Florida Jewish Realtor Gunned Down By Disgruntled Former Tenant Who Mistook Her For Property Owner

NEW YORK (VINnews) — A Jewish real estate agent from Florida was shot and killed by a tenant who had been evicted from a building and mistakenly identified her as the owner of the building.

Sarah-Mitchell Trost (40) was sitting in the driver’s seat of her jeep when she was shot several times by Raymond Wesley Ridge, who had previously been a tenant in the building she was showing prospective buyers. Paramedics summoned to the scene did not succeed in saving Trost.

“There was a disgruntled tenant who was evicted,” said Donna Smith, who lives in the area told Local News 10. “He thought the realtor showing the house … is the owner of the house” when he attacked her car.

Wesley Ridge (50) was charged Thursday with first-degree murder, a capital offense in Florida. He is being held without trial according to local media reports.

“At the moment there are no additional suspects being searched, nor is the community at risk,” Coral Springs police said.

Trost, a British citizen working in real estate who lived in Parkland, a city north of Miami, was married with a three-year-old daughter. She owned a real estate business after working as an interior decorator and was enjoying success in the Florida real estate market. A Facebook page she posted just hours before her murder said that “Is this a crazy time for home and land? Yes !, But even so, when you think it’s going to be ‘late for the holidays’ … errr … no!”

She went on to describe the property listed on Monday: “thinking it would be so quiet …. absolutely wrong!” She wrote. “Just to show off … never underestimate the power of a grand home in a low-supply and high-demand area! Congratulations to the lucky buyer!”

Trost had also visited Israel and even posted pictures of herself at the Western Wall holding a siddur.

“Our hearts go out to Sarah Mitchell, her daughter, her husband Jason, and her entire family, her fur children, as well as her human children,” said Rachel Luquara of Pav Patrol Animal Rescue & Century, where Mitchell volunteered with animals.