A former “How I Met Your Mother” actor has been sentenced to 32 years to life in prison after a brutal attack that left his ex-girlfriend, Hollywood makeup artist Allie Shehorn, fighting for her life.
Nick Pasqual, 36, received the sentence Tuesday after being convicted in a Los Angeles court of attempted murder, forcible rape, first-degree residential burglary, and multiple domestic violence-related counts. The case centered on a 2024 attack in which prosecutors said Pasqual broke into Shehorn’s Sunland home and stabbed her more than 20 times.
The sentencing closes one chapter in a case that drew national attention because of Pasqual’s entertainment ties, Shehorn’s work in Hollywood, and the disturbing details that emerged in court about the violence she survived.
Pasqual’s sentence came after a jury found him guilty last month on several felony charges connected to the attack.
The court convicted him of attempted murder and forcible rape, along with first-degree residential burglary and multiple counts involving injury to a spouse, cohabitant, fiancé, boyfriend, girlfriend or child’s parent.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Pasqual was sentenced to 32 years to life, while People also confirmed the sentence and noted that the conviction followed the violent stabbing of Shehorn at her Los Angeles home.
Pasqual, who had appeared in a brief role on “How I Met Your Mother,” became the subject of a criminal case far removed from his work in entertainment.
The Attack on Allie Shehorn
Shehorn, a Hollywood makeup artist, was attacked inside her home in Sunland, California.
According to the reports, Pasqual broke into the residence and stabbed her more than 20 times. She suffered wounds to her throat, back, chest and wrists, and later underwent 14 hours of surgery. She also spent multiple days in intensive care after the attack.
During the trial, Shehorn testified about the violence and appeared in court with visible scars. She described trying to protect herself after Pasqual forced his way through a locked door.
Her testimony became central to the prosecution’s case and gave the court a direct account of the fear and violence she experienced.
The attack happened days after Shehorn had filed a restraining order against Pasqual.
Pasqual had previously been arrested for domestic violence on May 18, 2024, and was later released on $50,000 bond, according to the original report, which cited People magazine. Shehorn’s friend Jed Dornoff told People at the time that once Pasqual made bail, “he came after her.”
People reported that Shehorn had sought protection because of a history of domestic violence before the stabbing.
That timeline became one of the most troubling parts of the case: Shehorn had already taken legal steps before the attack that nearly killed her.
The Friend Who Found Her
After the stabbing, Shehorn was found by her friend Christine White.
White told the Los Angeles Times that she instructed Shehorn to keep her hand on her throat to stop the bleeding. The detail underscored the severity of Shehorn’s injuries and the urgency of the moments after the attack.
Shehorn survived, but only after extensive medical intervention.
The injuries, surgery and intensive care stay became part of the broader account of how close the attack came to becoming fatal.
After the attack, Pasqual allegedly fled California.
Authorities later detained him near the United States-Mexico border in Sierra Blanca, Texas, according to the District Attorney’s Office cited in the original article. Entertainment Weekly also reported that Pasqual was arrested at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Texas after the assault.
The arrest brought him back into the legal process that eventually led to his conviction and sentence.
Why the Case Matters
The case matters because it highlights the lethal danger that can surround domestic violence situations even after a victim seeks legal protection.
Shehorn had filed a restraining order. Pasqual had been arrested before the stabbing. Yet the attack still happened.
For the entertainment industry, the case also drew attention because both Pasqual and Shehorn had ties to Hollywood. But the central story is not celebrity. It is survival, accountability and the long-term impact of intimate partner violence.
The sentence of 32 years to life reflects the seriousness of the crimes for which Pasqual was convicted.
Nick Pasqual’s sentencing brings a major legal outcome in a case marked by brutality, fear and survival.
Allie Shehorn endured more than 20 stab wounds, hours of surgery and days in intensive care after the 2024 attack at her home. A jury found Pasqual guilty of multiple serious crimes, including attempted murder and forcible rape, and the court has now sentenced him to 32 years to life in prison.
The case leaves behind a stark reminder: behind the entertainment headlines is a story of domestic violence, a victim who survived, and a justice system that has now delivered a decades-long sentence.