Champaign County, Ohio – Valerie Rider, an Ohio woman, has been found guilty of murdering her son’s girlfriend, Whitney Hostler, to maintain access to her 2-year-old granddaughter. The shocking crime took place after Hostler, 25, threatened to take the child away.
The incident unfolded on October 1, 2020, when Randy Rider, Valerie’s son, reported his girlfriend Whitney Hostler missing at the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, just north of Dayton, Ohio. Hostler’s body was later discovered in a ravine, and it was revealed that she had been strangled. Valerie Rider, with the help of her husband, Rodney Rider Sr., disposed of Hostler’s body.
Chief Deputy Eric Holmes of the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office commented on the family’s dynamic, saying, "The Riders seemed to have their whole world wrapped up in that granddaughter." Holmes suggested that Valerie’s intense desire to control the situation led her to commit the crime.
In a twist, Valerie Rider also implicated her son Randy to the authorities, suggesting that she was willing to go to great lengths to protect her bond with her granddaughter. The tragic outcome of these events has left the community in shock, as they grapple with the devastating impact of Valerie Rider’s actions.