Fan faked being Martin Scorsese’s assistant to find actress Theresa Saldana; Stabbed her 10 times

When Theresa Saldana was stabbed 10 times by fan

• Theresa Saldana survived a brutal 1982 stabbing by an obsessed fan
• She continued acting, earning a Golden Globe nomination for The Commish in 1994
• Saldana died in 2016 at age 61, remembered for her talent and resilience

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In the early 1980s, Theresa Saldana was exactly where many young actors dream of being.

Fresh from acclaimed performances and working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, her career seemed to be gathering real momentum. Few could have imagined that a single morning in 1982 would come close to ending her life and permanently reshape her relationship with fame.

Theresa Saldana had recently won attention for her role in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull, appearing alongside Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, and was being spoken of as a promising talent after her work in Defiance.

At just 27, she was focused on building her career when an obsessive stranger crossed the line between admiration and violence.

That man was Arthur Richard Jackson, a drifter from Aberdeen, Scotland, who became fixated on Theresa Saldana after watching her films. His obsession grew methodically. He hired a private investigator, tracked down her family and obtained her mother’s unlisted phone number.

Posing as Martin Scorsese’s assistant, he called and asked for Theresa Saldana’s address under the pretence of discussing a film role. With chilling patience, he travelled to Los Angeles, waited outside her West Hollywood apartment and armed himself with a hunting knife.

On March 15, 1982, as Theresa Saldana unlocked her car, Jackson attacked, stabbing her again and again. The assault was so brutal that, according to a PEOPLE report, the knife bent. Several people saw what was happening, but it was delivery driver Jeff Fenn who rushed forward, disarmed Jackson and almost certainly saved her life.

By the time paramedics reached her, Theresa Saldana was barely alive. As PEOPLE later reported, “most of the blood had drained from her body and her heart had stopped." Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center performed emergency heart and lung surgery, transfusing 26 pints of blood to keep her alive.

Jackson was arrested immediately and later convicted of attempted murder. Prosecutor Michael Knight recalled that Jackson "would just sit there and stare at Theresa." Even in prison, the threat did not fully disappear. His sentence was extended after he sent disturbing letters, including one that read, “I am capable of alternating between sentiment and savagery, romance and reality. Police or FBI protection for T. S. won’t stop the hit squad."

After completing his sentence, Jackson was extradited to the United Kingdom over separate murder charges.

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Despite the trauma, Theresa Saldana chose to move forward. She married actor Phil Peters and became a mother to their daughter, Tianna Saldana Peters. Speaking to PEOPLE while pregnant, she said, “I’m very happy. Newly married, having a baby — my mom’s first grandchild. We have a lot of exciting things happening. I don’t live my life thinking about Arthur Jackson. I really don’t."

Theresa Saldana continued working and earned a Golden Globe nomination for The Commish in 1994. She died on June 6, 2016, aged 61, after being hospitalised with pneumonia, remembered not only for her talent, but for her remarkable resilience.