Her words

In her own words — the declarations

What Carli Heller told the Mendocino County Superior Court, under penalty of perjury, as she wrote it. Nothing edited.

Declaration for the April 10, 2025 hearing

Filed in Mendocino County Superior Court, Case No. 25FL01030 (consolidated with 25FL01032), April 2025. Nine pages, as filed. The exhibits it names are the Ring recordings on the documents page.

Vincent Hyler’s behavior has deteriorated significantly in recent months from an already intolerable status quo, placing my 6-month-old son, Jordan, and me at ongoing risk, a situation compounded by his failure to comply with the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued on March 18, 2025, which required him to surrender all firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition within 24 hours of service (by March 21, after service on March 20) and file proof of compliance by March 23. As of April 3, 2025, Vincent has not surrendered the shotgun and other firearms he maintains at his mother Judy Hyler’s residence (same address: 9501 Laughlin Way, Redwood Valley, CA), nor has he sold, stored, or turned them over to law enforcement as mandated, despite service by the Mendocino County Sheriff on March 20; he has provided no receipt to the court or sheriff. Additionally, at least two of his brothers-in-law, married to his sisters and residing within miles in Redwood Valley, own multiple firearms, readily accessible to Vincent given his family’s involvement, as demonstrated when Judy took Jordan on March 20 (Exhibit H). He has become increasingly unstable as of late, exhibiting severe intoxication or severe agitation, frequently in a state of rage, even when sober, as when he left Jordan unattended on the changing table for over five minutes, placing him at risk of falling. In recent weeks, his actions in front of our Ring cameras show a disturbing lack of self-control and judgment, especially since he’s been planning to file for custody, yet cannot keep himself from outbursts of rage, verbal abuse, and visible drunkenness on camera.

The events leading to the TRO began escalating in late January 2025, though Vincent’s history of alcohol-related instability predates this period; the following represent key incidents, but I possess Ring videos documenting the last month and a half of abuse—approximately mid-February through March 2025—and there are undoubtedly multiple additional incidents omitted here due to the sheer volume and escalating intensity of his abuse. He has a documented history of drinking while driving, including a past DUI, and during our relocation to California, he consumed liquor while operating the U-Haul with me as a passenger; he continued this behavior on multiple occasions after arriving in California, driving to various locations while intoxicated. I strongly suspect he has driven under the influence with Jordan in the vehicle on numerous occasions, given his frequent absences with Jordan and return in an intoxicated state, often after documented hours at bars and in Potter Valley, where his sister Mikaela and brother-in-law Anthony live and where Vincent frequents every weekend, often taking Jordan there for up to 10 hours on Saturday despite my objections; he denies this, but his consistent pattern of misrepresentation regarding employment, finances, sobriety, and virtually all aspects of his conduct undermines any credibility in his denials, particularly on a matter he would be unlikely to admit.

In late January 2025, my parents traveled from Maryland to conduct an intervention with Vincent, urging him to discontinue alcohol use; he assured them he was finished with drinking and would seek assistance, yet resumed within days, continuing a pattern of misrepresentation concerning employment, finances, and sobriety (Declaration #3). Shortly after their departure, I purchased a twin mattress and began sleeping in the spare room to avoid pressure from Vincent for sexual activity, which risked pregnancy and further emotional distress, and to ensure I had a place to sleep without conflict or Vincent intentionally preventing my rest; my refusal to engage in sexual activity has been an undeniable source of resentment toward me, evident in his escalating hostility, though he has not explicitly admitted this.

On February 24, 2025, Vincent returned home at approximately 6:45 PM, intoxicated and displaying heightened aggression. He shouted accusations of neglect, asserting that I never care for Jordan, and removed him from the living room floor where we had been together, taking him to his bedroom. I departed the residence in my recently acquired vehicle—purchased by my parents due to Vincent’s control over our previous vehicle—and drove to his sister Sierra’s residence, approximately one mile away. At 9:40 PM, I reviewed footage from our Ring cameras, which showed Vincent moving through the house in an agitated state, periodically looking out the windows. I sent a text message to my father: “Vinny came home pretty drunk and was being a little more aggressive than usual so I dipped because it was unbearable—I’m just going to hang out at Walmart for a little while.” I remained at Walmart until 11:00 PM, returning once Vincent appeared to be asleep. The following morning, he left a note on the whiteboard stating he had been managing his drinking and believed a few drinks would not cause harm, acknowledging his error—a claim contradicted by his continued alcohol use (Declaration #3).

