September 19, 2023 • 25 mins
Ever wondered how petty conflicts can snowball into catastrophic incidents? Walk with us through the quiet village of Pennygroes near Caernarfon, Wales where a beloved mother, Emma Jones, makes a simple request to turn down the party music and ends up in a fatal face-off. Shift to sunny Florida where a teenage love triangle unravels deadly passions and fatal rivalries, painting a chilling picture of how a simple schoolyard crush can turn violent.
In our heartfelt discussion, we also introduce you to the chilling characters involved, from the young woman, Alwen Jones, who took Emma's life to the two rival teens, Rachel Wade and Sarah Ludemann, who were head over heels for the same boy. These disturbing narratives are a stark reminder of how quickly disputes can spiral into deadly violence.
“Emma Jones murder: Alwen Jones, 23, remanded over Penygroes murder.” bbc.co.uk. 12 Dec 2011.
“Penygroes trial: Alwen Jones denies murdering Emma Jones” bbc.co.uk. 1 Oct 2012.
“Fatal stab accused Alwen Jones 'frightened' trial hears.” bbc.co.uk. 8 Oct 2012.
“Alwen Jones found guilty of murdering Emma Jones from Penygroes.” bbc.co.uk. 10 Oct 2012.
“Emma Jones murder: Life sentence for Alwen Jones.” bbc.co.uk. 11 Oct 2012.
CNN Wire Staff, Lena Jakobsson, and Beth Karas. “Florida woman involved in love triangle guilty of murder.” cnn.com. 23 July 2010.
DeGregory, Lane. “One teen boy, two teen girls, and homicide.” tampabay.com. 16 Jul 2010.
DeGregory, Lane. “Rachel Wade sentenced to 27 years in prison for stabbing rival in teen love triangle.” tampabay.com. 3 Sep 2010.
Thaji, Jamal. “Teen stabbed to death in feud over boyfriend.” Tampa Bay Times. April 16, 2009.
Waddell, Lynn. “Florida and the Love Triangle Murder.” The Daily Beast. August 8, 2010.
For images related to the cases, check out the Instagram.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Julia Goodwin (00:00):
Hello everyone, this is Julia, and murder is bad
.
We'll actually be covering twocases today.
(00:22):
The first comes out of thevillage Pennygroes, a little
south of Caernarfon, Gwynedd inWales.
As you can tell, I've had tolook up all these names on
howtopronounce.
com, so bear with me, be alittle graceful.
Thank you.
31 year old Emma Jones was inher flat in the Trem y Wyddfa
(00:43):
housing estates with her youngson.
It was after 2am on the morningof December 10th 2011.
And they could hear loud musiccoming from another building in
the complex.
Emma had already asked them toturn down the music several
times and she went over andpartygoers overheard her saying
(01:04):
that they were keeping half theneighborhood awake.
So Emma Jones loved ridinghorses.
She was a devoted mother to herson, who was reported to have
severe learning disabilities.
She had worked at TrigonosEducation Center in Nantlle for
7 years as a catering anddomestic assistant.
Her boss, Richard Grover, saidshe was a wonderful person and a
(01:27):
committed mother.
She was warm and welcoming toall our visitors and made them
feel at home.
She also had a tremendouscapacity to make people laugh.
By that description and withthe simple fact that this is a
true crime podcast, you couldprobably guess that something
terrible is going to happen toEmma.
(01:48):
Back to the scene.
One of the attendees of theparty was 21 year old Grace
Jones.
Not related to Emma or thesupermodel.
She was having a disagreementwith someone at the party and
was asked to leave.
Grace called her boyfriend, whowas with her sister, 24 year
(02:10):
old Alwen Jones, earlier in theevening.
All three were going to attenda party at the Victoria Pub, but
Alwen was the one who wasbarred from that party.
When Grace called, shementioned that Emma was there,
with Emma's boyfriend tellingher to get out of there.
Alwen grabbed a kitchen knifeand put it down her bra before
(02:35):
making the 10 minute walk to a.
Alwen claimed she grabbed itbecause she was afraid of Emma,
who she thought had a violentreputation.
When she arrived, she shoutedup come outside if you think you
are hard enough.
Emma Bach Emma Bach was anickname she had meaning little
(02:59):
Emma.
Alwen would later say that herblood was boiling and that she
was mad.
She would claim that Emma hadstabbed one of her family
members.
A couple weeks prior, though,records couldn't really confirm
that, owyn stated that Emma hadthrown a pint glass from a first
(03:19):
floor window and that the glasshad just missed her before
shattering on the ground.
Owyn also said that Emma spaton her During trial.
Qc Ian Murphy said Emma Joneswas standing there not offering
any threat to you.
She said ha ha ha.
Owyn didn't respond so he wenton.
(03:41):
You said I'll give you ha ha ha.
Stabbed her in the chest.
She did not respond.
The judge Justice John GriffithWilliams, asked Alwyn, do you
agree with that?
She then replied yes.
Around 2.30 Emma and Alwynwalked in front of each other.
