Overview of The Grudge
NBC News’ Dateline episode follows the July 2020 targeted shooting at the home of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in New Jersey, where her 20-year-old son Daniel was killed and her husband, defense attorney Mark Anderl, was critically wounded. Investigators soon uncovered that the attack was part of a cross-country murder spree tied to Roy Den Hollander, a deeply misogynistic lawyer who left behind a manifesto, a hit list, and a long trail of resentment against women, judges, and other perceived enemies.
What Happened
- On a Sunday afternoon, a man disguised as a delivery driver rang the doorbell at Judge Salas’ home.
- Daniel answered the door and was shot immediately.
- Mark was also shot multiple times while trying to help his son and identify the attacker.
- Daniel died; Mark survived after emergency surgery.
- At first, investigators did not know whether the judge, her husband, or Daniel had been the intended target.
The Investigation
Initial Leads
- Local police, the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, and other agencies launched a massive manhunt.
- Mark, while intubated, communicated enough to confirm the shooter was a man posing as a delivery worker.
- Witnesses described a tall, thin male wearing a mask and carrying a FedEx-style bag.
The California Connection
- Days before the New Jersey attack, a nearly identical murder had occurred in California.
- Lawyer Mark Angelucci was shot by a man posing as a delivery person.
- Once investigators compared details, they realized the same weapon, method, and disguise were involved.
The Suspect: Roy Den Hollander
- A dead man was later found in Rockland County, New York, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- In his car, authorities found dossiers on Judge Salas and Mark Angelucci.
- The dead man was identified as Roy Den Hollander, a men’s-rights activist and attorney with a long anti-women history.
- His computer contained a 1,500-page manifesto full of rage, grievance, and misogynistic rhetoric.
- Den Hollander had been terminally ill, which investigators believe may have fueled a final violent spree.
Motive and Targeting
- Den Hollander had a professional grievance related to a draft-registration lawsuit he believed Judge Salas was delaying.
- He also had ties to the broader men’s-rights world, including Mark Angelucci.
- Investigators concluded:
- Mark Angelucci was murdered in California.
- Judge Salas was the intended target in New Jersey.
- Daniel was killed simply because he answered the door first.
- The episode emphasizes that the attack was revenge-driven and carefully planned, not random violence.
Impact on Judge Esther Salas
- Salas describes Daniel as her “miracle baby” and the center of her world.
- She wrestled with guilt, wondering whether her judicial career had put her family in danger.
- She later chose forgiveness, saying she forgave Den Hollander during a mass at home.
- Seven months after Daniel’s death, she returned to the bench.
Legacy and Policy Changes
- Daniel’s death helped drive public attention to the vulnerability of judges’ personal information online.
- A bipartisan bill named after Daniel was introduced and later enacted.
- The law aims to:
- Improve security for judges’ homes.
- Strengthen U.S. Marshals’ ability to protect judges.
- Restrict data brokers from selling judges’ personal information, such as addresses and phone numbers.
Key Takeaways
- The case was a chilling example of targeted violence fueled by grievance and misogyny.
- A mundane act — answering a door — became fatal because of how exposed public officials and their families can be.
- The episode argues that judicial privacy and security are not abstract issues; they can be matters of life and death.
- Judge Salas channels her grief into reform, ensuring Daniel’s death leads to lasting protection for others.