Summary
The case of Anna Stubblefield and Derrick Johnson, as detailed inTell Them You Love Me, grabbed headlines in the 2010s, but both have faded from public view since. After meeting in 2009, Anna became Derrick’s facilitated communicator when Derrick’s older brother, John, learned about the philosophy from Anna herself. In late 2015, a jury convicted her of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, and the judgesentenced Anna Stubblefield to prisonin January 2016.She was released from prison after two yearswhen a three-judge panel determined that her trial was unfair because of the denial of facilitated communication as a defense.
Netflix’s new documentaryTell Them You Love Merecounts the entire story from the beginning. However, the ending ofTell Them You Love Meonly briefly touches upon the aftermath at the end of the film. The incident had a profound impact on both the perpetrator and the survivor, and neither party has been the same ever since, as details about their lives after the case have made clear.
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Anna Hasn’t Remarried After Divorcing Roger Stubblefield In 2014
A Deteriorating Marriage
Tell Them You Love Mereveals thatAnna had already wanted to leave her husband, Roger Stubblefield, even before she preyed on Derrick Johnson. She claimed her marriage was not a happy one. That said, Anna’s marriage only came to an end when the police investigated her for sexually assaulting Derrick. The details of how the marriage ended are not specific. The only clues viewers get about the deterioration are when the judge reads his letter to the court before Anna’s sentencing:
I believe that Anna is a pathological liar and narcissist. She will stop at nothing to fool the court and seek vindication, regardless of the emotional and financial expense to her family or the primary victim’s family. Clearly, I am distraught, but this and the impact on my immediate family, I leave it to the wisdom of the court to determine a just sentence.
The judge read Roger’s letter, but even under these circumstances, the impact on her family is evident. Even so, the situation is not straightforward, considering thatAnna’s daughter, Zoe Stubblefield, spoke on Anna’s behalf at her sentencing.Tell Them You Love Medid not include the footage in the documentary, but there is a clip of Anna crying for her daughter once the jury convicts her.
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Anna Stubblefield Was Released From Prison In 2018 & Lives A Private Life Today
Lives In Obscurity And Works Remotely
When Anna was released from prison two years after her sentence began,she created a new life for herself. At first, she worked jobs requiring a commute, but people began recognizing her, forcing Anna to find a stay-at-home job. Now, she lives in New Jersey and works remotely. The documentary does not provide much more information than Anna feeling that this case ruined her life since she cannot return to her true passion for teaching. It’s also noted that she never remarried after divorcing Roger.
After all these years, Anna does not regret pursuing Derrick Johnson. She still believes that their relationship was consensual and that she did not commit a crime.
Presently, Anna does not regret pursuing Derrick Johnson. By her own admission, she believes that their relationship was consensual and that she did not commit a crime. Anna also stands behind the concept of facilitated communication; therefore,the relationship was real to her.
Derrick Johnson Reportedly Lives With His Mother & Attends An Adult Day Care With Communication Exercises
His Family Still Lives With The Trauma
As for Derrick Johnson, he lives with his mother while attending an adult daycare that provides communication exercises. Derrick might be unable to comprehend the violence that Anna committed, butTell Them You Love Meshows how his body still bears the scars. His mother, Daisy, and his older brother, John, still live with the trauma every single day. The entire ordeal was very traumatizing to the point where the Johnsons almost did not participate in the documentary. In fact,Tell Them You Love Metook six years to film because of how guarded the Johnsons were.
There is a clear difference of approximately five years between Anna’s two film segments of the initial recording and where she is today, depicting the six years it took to filmTell Them You Love Me.
The sexual assault of Derrick Johnson changed his family’s lives, including their ability to trust strangers. Furthermore, Daisy and John still have to live with the fact that someone they trusted wholeheartedly abused Derrick in a position of power.Tell Them You Love Medepicts how Derrick had no say in his relationship with Anna, who was seen as a trusted guardian.
Tell Them You Love Me
Cast
Tell Them You Love Me is a true crime documentary exploring the polarizing criminal trial of philosophy professor Anna Stubblefield. It examines themes of disability, race, sex, and perceptions of consent, providing a retrospective look at this controversial case. Released on July 22, 2025, it delves deeply into these complex issues.