(04:02):
Alwyn said I flipped and wentfor her with the knife.
Alwyn Jones inflicted a singledeep stab wound in the chest of
Emma Jones.
Emma's boyfriend put her in hiscar and met an ambulance crew
at a supermarket car park nearbyto rush her to Gwynedd Hospital
(04:24):
in Bangor.
Emma was pronounced deadshortly after arriving.
Emma's funeral was two weekslater.
People filled the wall of Treey Wyddfa with flowers and notes
of Emma.
A Facebook page was floodedwith thousands of grieving
messages and the funeral had amassive turnout.
(04:44):
Emma's father, barry Jones,said he couldn't accept such a
bubbly, loving character goneout of his life to violence.
Alwyn Jones threw the knife ina nearby front garden and went
to her father's home where shehid in a shed.
Alwyn was persuaded to returnby a police officer who called
(05:06):
her cell phone and urged her tothink of her two children.
She was questioned by police,arrested and remanded into
custody.
She was able to defend herselfduring trial and pleaded not
guilty to murder.
Alwyn Jones's QC, elwyn Evans,said she would wish through me
(05:27):
to make it absolutely,abundantly plain to the family
of the person she killed, to herfamily and to the community of
Pinagros, that she deeply andacutely regrets her actions and
is profoundly remorseful.
Alwyn Jones was found guiltyand was given a full life term,
(05:47):
with a minimum of 18 years to beserved.
Justice Griffith- Williams saidyou are a troubled young woman.
It is clear to me that anyonewho would have crossed you that
night would have been in danger.
You took the life of a youngwoman and deprived her son of a
mother he loved.
(06:07):
Now a few details of this tragicand senseless but pretty
straightforward murder remindedme of a fairly well-known case
in true crime circles, the lovetriangle murder out of Pinellas
Park, florida.
I'm not going to do a deep divebecause this case has been
(06:30):
covered extensively andcontinually.
If you're interested, the truecrime podcast Morbid have you
heard of it, does it anexcellent job covering the case
in the episode the Tragic Murderof Sarah Ludemann.
It was posted on December 5th2020,.
If you need to find it, thereare also episodes featuring this
(06:54):
case on Deadly Women Snappedand Crime Watch Daily.
Sometimes I can watch thosethings.
Sometimes they're like reallyflippant and like pedantic.
But anyways, this case takesplace between 2008 and 2009.
This is the time of Flo Rida,alicia Keys and Katy Perry
(07:16):
getting hit on Billboard charts.
Popular shows were Breaking Bad, the Wire, the Shield, nitty
Gritty or, if you were me, showslike Psych and the L Word and
Parks and Rec.
New movies were ForgettingSarah Marshall, pineapple
Express and Kung Fu Panda.
This is also around the timethat Phil Spektor was finally
(07:38):
found guilty for the murder ofLana Clarkson.
The story starts with a feudbetween two teenage girls
fighting over the same boy,19-year-old Rachel Wade and
18-year-old Sarah Luderman.
They grew up in the sameneighborhood, only a few blocks
(07:59):
away from each other, but didnot interact until they became
rivals.
Rachel Wade's mother was JanetWade.
She was an assistant teacher atan elementary school and her
dad drove trucks for a fooddistributor.
Rachel was said to be a happychild and she loved reading and
playing princess and sketchingDisney characters.
(08:20):
Her mom said she was alwaysmaking friends and commanding
attention.
All the girls wanted to be likeher.
All the boys liked her.
Rachel ended up dropping out ofschool her sophomore year and
she got her GED and just startedworking right away.
She was a server at Applebee'sand she earned enough to rent
(08:41):
her own apartment.
Sarah Luderman lived in thesame house her whole life.
Her parents had moved from NewYork to Florida to live
somewhere warm and safe afterwaiting 16 years to have what
would be their only child.
Sarah's mom, gay, was a surgicalnurse and her dad, charlie,
drove a taxi.
(09:02):
Sarah would be beside her dadin his cab, blaring the radio,
singing country songs together.
He would take her to KeithUrban Concerts.
He would take her to her karateclasses and lightning games,
which I'm sure is a sports thing.
Her friend, danielle Ironman,said Sarah loved to sing and
dance.
She was always making up thesecrazy moves pretending she was
(09:24):
Britney Spears.
He is still relatable.
Sarah started high school atTarpon Springs, which is like a
special school, like a magnetschool, to attend its program
and veterinary medicine and shewould have to get up like extra
early because it was a long busride to this type of school.
Rachel was in elementary schoolwhen a new boy joined her class
(09:48):
.
He had six brothers and asister and was from New York and
the Dominican Republic.
The summer after Sarah'ssophomore year she and her
friends spent a lot of timegoing to the movies and eating
at Chick-fil-A.
One afternoon a boy who cookedchicken came out of the back on
his break.
He waved to Sarah and winked.
(10:09):
He said his name was JoshCamacho Soon.
He would be a senior atPinellas Park High and that was
the same boy Rachel had met inelementary school.
