Janie Lynn Ridd is a Utah woman who gained notoriety for attempting to poison her best friend and roommate, Rachel.
Ridd was involved in a disturbing case where she bought a biological poison, specifically a strain of bacteria, to infect her roommate.
Highlights
- Janie Lynn Ridd attempted to poison her longtime friend and roommate, Rachel, using antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Ridd’s actions were driven by an obsession with Rachel’s son, leading to a shocking betrayal of their 25-year friendship.
- Janie was employed at a job assistance center for Native Americans in West Valley City, Utah.
Ridd pleaded guilty to attempted possession of the poison and faced charges of aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, which is a second-degree felony.
Moreover, the case is shown in the first episode, My BFF Tried to Kill Me, of Season 2 of “Worst Roommate Ever” on Netflix.
It explains how Ridd became obsessed with Rachel’s son and abused her position as Rachel’s caretaker.
Janie Lynn Ridd, Tried To Poison Her Roommate, Rachel, With Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Janie Lynn Ridd attempted to poison her longtime roommate and best friend, Rachel, with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Ridd and Rachel had been friends for over 25 years and had lived together for about 15 years.
However, their relationship turns dark when Ridd develops an unhealthy obsession with Rachel’s son.
Ridd’s obsession led her to take extreme and dangerous actions. She purchased a strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the dark web, known to cause severe staph infections.
Her plan was to infect Rachel, who was already in a vulnerable state due to her health condition, with this deadly bacteria.
This act of betrayal came as a shock, considering the long-standing friendship between the two women.
The authorities discovered Ridd’s plan when she was caught with the biological agent. She faced serious legal consequences for her actions.
Ridd pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, a second-degree felony and attempted abuse of a vulnerable adult.
Rachel spoke out about the traumatic experience in the documentary, and given their long friendship, she expressed her shock and betrayal at Ridd’s actions.
Despite the ordeal, Rachel survived the attempt on her life and continues to deal with the emotional aftermath.
Janie Lynn Ridd, Currently 55, Gains Attention Amidst New Netflix Docuseries “Worst Roommate Ever”
Janie Lynn Ridd, a Utah resident, moved in with Rachel in 1995 when Rachel, recently divorced and eager to leave her parents’ home, was seeking a housemate.
They moved in together, and initially, their relationship appeared positive. Janie assisted Rachel financially, while Rachel helped the introverted Janie become more socially engaged.
Contrary to Janie’s claim that she was a biology teacher who needed VRSA for a school experiment, she was actually employed at a job assistance center for Native Americans in West Valley City, Utah.
Ridd stated that she and her roommate had been friends for more than twenty years and that they had life insurance policies with each other as beneficiaries.
She indicated that their bond was so strong that her roommate had also written a will naming Ridd as the custodian of her son if she passed away.
However, things turned tragic when, in October 2019, Ridd became “upset” when her roommate talked about changing the will to appoint her niece as her son’s legal guardian.
Moreover, after this incident, Janie became obsessed with Rachel’s son and took action that damaged her and her roommate’s lives.
As noted in the Netflix documentary, Ridd was granted parole and released in January 2022 after serving 25 months in prison.
In an undated recording of a phone call from the Salt Lake County Jail, played during the show, Ridd was heard saying:
“I know what’s going to happen. I’m going to end up out of here. I’m going to find a way to get him away from her. He needs to come back to me now.”
Janie Lynn Ridd
Even though this story is covered by many authorized sites, Janie Lynn Ridd’s wikipedia page is yet to be featured.
Additional Information
- Janie became Rachel’s caregiver and took out a $500,000 life insurance policy with herself named as the beneficiary.
- After 15 years of living together, Rachel’s health began to decline. Between 2015 and 2018, she experienced multiple back injuries that prevented her from working.
- After serving some months in prison, Janie Ridd was granted parole in 2022, and her current residence is still unknown.
