Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever documents four bone-chilling cases of relationships gone awry. The true crime documentary series aired on August 28, 2024, and has since captivated viewers with its haunting ordeals. The show has a total of four episodes namely, Dating the Devil, Betrayed by the Badge, Killing for Custody, and Married to a Monster.
Each episode unravels the stories of brave victims who’ve endured traumatic circumstances stemming from various forms of abuse and violence. Per Worst Ex Ever's official synopsis by Netflix’s Tudum,
“From chilling betrayals to murder plots, this true-crime docuseries dissects the dark side of love through eyewitness testimonials.”
Worst Ex Ever narrates the stories of each victim in a rather unique amalgamation of animated representations and simultaneous interviews. The series explores the crimes committed by Benjamin Foster, Jerry Ramrattan, Kevin Lewis, and Rosa Hill.
Furthermore, their victims dived into the aftermath of their former relationships and the injustice against them. The following are details about the cases of violence explored in the series Worst Ex Ever.
Disclaimer: This article features mentions of sexual, domestic, and verbal abuse and violence. Reader discretion is advised.
The true stories from each episode of Worst Ex Ever explained
1) Dating the Devil
Episode 1 of Worst Ex Ever begins with a harrowing case of domestic abuse. The story revolves around Justine Siemens and her then-boyfriend Benjamin ‘Ben’ Foster, and the events of January 23, 2023. At the beginning of their romantic relationship, Siemens claims that her former beau was “nothing but nice.”
The duo met at a bar where he worked in the petite town of Grants Pass, Oregon, hitting it off instantly. Their romance was short-lived after Siemens discovered that the man she’d been seeing for the last month was a dangerous convicted felon who had a history of abusing women.
She went on to complain to the bar's manager resulting in him getting fired. Triggered and enraged, he stalked Siemens. He then held her captive for three days, maniacally abused her, and fled the scene. But not before he encountered Angie, her friend.
Barely alive, Siemens had managed to make a single phone call to her close friend who found her all out of sorts, according to Worst Ex Ever. Per Angie’s testimonial, Siemens had bruises all over her body, had a noose around her neck, and was left without clothes.
Shortly after, there was a two-month-long man-hunt for Foster who’d gone MIA. His crimes didn’t stop with Siemens. He went on to murder two innocent civilians to hide from the police.
Sadly, none of the victims ever saw justice served. Just when local authorities had him surrounded and were amid negotiations, they heard a loud bang: he’d shot himself. Despite efforts to save him, Foster was declared dead on arrival on January 31, 2023, after a 36-hour negotiation effort with the police.
2) Betrayed by the Badge
Seemona Sumasar was a successful financial adviser who worked on Wall Street before she opened a franchise of Golden Krust. Having a young daughter and a business, left her room for nothing except work and family. Her life drastically changed after meeting Jerry Ramrattan, as documented in Worst Ex Ever.
Ramrattan presented himself as an officer and detective of the NYPD and would keep his gun on his person at all times. Sumasar and Ramrattan almost immediately bonded and formed a romantic relationship. Things were going well between them until the day she received a phone call from his wife.
After learning of Ramrattan’s family and that he was a conman, she proceeded to terminate their relationship for the best. However, he refused to accept it and profusely asked her to take him back. One day, he showed up at her door and made the aforementioned argument.
After being rejected for what must’ve been the umpteenth time, he beckoned her to open the door so that he could return the keys to her house. A moment after he entered, he shoved her hard and bound her with duct tape. He then forcibly r*ped her. He then fled the scene.
Days before his r*pe trial, he framed Sumasar for multiple armed robberies and impersonating a police officer. Although she didn't commit these crimes and the evidence supported her claims, she was falsely imprisoned.
Sumasar spent 7 months in prison before she was released and relentlessly fought back legally. Not only did his allegations turn out to be false, but in January 2012, he got 32 years in prison for r*pe and concocting a sinister plan against Sumasar.
3) Killing for Custody
Episode 3 of Worst Ex Ever presented another case of domestic abuse resulting in the death of a 91-year-old woman caught in the cahoots of an ugly custody battle.