Two months later Sarah told herparents she wasn't sure she
still wanted to be aveterinarian and that she wanted
(10:29):
to transfer to Pinellas ParkHigh School.
Josh and Sarah flirted throughthat summer but when fall
happened and she was at PinellasPark High, he would hardly
acknowledge her at school.
But if they were ever alonethey'd be like all over each
other.
Everyone said Josh was Sarah'sfirst kiss, her first boyfriend,
(10:50):
her first everything, which isvery relatable to me because
she's having her firsteverything when she's like 17.
I didn't have my first anythinguntil I was like out of high
school, okay, and they keptcalling her a late bloomer and
big-boned and that's just soinsulting, but anyways, the
(11:12):
first sign that made Sarah'sfriends start to worry is that
she started wearing pants.
So doesn't seem like a big deal, but Sarah always wore shorts,
even in the winter.
A friend said that Josh didn'twant other guys looking at her
legs, and he also startedtelling her who she could be
(11:34):
talking to and who she couldspend time with.
In the first six months she waswith Josh, police interviewed
her six times.
The couple would scream at eachother.
Sarah yelled at the mother ofJosh's child in the parking lot
of the movies and one time Sarahsaid Josh had punched her in
(11:54):
the face.
He admitted it and her parentswanted her to press charges, but
Sarah refused.
During this time, josh was alsoseeing Rachel Wade and the girl
who would be the mother of hischild, who, besides having a
couple like screaming matches,is not really a part of this,
(12:17):
but that's just like anotherperson he's seeing.
Josh had started sleeping overat Rachel's apartment, which
seemed to make her more attachedto him, and a few months after
Rachel and Josh started datingshe saw a photo on MySpace of
Josh with another girl shelooked at, who was tagged in the
(12:37):
picture, and it was SarahLuterman.
Rachel wrote about Josh in herMySpace blog.
Do you remember MySpace blogs?
I mean seriously blast from thepast.
She wrote about him on June17th 2008, saying when we first
met I was madly in love, butsince then things have changed.
(12:58):
You called me names, you sleptaround.
I deserve so much better.
Then, almost instantly, acomment appeared under this post
.
It was from Sarah and itimplied that Josh had quote
found better.
Rachel then somehow got a holdof Sarah's phone number and she
(13:21):
left her a voicemail which Sarahplayed for her friends.
It basically said you're effingwith me when you eff with Josh,
seriously, I'm letting you nowknow you're either going to get
effed up or something of yoursis.
Stop being a B-I-T-C-H, bid-cuh.
(13:43):
10 points to Gryffindor, if youtell me what that quote is from
.
So Rachel's aggressiveness didnot seem to faze Sarah.
She and her friends startedeating at the Applebee's that
Rachel worked at.
They would sit in her section,they would harass her, they
would bump into her and like,make her drop the tray, and they
would follow her out to her carand shoot silly string at her.
(14:04):
Rachel continued to leave moremessages for Sarah calling her
fat and pathetic.
Josh and Rachel kept hooking upand now he had moved in with
her while still seeing Sarah.
Sarah told police.
Rachel called her 20 times intwo hours just to threaten her.
(14:24):
Rachel said Sarah sent hernasty emails.
There had been no physicalaltercations so of course, the
cops just let it go.
And then a voicemail fromRachel to Sarah on August 26,
2008 said I'm guaranteeing you,I'm going to effing murder you.
(14:45):
Sarah's dad would pick her upfrom school and constantly see
her crying.
When he would try to comforther, she would shut him down,
shut him out.
And because she wasself-conscious about her weight,
she had lost 30 pounds over thesix months of this relationship
(15:05):
.
Now, on this particular day,april 14, 2009, sarah
immediately logged onto MySpacewhen she got home.
When she checked Rachel's page,it read mood love in my boo,
smiley face.
She texted Josh whatever, josh,you get so mad at me for
(15:25):
everything, but you don't give ashit when she puts something up
or says something.
You always believe her.
Then she texted again it's likeno matter what I do, she's
always that much better.
And another text All we fightabout is her or something that
has to do with her and it sucks.
I hate fighting with you.
I love you so much, but thisshit hurts.
(15:47):
Then, hours after that, shetexts again.
You say you love me, but youdon't even have the decency to
text me back At 8.02 PM, an hourand a half after that one.
Josh responded with bring themovies.
That's all he said.
(16:08):
But do you know what Sarah did?
She barred her mom's minivanand to drive the two blocks to
Josh's sister's house where hewas chilling.
But before she left she updatedher MySpace status too.
I love you, baby.
No spaces.
During this time, rachel was ather apartment in Largo, about 10
(16:30):
miles away.
She was waiting for Josh toshow up.
She had no idea that Josh andSarah had plans.
While Rachel was walking herdog, she heard a car honk and
saw Sarah in her mom's minivan.
Sarah yelled Stay away from myman.
Rachel said she was scared.
(16:51):
So she called an old boyfriend,javier LaBoy, and told him she
didn't want to be alone andasked if she could come over.