On February 25, at 6:17 PM, Vincent, again intoxicated, confronted me at the front door as I returned from a brief run around the neighborhood—a routine I maintain on weekends, during which he asks me every time, in all seriousness, if I am going to see someone else, reflecting his persistent accusations of infidelity that began during my pregnancy, when they were often accompanied by doubts about Jordan’s paternity, and continue to the present. He stated, “All your actions are saying you don’t want this to work whatsoever…” and interrupted my response with, “I don’t care what you say, I’m telling you what I see” (Exhibit A). His speech was slurred, and the encounter, captured in a 20-second Ring camera clip, prompted me to leave the residence on foot again as darkness fell to avoid further escalation.

Between March 3 and 7, Vincent ceased attending work, instead spending each night at bars—primarily McCarty’s Bar and occasionally Vic’s—expending hundreds of dollars monthly on alcohol, expenses covered by his father, Mike Hyler, for an extended period, as confirmed by Judy and Loren Hyler (Declaration #3). I have numerous screenshots documenting his location at these establishments for many hours on weekdays, weeknights, and weekends during this period, evidencing the extent of his alcohol consumption.

On March 6, at approximately 7:06 PM, Vincent returned home in a state of severe intoxication. He directed verbal abuse at me, stating, “You’re fuckin’ useless, Carli—just sittin’ there like a goddamn lump!” and “This house is a fuckin’ dump—where’s my fuckin’ dinner? You don’t do fuck all!” (Exhibit B). He moved abruptly through the living room, gesturing aggressively. By 7:17 PM, he continued, “You’re a fuckin’ failure—a failure at everything!” (Exhibit C), and during this episode, he picked up Jordan and lost his balance, falling backward over a coffee table, narrowly avoiding injury to Jordan, who began crying loudly (Declaration #3). I forwarded this footage to Judy, Sierra, and Loren Hyler, requesting assistance, but they responded as if it were merely amusing and not a significant concern.

Several months prior, in late 2024, I contacted law enforcement due to Vincent’s actions. He had locked me out of the bedroom where Jordan was present, then locked me out of the house entirely after I sought assistance from Judy Hyler at her nearby residence; she did not open her door to me. I returned to find myself unable to re-enter until Vincent eventually allowed access (Declaration #3).

On March 14, at approximately 8:00 AM, Vincent left Jordan unattended on the changing table for over five minutes without consuming alcohol. Upon entering the nursery, I discovered Jordan near the edge, unsecured and at risk of falling, and intervened to secure him. When I addressed this with Vincent, he responded that Jordan could have rolled off and I do not even care (Exhibit D, Declaration #2).

On March 15, at approximately 2:08 PM, Vincent returned home, his demeanor suggesting prior alcohol consumption, and began throwing rocks at my dog, Chloe, in the yard, pursuing her as she vocalized distress. I exited the residence and instructed him to stop, at which point he directed his aggression toward me. For over an hour and a half, he followed me through the house, delivering verbal abuse including, “You’re fuckin’ useless… You think you’re scared of me already? You’ve seen nothing yet!” and “Shut up, cunt… Fuck you!” (Exhibit E, partial recording). He also stated, “What are you gonna do when your daddy dies?” and demanded I pack my bags and leave immediately, continuing with, “I’m not done breaking you yet” (Declaration #2). I had recently showered and was attempting to dress, still wrapped in a towel, as he persisted. At 3:00 PM, he took Jordan and left, subsequently blocking my attempts to contact him; I was unable to ascertain their whereabouts until 3:00 AM the following day (Declaration #2).

On March 16, at 3:00 AM, Vincent returned and activated the Ring camera doorbell, stating, “Yeah, you’re gonna open the fuckin’ door… if you don’t, I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you” (Exhibit F). I had fallen asleep shortly prior and did not respond; he then departed with Jordan. At 10:00 PM, Vincent returned in an intoxicated state and resumed verbal abuse, asserting that I am so full of shit, directing me to shut the fuck up, and labeling me a goddamn pig (Declaration #1). I secured myself in the bedroom, placing a dog crate against the door due to the absence of a lock, and contacted 911 at approximately 11:00 PM as he forcibly opened the door, causing visible damage to the frame, and continued his outburst. Law enforcement arrived, and I spoke with them outside, explaining the situation; they attempted to enter by knocking repeatedly and identifying themselves, but Vincent refused to unlock the door, shouting profanities through the closed entry, including “Fuck off!” and “You’re not coming in here!” while pacing visibly agitated behind the glass panel, occasionally slamming his hand against the doorframe. After several minutes of his persistent refusal and hostile responses, the officers inquired whether I felt safe, to which I responded I would be if he ceased; they recommended pursuing a restraining order and departed when Vincent continued to bar entry (Declaration #1).

On March 17, at approximately 12:20 AM, I entered the living room and discovered the crib empty and the front door wide open, allowing cold air to enter—Vincent had taken Jordan without notification (Exhibit G, Declaration #1). I contacted Judy Hyler repeatedly, and after several attempts, she confirmed via text message they were at her adjacent residence but declined to return him.

