The Pervert Killer-Rachel

Quick Overview

Rachel recounts her traumatic childhood experiences, including being given away by her mother at age three, growing up in Compton, California, getting involved with gangs, selling drugs, and enduring severe abuse from a boyfriend starting at age eight, which ultimately led to her being arrested and serving 22 years in prison for attempted robbery and murder.

Key Points: Rachel grew up in Compton, California, and was given away by her mother at age three to live with her grandmother. She began gang involvement and selling drugs around age eight due to the influence of her grandmother's friends and her boyfriend's behavior. Rachel suffered severe physical and emotional abuse from a boyfriend starting at age eight, including being beaten, suffocated, and locked in a closet. The abuse escalated to the point where the boyfriend, a known crack addict, murdered two men and beat her while she was pregnant, causing her to miscarry. She was arrested for attempted robbery and murder related to these events and served 22 years in prison. Rachel regrets the actions she took, especially those that led to her children being taken into the system, but she is now working to be a better mother and advocate for others.

Context: This video is an interview segment from Mark Laita's 'Soft White Underbelly' project, which focuses on capturing the unfiltered life stories of marginalized individuals. The interviewee, Rachel, shares her harrowing personal history marked by early childhood trauma, immersion in gang life and drug use in Compton, and severe domestic violence that culminated in a lengthy prison sentence.

Detailed Analysis

Rachel details a difficult upbringing in Compton, California, starting when her mother gave her away to her grandmother at age three. She describes her grandmother as overprotective, which led Rachel to seek freedom by running away, associating with gangs, and selling drugs from a young age. The trauma intensified when she became involved with an abusive boyfriend who started assaulting her when she was only eight years old. This abuse included physical beatings, suffocation, and imprisonment in a closet. The situation worsened when the boyfriend, whom she describes as a crack addict, committed murder and physically assaulted her while she was pregnant, causing her to miscarry. The cycle of violence continued until she was arrested for attempted robbery and murder, resulting in a 22-year prison sentence. She expresses deep regret over the choices that led to her children being placed in the foster care system, noting that she tried to protect them by not speaking about the abuse for years. Despite her past, she is now focusing on getting her GED, college, and working as a medical assistant to be present for her grandchildren, though she regrets not being the mother she wanted to be for her own children.