Now this is where I start to seesome similarities to the Emma
Jones and Alwen Jones case.
Because Rachel was scared, shepulled out a steak knife from
(17:11):
her kitchen drawer and put it inher purse At 11pm, which was
Sarah's curfew.
Her and Josh were playing onthe Wii when headlights came
through the front window.
Josh recognized the car asRachel's red Saturn.
Rachel texted Now I know whyyou're not talking to me,
(17:32):
because you got her.
At that point.
Josh had taken five shots ofvodka and smoked like seven
blunts, but he managed to textback.
That's right.
I don't like you no more.
Why are you down this street?
Go home.
Rachel responded no, I'll waitfor her to go home.
At the same time, sarah receiveda text from her dad that said
(17:55):
when.
She said Soon Because she waslike out past curfew.
So he's like when you gonna beback, she's like I'll be back
soon.
After she watched Rachel driveaway, sarah told Josh goodbye.
His sister and her friend askedfor a ride to McDonald's and
she totally obliged.
On the way, sarah passed afriend at a stop sign who said
(18:19):
Guess who, I just saw Rachel.
She told her that she was atJavier's house down the street.
Sarah drove towards Javier'sand her phone rang.
She put it on speaker and itwas Rachel yelling I'm going to
kill you, you and your Mexicanboyfriend, ouch.
(18:41):
When Sarah saw Rachel outside ahouse leaning against a car and
talking to two boys, she put onthe brakes and got out of the
car.
The other girls got out as well.
Sarah and Rachel raced towardeach other.
Sarah reportedly startedswinging her fists to hit Rachel
.
Rachel raised a hand andthrusted it twice in quick
(19:03):
succession and all of a suddenthe fight was over.
She had jabbed the steak knifeinto Sarah's shoulder and then
her heart.
Sarah clutched her chest andtold the girls to get back in
the car.
She fumbled for her phone tocall someone.
(19:24):
Who did she call the police?
Her father, her mother?
No, she called Josh and Sarahgasped it hurts.
Rachel had calmly walked back toJavier's, tossing the knife
(19:45):
onto the roof, just like Alwyntossed it into a neighbor's
garden.
Josh then called Rachel andasked where she was.
When she told him, josh ran thetwo blocks to Sarah's house and
told her dad that she had beenin a fight.
They drove to Javier's wherethey saw the minivan still
parked in the middle of the road.
Sarah was on the sidewalksurrounded by paramedics.
(20:09):
Josh's sister had called 911.
Charlie Luterman rushed towardhis daughter but was pulled back
by police officers.
He said I knew she was dead.
I knew there was nothing anyonecould do.
He drove Josh to the hospital,but Josh refused to see Sarah.
Sarah Ludemann bled out withinan hour of being attacked.
(20:33):
Josh left before her parentsever got to see her body.
Police had found Rachel sittingon a bench at Javier's smoking a
cigarette and nursing a bustedlip.
She said that Josh's sister hadjumped her, scratched her back
(20:53):
and beaten her with a sandal.
When police took Rachel intoquestioning, it seemed that she
didn't know how severe Sarah'sinjuries were.
A detective told her Sarah isdead.
You killed her.
Rachel started to sob andcouldn't stop.
Rachel was held in the PinellasCounty Jail for 15 months before
(21:16):
her trial.
She had no interest in a pleadeal.
She wanted to say her story incourt.
During that time, josh Camachonever tried to contact Rachel.
He wasn't allowed at Sarah'sfuneral and the rumor was that
his parents had sent him to livein New York.
(21:36):
In a sworn deposition, joshsaid that he had been sleeping
around with several girls andthat Sarah and Rachel were two
of those girls.
He said they were not hisgirlfriends, just friends with
benefits.
The defense attorney said Nowyou indicated that you thought
that Sarah loved you.
(21:57):
Did you love her back?
Josh said I think I did.
During her trial, rachel Wade'sattorney, Jay A.
Hebert, said that Josh's sweettalking was manipulative and
conniving.
He said that Josh wasn'tlegally responsible for the
murder but was ethicallyculpable.
(22:18):
Rachel testified that she hadthe knife because she was afraid
of Sarah, who was bigger thanher.
She also said she was afraid ofJosh who had threatened her
with a gun when she tried toleave him, though Josh denied
that allegation.
He also denied something thatseveral people said they heard,
which was if you love me, I'llfight for me.
(22:42):
Yeah, what a disgusting teenageboy.
Prosecutor Lisset G.
Hanewicz said why get rid ofthe weapon if you are acting in
self-defense?
She wanted to get rid of theevidence.
She showed no remorse.
(23:04):
She knew she stabbed her.
Rachel's trial was aired on truTV and garnered her quite a few
supporters who believed Sarahinstigated the whole thing and
that Rachel was just acting inself-defense.
Also, her lawyers tried to usethe like standard ground law in
Florida, but that obviouslydidn't go, because Rachel Wade
(23:29):
was found guilty of seconddegree murder and sentenced to
27 years at the Florida Women'sReception Prison, with a release
date set for June 1, 2032.
