In late spring 2009, Florida State University students in Tallahassee, Florida were wrapping up finals when 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman became the center of a police operation that would end in tragedy. In this episode of Crime Salad, we break down the Rachel Hoffman case, focusing on how a “controlled” and “by-the-book” confidential informant (CI) operation unraveled, and why officers reportedly waited more than 90 minutes after her last contact before launching a search.

Rachel Hoffman was a college student with big plans, described as driven and fearless, working toward her future when she was asked to assist law enforcement as an informant during a drug sting in Tallahassee. What happened next raised serious questions about informant safety, police procedures, and accountability when undercover operations go wrong.

We cover the timeline, the decisions made leading up to that night, and the broader issue of how confidential informants are used in drug investigations, especially when the informant is young, vulnerable, or under pressure. This is the story of Rachel Hoffman, and the failures that followed.

Keywords: Rachel Hoffman, Rachel Hoffman case, Rachel Hoffman murder, Tallahassee Florida, Florida State University, confidential informant, CI, police informant, drug sting, controlled buy, undercover operation, law enforcement negligence, informant safety, true crime podcast, Crime Salad.

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