Naman Shrestha
Investigation Discovery’s ‘American Monster: Lovely Rida’ provides a detailed account of the complicated 2021 murder case of 33-year-old Matt Hendershot, who faced deadly consequences of allowing someone from his past back into his life. When the authorities dug deep into the case, they encountered an unsettling truth that proved pivotal to the investigation. Thanks to the insightful interviews with the victim’s family and friends, the viewers get a deeper understanding of the case.
Matt Hendershot Was Found Dead At His Residence
Born on July 28, 1987, Brian “Matt” Matthew Hendershot, Jr. was raised by two sets of parents — Tammy & John Reese and Brian & Tammie Hendershot. All four of them showered their blessings and love onto Matt, for whom they cared more than words could explain. While growing up, he was accompanied by his sisters, Jasmine Reese, Naomi Reese, and Gloria Hendershot, and a brother named James Hendershot. Described as a compassionate, hilarious, and talented individual by those who knew him, Matt was into various sports and passionately followed the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Orioles, and WV Mountaineers.
Besides being an outdoorsy person, he also used to love gaming and playing beer pongs with his friends, with whom he grew up and went to school. After falling in love with Rida Hendershot, the two tied the knot and made their relationship official in the eyes of the law. However, due to some differences, they got divorced. Not long after the divorce, on May 25, 2021, the authorities received a call regarding the death of Matt Hendershot in his residence. When the police arrived at the scene of the crime, the cause of his death was determined to be a gunshot wound on the face.
Matt Hendershot’s Killer Initially Claimed His Death Was Accidental
Right after the shooting of Matt Hendershot, his former wife, Rida Hendershot, talked to the police and told them that they had decided to get back together since they were still in love with each other. She was arrested on the spot and accused of brutally shooting her ex-husband to death with an Ed Brown 1911 9MM handgun. In her statement, Rida told the investigators that she and Matt had been moving guns from the living room to his bedroom at the time. As per her claims, the former couple was standing in close proximity to one another in the kitchen when Matt held the gun first.
Rida Hendershot then claimed that she thought the chamber of the gun was empty, which is why she pulled the trigger on him. According to the accused, she only realized that she had fatally hurt Matt when he went out of the house screaming for help with his hands on his cheek. She added that she was “normally good with a gun.” In light of her statements, Rida was initially charged with wanton endangerment and negligence with a firearm for the shooting death of 33-year-old Matt Hendershot. However, when the investigators dived deeper into the case, they learned that Rida and the victim had an argument on social media the day before the tragic shooting incident. It was reportedly something Matt said to Rida about moving out of the couple’s residence.
The Killer Changed Her Story Multiple Times
Moreover, Rida Hendershot changed her story about the fateful day, according to the authorities. While initially, she had claimed that they both were in the kitchen when the shooting occurred, she later alleged that Matt was on his bed and she was in the kitchen at the time. So, when the detectives inspected the victim’s residence for clues, they discovered the gun in the kitchen without a magazine and with the hammer pulled back. Furthermore, they came across a loaded magazine and a bullet shell casing in Matt’s bedroom, matching the altered statement that Rida had passed.
However, the investigators found it hard to believe her claims of the shooting being accidental. The prosecutor told WV Metro News, “The firearm would have had to be cocked, have the safety off, have the grip safety engaged and the trigger pulled.” He further stated, “We had our lab in Charleston do extensive testing on the firearm. It was in perfect working condition. There was nothing that would just make the gun go off.” In light of these developments, in June 2021, Rida Hendershot was charged with first-degree murder.
Rida Hendershot is Incarcerated at a West Virginia Prison Facility
After being officially indicted in February 2022 for the murder of Matt Hendershot and the use of a firearm for a felony, Rida Hendershot pleaded not guilty. Her trial for the same commenced on February 7, 2023, during which she reiterated that it was an accident. On the other hand, the prosecution tried to prove that she had intentionally shot her former husband. The trial had around 15 witnesses, including domestic violence experts and gun experts. Listening to both sides, the judge addressed the court, “Her argument would have been believable if the defendant had stuck to one story. The court found she gave at least three versions, down to where her hand was on the gun.”
After deliberating for approximately five hours, the jury returned with a guilty verdict on February 13, 2023. 31-year-old Rida Hendershot was convicted of second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony, in connection with the murder of Matt Hendershot. Several months later, on August 9, 2023, the convict received a 50-year imprisonment sentence, with her parole eligibility set for 12.5 years later. At present, she is serving his sentence at Lakin Correctional Center at 11264 Ohio River Road in West Columbia, West Virginia, awaiting his parole.
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