Betrayed by the Law: Veronica Woodard

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: When 26-year-old Veronica Woodard was found burned beyond recognition in a secluded Atlanta area, the city was left reeling. But the true shock came when investigators uncovered her killer—25-year-old Atlanta police officer Tahreem Rana. Their fateful meeting on Backpage.com set the stage for a gruesome betrayal that shattered the trust between law enforcement and the community. How did a man sworn to protect and serve commit such a brutal crime?  

This is the story of Veronica Woodard. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Speaks to the planning.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'll go by the name of Charlamagne of God and
guess what, I can't wait to see y'all at the
third annual Black Effect Podcast Festival. That's right, We're coming
back to Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday, April twenty six at Poleman
Yards and it's hosted by none other than Decisions, Decisions, Man,
Be Be and Weezy. Okay. We got the R and
B Money podcast with taking Jay Valentine. We got the
Women of All Podcasts with Saray Jake Roberts, we got

(00:22):
Good Mom's Bad Choices. Carrie Champion will be there with
her next sports podcast, and the Trap Nerds podcast with
more to be announced. And of course it's bigger than podcasts.
We're bringing the Black Effect marketplace with black owned businesses
plus the food truck court to keep you fed while
you visit us. All right, listen, you don't want to
miss this. Tapp in and grab your tickets now at
Black Effect dot Com Flash Podcast Festival.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host, Hunter and Today, we're
discussing a case that sent shockwaves through the city of Atlanta.
This case centers around a twenty six year old woman

(01:07):
whose brutal murder would reveal dark secrets hidden within the
ranks of someone sworn to protect and serve. This is
the story of Veronica Woodard. In twenty twenty, the Atlanta
Police Department came under intense scrutiny after a series of

(01:28):
disturbing incidents, the on camera tasing of two college students
and the fatal shooting of Rayschard Brooks at an Atlanta Wendy's.
But long before these events took place, another sinister crime unfolded.
August twenty second, twenty fourteen, the charred remains of twenty

(01:51):
six year old Veronica Woodard were discovered in a secluded area.
The horror of her death sent ripples through the city,
but the real shot came when investigators uncovered a link
between Veronica and an unlikely suspect, one of Atlanta's very
own police officers. That officer was twenty five year old

(02:16):
ta Rain Rana, a man trusted to uphold the law,
now at the center of a murder investigation. Investigators traces
this connection to Veronica back to backpage dot com, a
site notorious for ilicted activities. This is where their fatal
encounter was set into motion. What began as a simple

(02:42):
meeting quickly turned violent. The former officer would later claim
he acted in self defense, alleging Veronica attempted to rob him,
but forensic evidence painted a much different picture, one that
suggested Veronica had been in a defense position when she
was shocked. As the case unraveled, the Atlanta Police department

(03:07):
moved swiftly. Rana was stripped of his badge, but he
had no intention of facing justice. Just before authorities could
fully close in, he made a desperate attempt to flee
the country, boarding a flight bound for Mexico, but justice

(03:29):
cut up with him. Verana was arrested before he could
leave the United States, bringing his attempted escape to an
abrupt end. What followed next was a trial that exposed
the horrifying truth of what he had done. The jury
saw through his lies. He testified how Veronica tried to

(03:51):
rob and carjack him, later admitting how he killed her
during the struggle, panicked, and then proceeded to set her
body on fire to cover up his crimes. He was
convicted of Veronica's murder and sentenced to life in prison
without the possibility of parole in October twenty fourteen, plus

(04:13):
an additional sixteen years. Veronica's murder wasn't just a tragedy.
It was a betrayal, and it's something that never should
have happened. My thoughts and prayers go out to the
family and friends of Veronica Woodard as they continue to
cope with the aftermath of this tragedy. As we wrap

(04:35):
up this episode, don't forget to hit the follow button
to stay updated on this case and others like it. Also,
be sure to subscribe to Hunting for Answers on YouTube
and follow us on Instagram and TikTok. Thank you so
much for joining us on another episode. Until next time.

(05:11):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network,
visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
to your favorite shows.