My name is Seth Hendrix and what I'm about to tell you is extremely difficult, but I assure you it is 100% true. I have not been asked by anyone to make this statement and I'm fully aware that by coming forward, it will have consequences to some of my closest friendships. But after the recent accusation made by Kate Elliott against Toby Turner, I realize that I can no longer stay silent.
On the night in question in the Spring 2014 around 3AM, Toby called me and told me that Kate had broken into his house, gone through his things, had put candles and "voodoo stuff" all around, and had shaved her head. He seemed very nervous and scared and asked if I would please come over and help him figure out what to do. This was obviously surprising to me - as Kate and I had been very close friends for years. We spent a lot of time together and she had never behaved like this before. It almost seemed like a prank I was being dragged into. So I drove to Toby's house about one mile from where I live. Kate's car was parked outside. I went inside and saw three people - Kate, Toby, and April Fletcher. Toby was sitting on the floor, April on the couch, and Kate on the beanbag chair several feet away. She was almost unrecognizable. She had completely shaved her head, was very thin, almost gaunt looking, and she was just sitting there with a strange look on her face. Almost like she was in another place. She didn't seem surprised I was there, and just said, "Hi Seth" without looking at me, as if she was expecting me. She seemed calm, almost happy, in a very unsettling way considering the circumstances. I can only compare it to the way I've seen people look in movies before they commit suicide. So naturally, I started getting very nervous. I had never once felt nervous around Kate. She normally has an extremely warm and magnetic personality and as I said before, we were very close. But this was not Kate. She had a small knife in her hand and was not threatening anyone with it - but instead, she was just dragging it across her hand calmly.
No one was speaking. April and Toby were just looking at Kate with concern, and Kate was staring back at them. I sat down and waited for a few moments, looking around the room and noticing all the strange objects that had been placed on the floor in a odd "ritualistic" way. I looked over at Toby, and he seemed terrified. He looked over at me with a "What the hell do we do?" look on his face. April also seemed nervous and worried. I finally asked Kate how she was feeling and she told me she was doing great with a big smile on her face. She asked how I was and I said that I was kind of worried about her. But having some experience with individuals with mental illness (my mother had severe bipolar disorder), I knew I didn't want to stir up any emotions - so I said that I loved her new look. She smiled and told me thank you, saying that her hair had felt very heavy and hot. So it was time for a change. She then started talking about how she could see the spirits in our souls and that mine and hers were the same, but Toby's was lost. She said she could talk to God. She talked about being "plugged into the system like the Matrix" but now she can see the truth and be free. Again, this was incredible scary and almost unbelievable, as it was the polar opposite of who she normally was. I kept telling myself this must be some kind of prank on me, because it was so extreme it couldn't be real. But then I would look back at her hairless head and the knife in her hand and realize it wasn't a joke. Toby asked Kate what she thought we should all do. She just smiled at him and didn't answer. So I asked her if she felt hungry and wanted to go grab a bite to eat. I thought it would be best to just get out of the house, into a public area, and eat some food. Kate responded that she had not eaten in 5 days (it definitely showed) and that she wasn't hungry. I said she needed to eat and then I mentioned that I was hungry, so even if she wasn't going to eat anything, I needed food. This was my way to convince her. She finally agreed.
April left. I don't know where she went, but I believe it was Toby's other house where Eric Lewis (his friend from back home) lived. I'm not sure, but I think April was also staying there temporarily, as well. Kate, Toby, and I all got into Kate's car and I drove us to Crave Cafe on Ventura Blvd. near the Laurel Canyon cross street. We sat there for about an hour. Toby and I ate breakfast, but Kate picked at her food and only ate small bites. She continued to exhibit very odd behavior. She kept twirling a set of keys in her hand, talking about how there's energy all around us and she can see it. She talked about how she and I were aliens and I could tell she meant it literally. She said we had come to Earth to rescue Toby and take him into the spaceship. She went on at lengths about how she could read people's minds by looking into their eyes. She stood up in mid-conversation at one point and disappeared into the bathroom for 15 minutes. I was growing more and more concerned she was going to try to hurt herself or someone else, when suddenly she came back to the table. After we finished eating, I drove us back to Toby's house. Toby said he was going to bed, gave Kate a hug, and went inside. I asked Kate if she was okay to drive and she said she was fine. So I got in my car and followed to make sure she got home to her apartment complex, which was only 3 blocks away. I watched her turn into her complex and into the garage - then I drove home.
