This story takes us to Tallahassee, Florida. It's late spring of 2009. I got a feeling is blasting from car speakers, windows down on purpose. College students at Florida State University are grinding through finals, counting down the days until they leave town for the summer.

But until then, it's schoolwork, meeting friends for late night food runs, and living in that

familiar everyday rhythm. Until one night, everything shatters. Because when a controlled, planned,

and by the book police operation fails, and an innocent college student's life is put at risk,

it opens up a lot of questions.

And when you learn Rachel Hoffman was only 23,

just beginning her adult life,

it's hard to believe that this even happened.

This is the story of Rachel Hoffman.

I'm Ashley. And I'm Ricky. And this is

Crime Salad. Born in Clearwater, Florida, Rachel Hoffman was no ordinary child. Even at a young

age, she was curious, adventurous, and constantly in motion. And by the time she was just

12 years old, Rachel had already tried ballet, horseback riding, and even competed in a

WikiWachi Springs Little Mermaid contest, something that sounds so awesome for a young kid

that perfectly captured her mix of confidence, creativity, and fearlessness.

And for those of you who don't know, WikiWachi Springs is a famous Florida State Park known for

its underwater live mermaid shows. And by the age of 18, that list of activities only grew.

Rachel learned to play both the flute and piano. She went skydiving and hiked the Grand

Canyon. She wasn't someone who just watched life from the sidelines. She was jumping headfirst

into action, always looking for the next experience. And by the age of 23, Rachel had earned her

undergraduate degree in psychology, completed an internship at a mental health

institute, and traveled internationally. She was deeply compassionate and endlessly imaginative.

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