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Parents of Slain Informant Seek Law To Protect Others

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Michael D. Vasilinda

Published: January 8, 2009

The parents of a slain 23-year-old Clearwater woman who was killed acting as a confidential informant when a drug deal went bad are pushing legislation to protect future informants.

Rachel Hoffman was allegedly killed by two drug dealers after police lost sight of her during a drug sting and her wire was discovered. Irv Hoffman and former wife Margie Weiss say future informants need protections. "The death of our daughter was tragic and needless," said Irv Hoffman. "Rachel's Law is our way of honoring Rachel's memory by taking steps to ensure tragedies like this never happen again."

The legislation, filed by Sen. Mike Fasano (R- New Port Richey), requires a written contract between police and informants and any deal needs the okay of a State Attorney. It also requires police to give potential informants a full opportunity to talk with a lawyer.

Hoffman had been accused of using and selling marijuana and ecstasy, and police said she could avoid prison by acting as an informant.

She had planned to meet two suspected drug dealers at a park where a deal to buy cocaine, ecstasy and a gun was supposed to take place as police monitored the deal. Officers lost contact with her after she called to say the location of the transaction had been changed.

Her body was found two days later in Taylor County, southeast of Tallahassee. The two men she was supposed to meet have been charged with her murder.

The police department's execution of its plan was a "chaotic disaster," a family attorney said. Officers "lost visual contact with Rachel. The audio equipment in her purse went dead."

Tallahassee City Attorney Jim English conceded the case was badly handled. "We asked the state attorney general to review our policies and procedures after the tragedy. We've made changes. ... We've disciplined four or five officers involved, including one termination."

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