On March 20, prior to the TRO being served, Judy Hyler arrived at my residence and removed Jordan despite my repeated requests not to do so, persisting through my audible distress, captured on camera (Exhibit H).

Vincent’s family has consistently failed to intervene meaningfully. I have sought assistance from Judy, Mike, Sierra, Loren, Jacqlyn, and Mikaela Hyler through numerous calls and text messages since April 2024, when I was pregnant with Jordan, prior to meeting them in person. They acknowledged my concerns but characterized Vincent’s drinking and jealousy as persistent issues beyond resolution; Loren advised me to concentrate on maintaining a healthy pregnancy without his support. Following the March 6 incident, among numerous others documented in Ring videos spanning mid-February to March 2025, I provided them with video evidence of Vincent’s fall while holding Jordan (Exhibits B, C), yet they maintained it was not a significant matter, despite the escalating frequency and intensity of such incidents; this lack of response persisted even as my refusal to engage in sexual activity with Vincent became a source of evident resentment, further intensifying his hostility toward me, and as Vincent frequently took Jordan to Potter Valley, where Mikaela and her husband Anthony reside, for up to 10 hours on Saturdays despite my objections, often returning in an intoxicated state after documented bar visits—behavior consistent with his ongoing accusations of infidelity and doubts about Jordan’s paternity, which have been a recurring issue since my pregnancy.

The impact of Vincent’s behavior has been severe. His verbal abuse—describing me as a fuckin’ useless lump, a lying cunt, a fuckin’ failure, and threatening to fuckin’ kill me—has resulted in persistent panic attacks and physical illness. On March 28, 2025, I required emergency medical attention at midnight, receiving IV fluids and iron level assessments at the ER, with Jordan asleep in a pack-and-play beside me, as stress had prevented me from eating or sleeping adequately, leading to a 15-pound weight loss in recent months and cessation of breastfeeding at three months due to stress-related cessation of milk production, a loss that continues to cause me significant distress. I possess numerous screenshots documenting Vincent’s presence at McCarty’s Bar and Vic’s, corroborating his extensive alcohol consumption during this period. Jordan remains at risk due to Vincent’s alcoholism, severe anger issues, disruption of established care routines, toxic emotional environment, complete failure to fulfill basic financial obligations beyond bar tabs, and repeated abductions.

I am in immediate fear for the safety of myself and my son, given Vincent’s unregistered shotgun; his firearm violation of the TRO; the presence of armed family members living nearby; his recently escalating rage, lack of self-control, and poor judgment; his recent threats; my complete isolation and alienation from his family; and my distance of 2,500 miles from my own family.

This pattern of behavior extends beyond these recent months. Before moving to California, I interpreted Vincent’s issues as primarily stemming from pathological jealousy and insecurity, which remain a significant factor in his abusive behavior toward me, evidenced by his frequent accusations of infidelity during my pregnancy and continuing to the present, alongside repeated doubts about Jordan’s paternity. In April 2024, while pregnant with Jordan and before meeting Vincent’s family, I began pleading with Judy, Mike, Sierra, Loren, Jacqlyn, and Mikaela Hyler via calls and texts for assistance with his drinking and pathological jealousy, seeking to safeguard my unborn child. They did not disregard my pleas but viewed his problems as intractable; Loren suggested I focus on having a healthy pregnancy without his support, offering no substantive aid. On March 26, 2024, at 12:07 AM, Vincent left a voicemail stating, “Hey, you fuckin’ bitch. You think you’re so fuckin’ smart, huh? I know what you’re doing! You’re out there fuckin’ around, aren’t you? You can’t hide it from me! That kid—don’t even try to tell me it’s mine. I’m not fuckin’ stupid. You’re a lying cunt. You’re gonna regret this. I’ll make sure you do. You’re nothing—nothing without me, you hear me? Pick up the fuckin’ phone! You can’t run from this! Worthless fuckin’ bitch…” (Exhibit I). On December 25, 2024, Christmas morning, I requested Mike and Judy facilitate a discussion with Vincent regarding his drinking; Mike asserted that I needed to demonstrate greater respect for Vincent, implying my lack thereof was the primary issue, while Vincent provided no commitment but subsequently misrepresented his intent to cease drinking.

Exhibits named in this declaration: A — Ring video, Feb. 25, 2025, 6:17 PM (20 sec). B — March 6, 7:06 PM, living room (4:05). C — March 6, 7:17 PM (2:47). D — March 14, changing table. E — March 15, 2:56 PM (5:18). F — March 16, 3:00 AM, doorbell. G — March 17, 12:20 AM, door open. H — March 20, Judy taking J.J. I — voicemail, March 26, 2024, 12:07 AM (47 sec).

More of her sworn statements will be added here as they are posted: the personal narrative declaration written for the May 26, 2026 hearing, and the verified complaints in Mendocino County Nos. 26CV04599 and 26CV04707.