Mean Girl Murders is investigating the murder of Sarah Ludemann, a teenage girl who was stabbed to death by her love rival, Rachel Wade, in Pinellas Park, Florida.
Ludemann and Wade were embroiled in a dispute over the affections of Wade’s former boyfriend, Joshua Camacho.
Their feud grew increasingly nasty over the months before it boiled over into a fight that left 18-year-old student Ludemman dead.
On April 15, 2009, Ludemann confronted Wade outside the house of one of Wade’s friends, and the pair began fighting. Wade stabbed the fellow teenager twice in the chest. Ludemann was unarmed and passed away at the scene.
Wade claimed it had all been self-defense and that she hadn’t intended to stab Ludemann. She said she had heard Ludemann was coming to her home and had only wanted to frighten her away by showing her the knife.
The killer also said that Ludemann had punched her three times in the head, causing her to lash out with the knife. She claimed she hadn’t realized Ludemann was stabbed until she was told later.
However, witnesses reported hearing Wade threatening to stab Ludemann earlier in the day. And the prosecution would later ask why she tried to dispose of the murder weapon if it was self-defense.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelRachel Wade sent threatening messages to Sarah Ludemann
Wade and Ludemann had been trading insults for months through social media, text messages, and voicemails.
In one voicemail in August 2008, Wade told her victim, “I’m guaranteeing you I’m going to … murder you. In a second voicemail, Wade said, “You are a f***ing fat b****, and I’m going to f***ing kill you, I swear on my life.”
The killer claimed to have received similar voicemail messages from Ludemann, but she deleted them.
In 2010, Wade was put on trial, where her legal team continued to claim it was self-defense and had hoped for an acquittal or a manslaughter charge. Ultimately, a jury convicted her of second-degree murder.
Rachel Wade sentenced for killing Sarah Ludemann
The prosecution argued for a life sentence, and the defense asked for 15 years of incarceration plus 15 years of probation. Judge Joseph Bulone opted for 27 years behind bars.
Judge Bulone said he factored into account Wade’s youth and lack of a criminal past but stressed, “The murder was no accident.”
Before her sentencing, Wade told a reporter, “I think about it every day, regardless if they give me five years or 20 years more than they could give me. I never meant to do it, and I’m still gonna have to live with it, no matter if I’m home or if I’m in prison.”
The Florida Department of Corrections has tentatively set a release date for 2032 when she will be in her 40s.
Mean Girl Murders airs Mondays at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery.