So why didn't he LET HER GO? Why didn't he just assign custody to her parents and walk away?
When you can satisfactorally explain that, I will find it easier to support your belief.
I believe this is why Michael did not let Terry go:
Court testimony provided by members of the Schindler family included very personal statements about their desire and intention to ensure that Theresa remain alive . . . at any and all costs. Nearly gruesome examples were given, eliciting agreement by family members that in the event Theresa should contract diabetes and subsequent gangrene in each of her limbs, they would agree to amputate each limb and would then, were she to be diagnosed with heart disease, perform open-heart surgery. Within the testimony, as part of the hypothetical presented, Schindler family members stated that even if Theresa had told them of her intention to have artificial nutrition withdrawn, they would not do it.
That's beyond gruesome. And I'd expect my husband to make darned sure that never happened to me.
He wanted to fulfill her wishes, and I do believe there was a personal vendetta between Michael and the parents. There are two sides to every story and I don't believe the Schindlers motives are as pure as the driven snow either.