She'll be 42.
During sentencing, charlieLuderman said I'll never get to
hold my daughter again, neverget to see her get married,
(23:52):
never hear her laugh at my dumbjokes.
The only way I can hear hervoice is when I call her cell
and she says hey, this is Sarah,leave me a message and I'll
call you back.
Those are the tragic murders ofEmma Jones and Sarah Luderman.
I think the biggest things thattie these two cases together in
(24:15):
my mind are the quick anddeliberate strikes it took to
end their lives and the pettyfights that preceded their
deaths.
Please, everyone, just takecare of each other and remember
murder is bad.
Thank you for listening.
(24:47):
If you're interested in imagesrelated to this case, you can go
over to the Instagram at MurderIs Bad podcast.
Leave a comment and a message.
If you're feeling generous, doa little five star rating, a
nice little review.
I would appreciate that so much.
(25:08):
Most importantly, though, keeplistening, keep sharing, and I
will talk to you soon.
Thank you, bye.
Hello everyone, this is Julia, and murder is bad
.
We'll actually be covering twocases today.
(00:22):
The first comes out of thevillage Pennygroes, a little
south of Caernarfon, Gwynedd inWales.
As you can tell, I've had tolook up all these names on
howtopronounce.
com, so bear with me, be alittle graceful.
Thank you.
31 year old Emma Jones was inher flat in the Trem y Wyddfa
(00:43):
housing estates with her youngson.
It was after 2am on the morningof December 10th 2011.
And they could hear loud musiccoming from another building in
the complex.
Emma had already asked them toturn down the music several
times and she went over andpartygoers overheard her saying
(01:04):
that they were keeping half theneighborhood awake.
So Emma Jones loved ridinghorses.
She was a devoted mother to herson, who was reported to have
severe learning disabilities.
She had worked at TrigonosEducation Center in Nantlle for
7 years as a catering anddomestic assistant.
Her boss, Richard Grover, saidshe was a wonderful person and a
(01:27):
committed mother.
She was warm and welcoming toall our visitors and made them
feel at home.
She also had a tremendouscapacity to make people laugh.
By that description and withthe simple fact that this is a
true crime podcast, you couldprobably guess that something
terrible is going to happen toEmma.
(01:48):
Back to the scene.
One of the attendees of theparty was 21 year old Grace
Jones.
Not related to Emma or thesupermodel.
She was having a disagreementwith someone at the party and
was asked to leave.
Grace called her boyfriend, whowas with her sister, 24 year
(02:10):
old Alwen Jones, earlier in theevening.
All three were going to attenda party at the Victoria Pub, but
Alwen was the one who wasbarred from that party.
When Grace called, shementioned that Emma was there,
with Emma's boyfriend tellingher to get out of there.
Alwen grabbed a kitchen knifeand put it down her bra before
(02:35):
making the 10 minute walk to a.
Alwen claimed she grabbed itbecause she was afraid of Emma,
who she thought had a violentreputation.
When she arrived, she shoutedup come outside if you think you
are hard enough.
Emma Bach Emma Bach was anickname she had meaning little
(02:59):
Emma.
Alwen would later say that herblood was boiling and that she
was mad.
She would claim that Emma hadstabbed one of her family
members.
A couple weeks prior, though,records couldn't really confirm
that, owyn stated that Emma hadthrown a pint glass from a first
(03:19):
floor window and that the glasshad just missed her before
shattering on the ground.
Owyn also said that Emma spaton her During trial.
Qc Ian Murphy said Emma Joneswas standing there not offering
any threat to you.
She said ha ha ha.
Owyn didn't respond so he wenton.
(03:41):
You said I'll give you ha ha ha.
Stabbed her in the chest.
She did not respond.
The judge Justice John GriffithWilliams, asked Alwyn, do you
agree with that?
She then replied yes.
Around 2.30 Emma and Alwynwalked in front of each other.
(04:02):
Alwyn said I flipped and wentfor her with the knife.
Alwyn Jones inflicted a singledeep stab wound in the chest of
Emma Jones.
Emma's boyfriend put her in hiscar and met an ambulance crew
at a supermarket car park nearbyto rush her to Gwynedd Hospital
(04:24):
in Bangor.
Emma was pronounced deadshortly after arriving.
Emma's funeral was two weekslater.
People filled the wall of Treey Wyddfa with flowers and notes
of Emma.
A Facebook page was floodedwith thousands of grieving
messages and the funeral had amassive turnout.
(04:44):
Emma's father, barry Jones,said he couldn't accept such a
bubbly, loving character goneout of his life to violence.
Alwyn Jones threw the knife ina nearby front garden and went
to her father's home where shehid in a shed.
Alwyn was persuaded to returnby a police officer who called
(05:06):
her cell phone and urged her tothink of her two children.
She was questioned by police,arrested and remanded into
custody.
She was able to defend herselfduring trial and pleaded not
guilty to murder.
