Shivangi Sinha
Committing oneself and dedicating one’s life to helping others is no easy feat. However, this is the path Dr. Sasha Reid chose when she founded the Midnight Order, a secret group of women with various expertise who come together to reexamine cold cases, help survivors, and support the families of violent crime victims. In Freeform’s ‘Sasha Reid and the Midnight Order,’ their work is showcased in detail, highlighting the lengths they go to bring peace to those often overlooked by formal institutions. The documentary series features Dr. Reid discussing the drive that pushes her, what it took to get to where she is today, and the force that guides her work.
Dr. Reid Grew Up With a Desire to Understand Violent Crimes
Born in the small town of Dryden, Ontario, Dr. Sasha Marie Reid always tried to make sense of the world as it unfolded around her. With three younger sisters—Daytona, Alexis, and Isabella Reid—she felt a strong responsibility for looking after them. From a young age, Dr. Reid was drawn to understanding the darker aspects of human nature. She immersed herself in books and later documentaries to understand the psyche and motivations of real-life “monsters” who frequently made the news. Her interest deepened as she grew older, and she knew that if there was one thing she wanted to study, it was this. After finishing high school, she enrolled at the University of Toronto Scarborough to study Mental Health and Psychology in 2008.
As she finished her Bachelor’s degree, Dr. Reid knew she was beginning to scratch the surface of her chosen career. In 2013, she started her Master’s in Applied Psychology and Education/Child Development at the University of Toronto Scarborough. By 2015, she had also completed a Master’s in Criminology and Sociolegal Studies, earning the 2015 Bennett Scholar of the Year Award. In 2016, she decided to pursue a PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education, which she completed in 2019. During this time, she worked as a Clinical Psychology Student Intern at the Vanier/Maplehurst Correctional Complex and York University. By then, she realized she wanted to apply her extensive knowledge in practical ways, leading her to pursue more hands-on opportunities.
Dr. Reid’s Databases Have Been Very Beneficial in Real-World
Dr. Sasha Reid had a vague idea of what she would create but knew that having a database would benefit many people awaiting justice. In 2018, Florence Tang joined her as a voluntary research assistant. At that time, Dr. Reid worked on the Serial Homicide Database (SHD) and the Missing and Murdered Database (MMD). She has been developing the SHD since 2012 and the MMD since 2016, aiming to create a deeper understanding of the environment and factors that contribute to violent criminals becoming functional in society.
As more people joined her secret team, known as the Midnight Order, they worked towards creating and understanding psychological metrics to analyze how killers and attackers operated and chose their victims. These findings helped them develop a framework of suggestions to mitigate the risks these individuals pose to society. The group’s first breakthrough came when they used their database to identify Bruce McArthur as a serial killer, ultimately leading to his capture.
Dr. Reid is Lending Her Support to Marginalized Groups Today
Currently, Dr. Sasha Reid is an Adjunct Professor at Ontario Tech University, where she teaches Criminology and Social Justice. She has also worked as an instructor at the University of Calgary, teaching seven courses primarily focused on the intersection of law and psychology and wrongful convictions. Additionally, she has served as a co-investigator for the Canadian Safety and Security Program. She is the Director of The Midnight Order, an all-women group that holds a strong reputation and has been instrumental in the criminal justice system of Canada. The MMD database has been continuously growing and now contains information on over 12,000 people, while the SHD database includes details on 6,425 serial killers.
They have a transparent mechanism for submitting cases for examination, and the selection process is publicly available. The Midnight Order has been involved in high-profile cases, including those of Robert Pickton and Bruce McArthur. They are currently working on their case against Brian Allender, a suspected serial killer operating in Canada. The group is neatly organized into branches, such as the Society of Umbra Scientia, which consists of analysts, and other branches that handle legal conundrums or data analysis. Dr. Reid is also a volunteer member of the Coalition on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. She is dedicated to raising awareness and addressing the lack of resources for violent crimes against Indigenous people.
Dr. Reid’s Husband is Her Constant Pillar of Support
Dr. Sasha Reid has been grateful for the supportive life partner she found in Dr. Roman Reznikov. They met at the University of Calgary, dated for a while, and married in September 2022. Dr. Roman completed his Master’s in Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Toronto and has been a PGY2 Resident in Family Medicine at the University of Calgary since 2018. Despite their busy work lives, Dr. Reid and Dr. Roman make sure they find time to connect.
In June 2024, they enjoyed a holiday in Scotland, where they visited Warner Bros. Wizarding World. In May 2024, Dr. Reid completed her law degree, and Dr. Roman was there to cheer her on, as he has for many of her achievements. They have created a loving home in Calgary, Canada, surrounded by friends, family, and their two cats and look forward to accomplishing much more together.
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