Where Is Marcela Borges Now? The True Story Behind Netflix’s ‘Terror Comes Knocking’

Marcela Borges, the Florida mother who survived a horrific three-day hostage ordeal in 2009, now lives a private life in Winter Garden, Florida, with her husband and two sons—including the “miracle baby” she was pregnant with during the attack. Her story, dramatized in the Netflix film Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story (2025), highlights her resilience amid unimaginable trauma. While three perpetrators were imprisoned, the ringleader, Bianca Dos Santos, remains at large, believed to have fled to Bolivia .

The Attack: A Nightmare in Winter Garden

In November 2009, Borges—then 27 and pregnant—lived with her husband, Rubens Morais, and their five-year-old son, Ryan, in a gated Winter Garden community. On November 15, three masked gunmen broke into their home, firing a shot at the door and grabbing Ryan at gunpoint. The assailants blindfolded the family, drove them to a house in Apopka, and tortured them for days while demanding $200,000 .

Borges later told police the intruders played Russian roulette with her son, pressing a gun to his head and pulling the trigger on an empty chamber. “I was absolutely sure that after I paid them, they would kill me,” Rubens testified during the trial of one perpetrator .

Escape and Recovery

On the third day, Borges fought back. She grabbed a knife in the kitchen during a struggle with one captor, whose mask slipped off—revealing her face as Bianca Dos Santos, the ringleader. After Dos Santos attempted to shoot her (the gun misfired), Borges jumped from a second-story window, despite her pregnancy, and fled to a neighbor’s house. Police rescued her family, and all survived after medical treatment .

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Justice Served—But Not Fully

Three perpetrators were captured:

• Victor Manuel Sanchez and Miguel Diaz Santiz received life sentences.
• Oscar Diaz Hernandez attempted suicide before trial and was left in a vegetative state; Borges dropped charges, and he was sent to Honduras .

However, Bianca Dos Santos remains at large, believed to have fled to Bolivia. She is still wanted on attempted murder charges .

Where Is Marcela Borges Now?

Today, Borges lives in Winter Garden, Florida, with Rubens and their two sons, including Lucas—the “miracle baby” she was pregnant with during the invasion. She has largely avoided the public eye, focusing on her family and education. According to her social media, she studied nursing at Valencia College and the University of Central Florida .

The family rarely discusses the case publicly, and it is unclear if they were involved in the production of Terror Comes Knocking, which stars Dascha Polanco as Borges .

Film Reception: Divided Audiences

The Lifetime-turned-Netflix Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story has sparked polarized reactions. While some viewers praised its intensity , others criticized its melodramatic execution and acting . Despite mixed reviews, it reached #5 on Netflix’s Top 10 list .

A Legacy of Resilience

Marcela Borges’ story is a testament to survival and the pursuit of normalcy after trauma. As Terror Comes Knocking streams globally, her real-life journey—from victim to resilient mother and student—resonates far beyond the screen.

FAQs:

What does Marcela Borges do for a living now?
She has studied nursing and focuses on her family, maintaining a very private life away from the public eye.

Is Marcela Borges still in danger?
No. She lives privately in Florida. Three perpetrators are imprisoned, though the ringleader, Bianca Dos Santos, remains at large and is believed to be in Bolivia.

Was the Netflix movie accurate?
The film is based on true events but takes dramatic liberties, such as emphasizing the danger to her pregnancy for heightened tension.