Tonight, ABC News’ In An Instant will investigate a case of online dating gone wrong.
The episode will center on an incident that occurred between Mary Kay Beckman and a man named Wade Ridley, whom she met on an online dating site. The two dated for just eight days before splitting up, but little did Mary know, that wasn’t the end of her interactions with the man.
Read on to learn more about Wade Ridley:
1. He Hid in Beckman’s Garage Four Months After the Breakup
#AZSportsReport: Wade Ridley, http://t.co/VVvwQqdL “Hunter” Who Killed Phoenix Woman, Apparently Commits Suicide In Nevada Joint
On January 21, 2011, four months after breaking up from a brief relationship, Ridley hid in Beckman’s garage.
Upon returning home, he attacked Beckman with a butcher knife, and stabbed her until the knife broke. He also “stomped on her head before fleeing”. In the words of attorney Mark Saggese, “He stabbed her dozens of times in the face. He smashed her head with a rock. He stomped her face with his feet. He left her for dead.”
According to Broadway World, Beckman was struggling to stay alive when a neighbor called 911.
2. He Was in Custody for the Murder of Another Ex-Girlfriend When Police Found Him
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When police finally found Ridley after Beckman’s attack, they learned that he was already in custody for another ex-girlfriend’s murder– he found this woman on an dating website, as well. According to Hawaii News Now, when Ridley was interviewed by detectives about the murdered woman, he said he was “surprised” to find out Beckman had survived the attack.
According to an arrest report obtained by ABC News, Ridley told police he waited in Beckman’s garage and killed the other woman “because he felt they had both jilted him.”
3. Beckman Sued Match.com for $10 Million
Beckman sued Match.com for $10 million after her incident with Ridley.
Discussing the incident with Fox 5, Beckman said, “When the police arrested him, he said he wasn’t there to hurt me. He was there to kill me… His intent was to kill me that night.”
According to ABC News, Match.com argued the lawsuit was “frivolous” and a spokeswoman for Match.com, Eva Ross, said, “Online dating is no less safe than meeting someone ‘at a bar or at church.'” Another section of Ross’s statement read:
What happened to Mary Kay Beckman is horrible, but this lawsuit is absurd… The many millions of people who have found love on Match.com and other online dating sites know how fulfilling it is. And while that doesn’t make what happened in this case any less awful, this is about a sick, twisted individual with no prior criminal record, not an entire community of men and women looking to meet each other.”
Last August, a federal appeals court ruled that Beckman can continue her lawsuit against Match.com. The judge panel said, “Nevada law provides that, when a defendant has actual knowledge of a specific harm, that defendant has a duty to warn known, foreseeable victims known of foreseeable harm,” according to the Las Vegas Sun.
4. He Was Sentenced to 28 to 70 Years for Attempted Murder
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Ridley was charged with first-degree murder and sentenced in Las Vegas to a term of 28-to-70 years for attempted murder and robbery.
According to court documents obtained by the Las Vegas Sun, Beckman was introduced to Ridley in September 2010. They went on just a few dates before breaking it off.
5. He Committed Suicide in Prison
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In May 2017, the Phoenix New Times reported that Ridley apparently committed suicide in his cell.
At the time, public information officer Steve Suhe said, “The manner of death appears to be suicide. I have no further information or comment as the incident is currently under investigation.”