Eric Hill wasn’t a very social person and had a handful of friends in his youth. After joining the working world he mostly kept to himself and did well in his career. It was also where he met Mei, his colleague and future mother-in-law. Mei would often help Eric out and have lively conversations with him.
During a work trip, Mei brought along her daughter Rosa and decided to set the two up by introducing them. Initially, Rosa struck people as an introvert who was too shy to speak.
When she was introduced to Eric’s father and he’d asked her a question, she’d whisper the answers in her boyfriend’s ear. While Eric was completely enchanted by her and the life he thought they’d have, Rosa ensured that he’d get completely isolated from his family and friends resulting in a strain in their relationship.
The real problem started after their honeymoon in Hawaii. The couple began having problems in their marriage that continued even after they had their daughter. The two separated after two years of marriage and began fighting for custody.
In the early stages of their custody battle when their daughter would stay with her father, Rosa accused Eric of having an inappropriate relationship with the little girl. Although it was proven to be false, it did a number on him. Things went completely south after Eric was given sole custody of his child.
On January 7, 2009, the body of Eric's grandmother, Sally Hill was recovered in a shed at their residence in the Bay Area, wrapped in bedsheets, and placed face down in a garbage bin. Before Eric found his grandmother dead when he returned home, he was confronted by Rosa and Mei.
Per this episode of Worst Ex Ever, the trio was involved in an intense physical altercation involving three primary weapons: tasers, a baton, and a gun. Eric claimed that both Mei and Rosa were assaulting him until he agreed to give up custody of his daughter.
Upon further investigation, the police found Eric’s statements to be true, especially after finding a katana, throwing star, a rifle cleaner, hand chains, crossbows, and several other disturbing paraphernalia at Rosa’s residence. Rosa and her mother Mei were each sentenced to 25 years in prison on July 28, 2011, for the murder of Sally Hill and the attempted murder of Eric.
4) Married to a Monster
The final episode of Worst Ex Ever ended with a mind-boggling murder. The episode revolves around Amanda Canales and her ex-husband Kevin Lewis. The two had an impromptu meeting while Amanda was out with her friend for nachos. After she reluctantly gave him her number, the two grew closer and went out together.
Shortly after, she brought him home to meet the rest of the Canales family including her two siblings. While her brother Mannie loved Lewis, their sister, Alisha, didn’t exactly approve of him.
Nevertheless, after dating briefly, Lewis and Amanda were married and had three kids: two daughters and a son. It was during this time that Miller began showing his true colors. Miller was described as bossy, and controlling, and had body-shamed his wife when she was pregnant with their son.
She remained with him through his several mood swings due to his traumatic past and alleged abandonment issues. Her life drastically changed one evening when Lewis had Amanda cornered in their closet after he went through her phone. Their altercation ended with her getting jabbed in the face, rendering her unconscious.
This resulted in Amanda leaving her husband, taking her children, and moving to another home. Sadly, Amanda had to endure another severe form of abuse when she’d just returned home from her dance class. Lewis blindsided her and repeatedly struck her head, nearly killing her.
After filing for divorce, he threatened her to either take him back, fix or grant him custody of their kids, and additionally gain alimony. If the aforementioned failed, he claimed he’d kill Amanda. As a precaution after the assault, she filed a restraining order against Lewis.
Unfortunately, that didn’t stop him from concocting her murder with his cousin Jerradon Phelps and his girlfriend Alexis Hale. At the time, Amanda was on a business trip while her sister Alisha Canales-McGuire was watching her children with their nanny Abigail, according to Worst Ex Ever.
Around midnight Abigal woke up to the sound of several gunshots and was left devastated on seeing a bloody sight before her: Alisha was shot multiple times and left for dead. There were several attempts to pin this on Lewis but police couldn’t connect him to the murder until after Alexis’ snap chats placed them at the heart of the crime scene on September 20, 2017.
It was revealed that Phelps was paid to murder Amanda but to him, it didn’t matter who opened the door; someone was getting killed. After Phelps confessed, all three were given a prison sentence. Hale received 15 years behind bars while her boyfriend got 31.5 years. Lewis however was sentenced to life in prison without parole after his last appeal to court was recently denied.
All four episodes of Worst Ex Ever are exclusively on Netflix.
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