from Frisco, Texas is one of Padieu’s victims. She was in a 25 year marriage before she met Padieu. When she found out that she had been infected with HIV she was devastated. She then made it her concern to call all the other women that Padieu had been sexually involved with. She searched through Padieu’s phone records to get these women’s numbers.
All of these women thought their lives were over; they didn’t know what to do. Then, when they finally got themselves together they decided to contact the police. The police sent Padieu an order to stop having unprotected sex. He ignored the order, and he still engaged in sexual relations with unknowing women.
It wasn’t long before Padieu was arrested. He claimed that one of the women had given it to him and he had no idea that he was infected. Past medical records, however exposed him as a liar, showing that he did indeed know he was infected.
He was charged with six counts of intentionally infecting women with HIV. He was then sentenced to 45 years on five of the counts. He received a 25 year sentence for the remaining count. He still doesn’t feel that he deserved that time.
Tricia Reeves, devastated, outraged, and appalled decided to speak out for all the women: "Philippe Padieu knowingly, intentionally and recklessly infected us with HIV," she said. "Whether you did it on purpose or not, your obligation was to inform us and you did not. We can only assume that by his indifference he intended for us to die."