Alwyn Jones's QC, elwyn Evans,said she would wish through me
(05:27):
to make it absolutely,abundantly plain to the family
of the person she killed, to herfamily and to the community of
Pinagros, that she deeply andacutely regrets her actions and
is profoundly remorseful.
Alwyn Jones was found guiltyand was given a full life term,
(05:47):
with a minimum of 18 years to beserved.
Justice Griffith- Williams saidyou are a troubled young woman.
It is clear to me that anyonewho would have crossed you that
night would have been in danger.
You took the life of a youngwoman and deprived her son of a
mother he loved.
(06:07):
Now a few details of this tragicand senseless but pretty
straightforward murder remindedme of a fairly well-known case
in true crime circles, the lovetriangle murder out of Pinellas
Park, florida.
I'm not going to do a deep divebecause this case has been
(06:30):
covered extensively andcontinually.
If you're interested, the truecrime podcast Morbid have you
heard of it, does it anexcellent job covering the case
in the episode the Tragic Murderof Sarah Ludemann.
It was posted on December 5th2020,.
If you need to find it, thereare also episodes featuring this
(06:54):
case on Deadly Women Snappedand Crime Watch Daily.
Sometimes I can watch thosethings.
Sometimes they're like reallyflippant and like pedantic.
But anyways, this case takesplace between 2008 and 2009.
This is the time of Flo Rida,alicia Keys and Katy Perry
(07:16):
getting hit on Billboard charts.
Popular shows were Breaking Bad, the Wire, the Shield, nitty
Gritty or, if you were me, showslike Psych and the L Word and
Parks and Rec.
New movies were ForgettingSarah Marshall, pineapple
Express and Kung Fu Panda.
This is also around the timethat Phil Spektor was finally
(07:38):
found guilty for the murder ofLana Clarkson.
The story starts with a feudbetween two teenage girls
fighting over the same boy,19-year-old Rachel Wade and
18-year-old Sarah Luderman.
They grew up in the sameneighborhood, only a few blocks
(07:59):
away from each other, but didnot interact until they became
rivals.
Rachel Wade's mother was JanetWade.
She was an assistant teacher atan elementary school and her
dad drove trucks for a fooddistributor.
Rachel was said to be a happychild and she loved reading and
playing princess and sketchingDisney characters.
(08:20):
Her mom said she was alwaysmaking friends and commanding
attention.
All the girls wanted to be likeher.
All the boys liked her.
Rachel ended up dropping out ofschool her sophomore year and
she got her GED and just startedworking right away.
She was a server at Applebee'sand she earned enough to rent
(08:41):
her own apartment.
Sarah Luderman lived in thesame house her whole life.
Her parents had moved from NewYork to Florida to live
somewhere warm and safe afterwaiting 16 years to have what
would be their only child.
Sarah's mom, gay, was a surgicalnurse and her dad, charlie,
drove a taxi.
(09:02):
Sarah would be beside her dadin his cab, blaring the radio,
singing country songs together.
He would take her to KeithUrban Concerts.
He would take her to her karateclasses and lightning games,
which I'm sure is a sports thing.
Her friend, danielle Ironman,said Sarah loved to sing and
dance.
She was always making up thesecrazy moves pretending she was
(09:24):
Britney Spears.
He is still relatable.
Sarah started high school atTarpon Springs, which is like a
special school, like a magnetschool, to attend its program
and veterinary medicine and shewould have to get up like extra
early because it was a long busride to this type of school.
Rachel was in elementary schoolwhen a new boy joined her class
(09:48):
.
He had six brothers and asister and was from New York and
the Dominican Republic.
The summer after Sarah'ssophomore year she and her
friends spent a lot of timegoing to the movies and eating
at Chick-fil-A.
One afternoon a boy who cookedchicken came out of the back on
his break.
He waved to Sarah and winked.
(10:09):
He said his name was JoshCamacho Soon.
He would be a senior atPinellas Park High and that was
the same boy Rachel had met inelementary school.
Two months later Sarah told herparents she wasn't sure she
still wanted to be aveterinarian and that she wanted
(10:29):
to transfer to Pinellas ParkHigh School.
Josh and Sarah flirted throughthat summer but when fall
happened and she was at PinellasPark High, he would hardly
acknowledge her at school.
But if they were ever alonethey'd be like all over each
other.
Everyone said Josh was Sarah'sfirst kiss, her first boyfriend,
(10:50):
her first everything, which isvery relatable to me because
she's having her firsteverything when she's like 17.
I didn't have my first anythinguntil I was like out of high
school, okay, and they keptcalling her a late bloomer and
big-boned and that's just soinsulting, but anyways, the
(11:12):
first sign that made Sarah'sfriends start to worry is that
she started wearing pants.
So doesn't seem like a big deal, but Sarah always wore shorts,
even in the winter.
A friend said that Josh didn'twant other guys looking at her
legs, and he also startedtelling her who she could be
(11:34):
talking to and who she couldspend time with.
In the first six months she waswith Josh, police interviewed
her six times.
