Rachel Marie Wade was born on February 27, 1990, in Pinellas Park, Florida. She grew up in a suburban area and had a typical childhood. Details about her family life and early experiences are not widely documented. As a teenager, Rachel became known for her job as a waitress at a local Applebee's restaurant.

During her youth, Rachel developed a relationship with a boy named Josh Camacho. This relationship later influenced her life significantly. After Rachel and Josh broke up, he began dating Sarah Ludemann. Rachel and Sarah became rivals in a turbulent situation, competing for Josh's attention. Their rivalry became well-known in their community.

In the first few months of Sarah's relationship with Josh, there were several arguments and confrontations between Rachel and Sarah. Police were called to intervene in some of these disputes. Reports showed that there were tensions, including public confrontations and arguments involving other people in Josh's life, including the mother of his child.

Rachel responded to the rivalry with insults and left threatening voicemails for Sarah. Their disputes escalated over time, leading to aggressive confrontations. Sarah even came to Rachel's workplace to provoke her. The nature of their conflict affected Rachel's daily life and work experiences. As the tension grew, Rachel and Sarah's interactions became more hostile and dangerous without clear details about their lives beyond this rivalry.

On the evening of April 14, 2009, Rachel Marie Wade was waiting alone in her apartment. She was feeling tense because her romantic rival, Sarah Ludemann, was with Josh Camacho, the man both women cared about. Wade was outside walking her dog when she heard Ludemann yell from a car, telling her to stay away from Camacho. This added to Wade's fear, and she decided to call an old boyfriend for support.

Later that night, around 11 p.m., Wade went to Camacho's house. While he and Ludemann played video games inside, Wade texted Camacho, expressing her anger and confusion. Ludemann's sister asked for a ride, and when Ludemann learned that Wade was with her ex-boyfriend at his house, she decided to confront Wade.

As Ludemann drove to confront Wade, Wade called and threatened her. When Ludemann arrived, she saw Wade with a friend. Witnesses said Wade became aggressive and attacked Ludemann as she exited the car. Wade claimed she was scared and acted in self-defense as she stabbed Ludemann. One of the stab wounds punctured Ludemann's heart, leading to critical injuries.

After the attack, Ludemann managed to call Camacho to inform him of what had happened. He rushed to the scene with Ludemann's father. Wade, meanwhile, discarded the knife and calmly stated that she was "done." Ludemann was taken to Northside Hospital but succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

Police soon arrived and questioned everyone. Wade broke down in tears when informed about Ludemann’s death. She was arrested several hours later and charged with second-degree murder. Following her arrest, Wade was held in jail until her trial.

The trial started on July 20, 2010. It was broadcasted on television, with some parts streamed live online. The prosecution presented evidence of Wade's intent to kill Ludemann based on their earlier conflicts. Wade claimed she acted in self-defense because she feared for her safety. After three days of testimony, the jury found Wade guilty of second-degree murder in just two and a half hours.

On September 3, 2010, she was sentenced to 27 years in prison for her crime. Throughout the trial, and even afterward, Wade maintained that her actions were a response to fear and aggression from Ludemann. In the years following, her case received media attention and was analyzed in various television programs. As of September 2023, Wade is still incarcerated at Lowell Correctional Institution.