Victoria's story: Surviving the unimaginable
A woman, 19, is kidnapped and taken on a violent joyride -- she is able to survive, but the next 18 years are filled with fear that the offenders will return. By the time a DNA hit leads to a surprising suspect, will too much time have passed for justice to be served?
WATCH: "48 Hours" Live to Tell: My Name is Victoria
Growing up in a family of musicians, Victoria was drawn to the guitar. "I was a total rocker chick," she said.
A Survivor's Story
When she was 19, Victoria moved to an apartment in Huntington Beach, California. On the night of Dec. 23, 1990, she went out with some friends to look at Christmas lights.
A Survivor's Story
Just past midnight, Victoria came home to the carport of her complex and had an uneasy feeling as she walked to her apartment - it was a cold night, so she wrapped her dog, Shassy, in her coat.
A Survivor's Story
Out of the shadows two men appeared asking for directions to the beach. They then slammed into Victoria from either side and started assaulting her. She threw Shassy to the bushes so she'd be spared.
A Survivor's Story
The two men threw Victoria into their car and drove -- threatening to kill her and dump her from nearby cliffs, then sexually assaulted her. After what felt like hours, they let her go and she ran to a nearby home. Police responded and Victoria's injuries were treated at a nearby hospital.
A Survivor's Story
Police released detailed sketches of the assailants, and were able to pull bodily fluids of two individuals from Victoria's body and clothing. They were certain they would quickly catch such violent perpetrators.
A Survivor's Story
As Victoria struggled to recover, years went by without any breaks in the case. Detectives reassured her that the men would slip up again and be caught. In the meantime, for her own peace of mind, Victoria left California to start anew.
A Survivor's Story
After the attacks, Victoria reconnected with an old friend ... "And the day he showed up, he never left," she said. Within a few years they were married.
A Survivor's Story
As time passed, Victoria said she could feel herself "regaining some of my inner peace." She became pregnant and gave birth to twin girls. "It was the highlight of our lives," she todl "48 Hours." But she still lived in fear, knowing her attackers were still out there.
A Survivor's Story
In 2008, Victoria received a phone call she had waited 18 years for - the California DNA database reported a match on one of the DNA profiles. When cops sent her this photo lineup, she had no hesitation confirming the identity of the lead attacker. "Number five was him," she said, "When I saw his face, I said, 'You're caught. It's you. And I've caught you. And you're gonna go down."
A Survivor's Story
His name: Joseph Son, a former mixed-martial arts fighter who found some success as an actor - including a role in a Hollywood blockbuster, "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" "I had his movie sitting on my rack," said Victoria. "I remember running over to there and just destroying it, because I thought, 'Are you serious? He's in my home?'"
A Survivor's Story
Son was arrested, and charged with kidnapping and rape. But the second suspect was still out there and police again asked the public for help. Soon a tip came in from a high school classmate of Son's, saying one of Son's friends from back then looked an awful lot like the man in the other sketch.
A Survivor's Story
That friend's name? Santiago Gaitan. Police set up outside his house to surreptitiously obtain a DNA sample to see if it matched other profile. In less than an hour, he came outside drinking a soda bottle and threw it out. Saliva DNA from the bottle was a solid match and Gaitan was soon arrested and took a plea deal. Son denied everything.
A Survivor's Story
Ahead of Joe Son's trial, prosecutors discovered the statute of limitations had run out on the original charges, but realized they could still charge him with conspiracy to commit torture. Victoria flew back to California to testify, and Son was found guilty, sentenced to life in prison.
A month later, he was accused of murdering his cellmate. Victoria chose not to testify at that trial. "I just felt at the end of the day that I was done," she said.
A Survivor's Story
Incredibly, Victoria's strength was tested once more in early 2014, when she was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. After undergoing months of treatment, she is now cancer free and determined to keep looking forward. "There is happiness after tragedy," she said. "We're in a good place. I'm healthy again.... And I rock out every chance I get."