The couple would scream at eachother.
Sarah yelled at the mother ofJosh's child in the parking lot
of the movies and one time Sarahsaid Josh had punched her in
(11:54):
the face.
He admitted it and her parentswanted her to press charges, but
Sarah refused.
During this time, josh was alsoseeing Rachel Wade and the girl
who would be the mother of hischild, who, besides having a
couple like screaming matches,is not really a part of this,
(12:17):
but that's just like anotherperson he's seeing.
Josh had started sleeping overat Rachel's apartment, which
seemed to make her more attachedto him, and a few months after
Rachel and Josh started datingshe saw a photo on MySpace of
Josh with another girl shelooked at, who was tagged in the
(12:37):
picture, and it was SarahLuterman.
Rachel wrote about Josh in herMySpace blog.
Do you remember MySpace blogs?
I mean seriously blast from thepast.
She wrote about him on June17th 2008, saying when we first
met I was madly in love, butsince then things have changed.
(12:58):
You called me names, you sleptaround.
I deserve so much better.
Then, almost instantly, acomment appeared under this post
.
It was from Sarah and itimplied that Josh had quote
found better.
Rachel then somehow got a holdof Sarah's phone number and she
(13:21):
left her a voicemail which Sarahplayed for her friends.
It basically said you're effingwith me when you eff with Josh,
seriously, I'm letting you nowknow you're either going to get
effed up or something of yoursis.
Stop being a B-I-T-C-H, bid-cuh.
(13:43):
10 points to Gryffindor, if youtell me what that quote is from
.
So Rachel's aggressiveness didnot seem to faze Sarah.
She and her friends startedeating at the Applebee's that
Rachel worked at.
They would sit in her section,they would harass her, they
would bump into her and like,make her drop the tray, and they
would follow her out to her carand shoot silly string at her.
(14:04):
Rachel continued to leave moremessages for Sarah calling her
fat and pathetic.
Josh and Rachel kept hooking upand now he had moved in with
her while still seeing Sarah.
Sarah told police.
Rachel called her 20 times intwo hours just to threaten her.
(14:24):
Rachel said Sarah sent hernasty emails.
There had been no physicalaltercations so of course, the
cops just let it go.
And then a voicemail fromRachel to Sarah on August 26,
2008 said I'm guaranteeing you,I'm going to effing murder you.
(14:45):
Sarah's dad would pick her upfrom school and constantly see
her crying.
When he would try to comforther, she would shut him down,
shut him out.
And because she wasself-conscious about her weight,
she had lost 30 pounds over thesix months of this relationship
(15:05):
.
Now, on this particular day,april 14, 2009, sarah
immediately logged onto MySpacewhen she got home.
When she checked Rachel's page,it read mood love in my boo,
smiley face.
She texted Josh whatever, josh,you get so mad at me for
(15:25):
everything, but you don't give ashit when she puts something up
or says something.
You always believe her.
Then she texted again it's likeno matter what I do, she's
always that much better.
And another text All we fightabout is her or something that
has to do with her and it sucks.
I hate fighting with you.
I love you so much, but thisshit hurts.
(15:47):
Then, hours after that, shetexts again.
You say you love me, but youdon't even have the decency to
text me back At 8.02 PM, an hourand a half after that one.
Josh responded with bring themovies.
That's all he said.
(16:08):
But do you know what Sarah did?
She barred her mom's minivanand to drive the two blocks to
Josh's sister's house where hewas chilling.
But before she left she updatedher MySpace status too.
I love you, baby.
No spaces.
During this time, rachel was ather apartment in Largo, about 10
(16:30):
miles away.
She was waiting for Josh toshow up.
She had no idea that Josh andSarah had plans.
While Rachel was walking herdog, she heard a car honk and
saw Sarah in her mom's minivan.
Sarah yelled Stay away from myman.
Rachel said she was scared.
(16:51):
So she called an old boyfriend,javier LaBoy, and told him she
didn't want to be alone andasked if she could come over.
Now this is where I start to seesome similarities to the Emma
Jones and Alwen Jones case.
Because Rachel was scared, shepulled out a steak knife from
(17:11):
her kitchen drawer and put it inher purse At 11pm, which was
Sarah's curfew.
Her and Josh were playing onthe Wii when headlights came
through the front window.
Josh recognized the car asRachel's red Saturn.
Rachel texted Now I know whyyou're not talking to me,
(17:32):
because you got her.
At that point.
Josh had taken five shots ofvodka and smoked like seven
blunts, but he managed to textback.
That's right.
I don't like you no more.
Why are you down this street?
Go home.
Rachel responded no, I'll waitfor her to go home.
At the same time, sarah receiveda text from her dad that said
(17:55):
when.
She said Soon Because she waslike out past curfew.
So he's like when you gonna beback, she's like I'll be back
soon.
After she watched Rachel driveaway, sarah told Josh goodbye.
His sister and her friend askedfor a ride to McDonald's and
she totally obliged.