A few minutes later after leaving Kate, I spoke to Toby on the phone and he said he was really worried about Kate and asked what we should do. He said he was concerned that she might hurt herself if we left her alone. He mentioned he had contacted Kathy Sue Holtorf and Clare Lourdes to ask for their help to go over and check on her. At the time, Kathy Sue was a good friend and a positive/spiritual influence on Toby - and several others in our friend group. Kathy Sue went over to Kate's apartment that night and stayed with her until the next day. I do not know if anyone else was with her. The next morning she sent me a text (KathySueText1a-b.png), saying she and TJ Smith were taking Kate to the Burbank ER.
Toby and I chatted about work, games, etc. over the next two days and did not discuss Kate. On March 17th at 1:02PM, we both received a text message from Kathy Sue (KathySueText2a-d.png) where she mentioned that Kate seemed "calm" even though she had threatened and hit her ex boyfriend, Cory Williams. She said Kate wasn't being violent currently but she advised us to "call the cops" if she showed up anywhere unannounced. Kathy Sue also said she needed help from all of us, including Toby, to help during Kate's recovery. Cory responded by saying Kate was not as crazy as we all might think. Kathy Sue later told me in a lengthy telephone call that Cory had told her Kate was schizophrenic and was on medication to avoid attacks like this. He thought her medicine had probably run out and she was off her meds, likely causing this relapse. April Fletcher, who had been at Toby's house on the night in question, responded to Cory telling him "Cory, not to be rude in any way... But you did not see her that night so you can't possibly tell me how she was. Whether the episode is fading or not is one thing, but it is without a doubt certain that she needs to see a professional."
That same day, Cory Williams also texted me directly (CoryText.png) and told me "I understand everything that's happening with Kathleen and she's okay. Toby has nothing to worry about! I can fill you in and then you can relay the message to him when he's ready. Everything is ok! smile emoticon" Cory said this because Toby had been asking me for an update on Kate's status via text and telephone calls. And I left a voicemail message for him earlier, telling him that everyone was concerned about Kate, especially Toby who was still a little shaken about it.
After that, I didn't hear from Kate for over a month. When she finally surfaced, she was still not herself yet. She had started smoking, was going out and partying quite often, and had deleted all of her social media accounts and YouTube account, saying that they had been hacked. After many months, Kate seemed to return to her normal self and since then, I have only seen her every once in awhile. After making her accusation on Facebook, Kate texted me today (KateText1a-c.png) expressing how bad she felt about all of this, saying how she is worried about Toby and loves him. Before I could come forward with this story, I needed to get confirmation from her that the night she was referring to in her post was the same time I had witnessed. I asked her and she confirmed it.
I have no personal issues with Kate. I love her very much. She has always been a good friend to me. It hurts me to the core to have to tell you her personal business, discuss her illness publicly, and reveal what really happened that night. But it hurts me even more to see Toby falsely accused of something he definitely did not do. I have no idea why Kate would say these things. And I don't want to even speculate, as it's already breaking my heart and tearing me up inside. But I absolutely had to tell you the truth. I was there. I know what really happened. I'm curious as to why others who were involved haven't admitted to this info, as well.
All of these people are my friends. Some casual and others close. And not a single person mentioned in this post has ever been anything but nice to me. So again, this statement is only driven by truth and the necessity to prove that a person is innocent. In no way am I trying to condone any kind of abuse or tell any victims of abuse that they should not speak up. Absolutely, they should. Always. But the truth in this case is all I am concerned with.
Look, I've known Toby since the day he moved to LA. At times he can be incredible arrogant, self-centered, even obnoxious. He needs to work on some of his personal issues and how he treats people - not just girlfriends, but his friends too. I have functioned as a go-between for many years, listening to criticisms about him and helping girls he dates to understand him. Like everyone, he makes mistakes. But in eight years of knowing him better than almost anyone else in his life, I can tell you with my entire soul - he is not a bad person. I have never once seen him act violently towards anyone. He has never once told me a story that sounded like he abused someone - and he tells me almost everything. Yes, I have seen him be unfaithful and say angry things to girlfriends. But I have also seen many of those very same girlfriends treat him like garbage, blackmail him, threaten him and his career, cheat on him, and use him for his money and influence. No one is innocent here.
I'm not trying to speak for Toby or solve his issues. That is for him to work out on his own. But what I also know about Toby is that despite his issues - he has a good heart. Over the years, he has helped many of his friends, given them opportunities, financial help, advice, etc. When his mom got lung disease, he did everything in his power to find her a new home in LA so she could be close to him. When people have hurt him, he has time and time again let them back into his life with no apologies needed. And don't even get me started on what he has done for his fans. I have talked to many of them over the years. Do you know how many people have told me that he has literally saved their lives, given them happiness, hope, self-confidence? More than I can count. Look, there are people in the YouTube community that don't like Toby Turner. And that is their right. For any reason they may choose. But what is happening right now - this lynch mob against him - is just wrong.
Thank you for listening,
Seth Hendrix