In 1995, Rachel and her best friend Janie Lynn Ridd moved in together, marking the beginning of a friendship that would later turn deadly. Rachel, then 22, trusted Ridd implicitly, even naming her as the beneficiary on a significant life insurance policy after the birth of her son, Ryder. This trust would be shattered as Ridd’s dark intentions came to light.
Rachel’s ordeal began when she was recovering from major spine surgery and Ridd attempted to take custody of her son. Suspicious of Ridd’s motives, Rachel’s fears were confirmed when she discovered Ridd holding onto her child against her will. Despite this, Rachel and Ridd rekindled their friendship and moved back in together after a stint in a housing shelter.
The turning point came one night while they were watching a true crime documentary. The show featured a nurse who used succinylcholine to kill a patient, which was detected in an autopsy. Rachel casually remarked that the nurse was foolish for not using an undetectable substance. She now believes this conversation planted the seed in Ridd’s mind to plot her murder.
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In 2019, Rachel was shocked to wake up in a hospital with dangerously low blood sugar levels, despite not having diabetes. This alarming episode repeated, leading to extensive testing and hospital stays. Unbeknownst to Rachel, the FBI was investigating Ridd for attempting to purchase a lethal bacteria, Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (VRSA), on the Dark Web.
Agents intercepted the bacteria and replaced it with a dummy package. They then staked out the UPS store where Ridd was to collect the package. After tailing her and apprehending her at work, Ridd initially claimed the package contained coffee beans. However, she eventually confessed to her sinister plans.
Further investigation revealed an insulin pen with Rachel’s DNA, confirming Ridd’s attempts to poison her. Rachel now believes Ridd started with Xanax and progressed to stronger substances like Ketamine and E.Coli in her attempt to kill her.
In 2019, Ridd was sentenced to one to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted possession or use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult. She served 25 months before being released in January 2022.
Rachel shared her harrowing story in the Netflix series “Worst Roommate Ever,” describing Ridd’s actions as “diabolical” and “evil.” She believes Ridd found joy in tormenting her and would have continued living with her child without remorse if she had succeeded in her deadly plot.
For those intrigued by this chilling tale, the second season of “Worst Roommate Ever” is now available for streaming on Netflix.