On the way, sarah passed afriend at a stop sign who said
(18:19):
Guess who, I just saw Rachel.
She told her that she was atJavier's house down the street.
Sarah drove towards Javier'sand her phone rang.
She put it on speaker and itwas Rachel yelling I'm going to
kill you, you and your Mexicanboyfriend, ouch.
(18:41):
When Sarah saw Rachel outside ahouse leaning against a car and
talking to two boys, she put onthe brakes and got out of the
car.
The other girls got out as well.
Sarah and Rachel raced towardeach other.
Sarah reportedly startedswinging her fists to hit Rachel
.
Rachel raised a hand andthrusted it twice in quick
(19:03):
succession and all of a suddenthe fight was over.
She had jabbed the steak knifeinto Sarah's shoulder and then
her heart.
Sarah clutched her chest andtold the girls to get back in
the car.
She fumbled for her phone tocall someone.
(19:24):
Who did she call the police?
Her father, her mother?
No, she called Josh and Sarahgasped it hurts.
Rachel had calmly walked back toJavier's, tossing the knife
(19:45):
onto the roof, just like Alwyntossed it into a neighbor's
garden.
Josh then called Rachel andasked where she was.
When she told him, josh ran thetwo blocks to Sarah's house and
told her dad that she had beenin a fight.
They drove to Javier's wherethey saw the minivan still
parked in the middle of the road.
Sarah was on the sidewalksurrounded by paramedics.
(20:09):
Josh's sister had called 911.
Charlie Luterman rushed towardhis daughter but was pulled back
by police officers.
He said I knew she was dead.
I knew there was nothing anyonecould do.
He drove Josh to the hospital,but Josh refused to see Sarah.
Sarah Ludemann bled out withinan hour of being attacked.
(20:33):
Josh left before her parentsever got to see her body.
Police had found Rachel sittingon a bench at Javier's smoking a
cigarette and nursing a bustedlip.
She said that Josh's sister hadjumped her, scratched her back
(20:53):
and beaten her with a sandal.
When police took Rachel intoquestioning, it seemed that she
didn't know how severe Sarah'sinjuries were.
A detective told her Sarah isdead.
You killed her.
Rachel started to sob andcouldn't stop.
Rachel was held in the PinellasCounty Jail for 15 months before
(21:16):
her trial.
She had no interest in a pleadeal.
She wanted to say her story incourt.
During that time, josh Camachonever tried to contact Rachel.
He wasn't allowed at Sarah'sfuneral and the rumor was that
his parents had sent him to livein New York.
(21:36):
In a sworn deposition, joshsaid that he had been sleeping
around with several girls andthat Sarah and Rachel were two
of those girls.
He said they were not hisgirlfriends, just friends with
benefits.
The defense attorney said Nowyou indicated that you thought
that Sarah loved you.
(21:57):
Did you love her back?
Josh said I think I did.
During her trial, rachel Wade'sattorney, Jay A.
Hebert, said that Josh's sweettalking was manipulative and
conniving.
He said that Josh wasn'tlegally responsible for the
murder but was ethicallyculpable.
(22:18):
Rachel testified that she hadthe knife because she was afraid
of Sarah, who was bigger thanher.
She also said she was afraid ofJosh who had threatened her
with a gun when she tried toleave him, though Josh denied
that allegation.
He also denied something thatseveral people said they heard,
which was if you love me, I'llfight for me.
(22:42):
Yeah, what a disgusting teenageboy.
Prosecutor Lisset G.
Hanewicz said why get rid ofthe weapon if you are acting in
self-defense?
She wanted to get rid of theevidence.
She showed no remorse.
(23:04):
She knew she stabbed her.
Rachel's trial was aired on truTV and garnered her quite a few
supporters who believed Sarahinstigated the whole thing and
that Rachel was just acting inself-defense.
Also, her lawyers tried to usethe like standard ground law in
Florida, but that obviouslydidn't go, because Rachel Wade
(23:29):
was found guilty of seconddegree murder and sentenced to
27 years at the Florida Women'sReception Prison, with a release
date set for June 1, 2032.
She'll be 42.
During sentencing, charlieLuderman said I'll never get to
hold my daughter again, neverget to see her get married,
(23:52):
never hear her laugh at my dumbjokes.
The only way I can hear hervoice is when I call her cell
and she says hey, this is Sarah,leave me a message and I'll
call you back.
Those are the tragic murders ofEmma Jones and Sarah Luderman.
I think the biggest things thattie these two cases together in
(24:15):
my mind are the quick anddeliberate strikes it took to
end their lives and the pettyfights that preceded their
deaths.
Please, everyone, just takecare of each other and remember
murder is bad.
Thank you for listening.
(24:47):
If you're interested in imagesrelated to this case, you can go
over to the Instagram at MurderIs Bad podcast.
Leave a comment and a message.
If you're feeling generous, doa little five star rating, a
nice little review.
I would appreciate that so much.
(25:08):
Most importantly, though, keeplistening, keep sharing, and I
will talk to you soon.
Thank you, bye.
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