HuluDevil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke unpacks the disturbing crimes of the former 8 Passengers vlogger and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt – but their story doesn’t end there.
The new docu-series drops on Hulu today (February 27), featuring testimony from the Frankes’ two eldest children, Shari and Chad, as well as Ruby’s estranged husband Kevin Franke.
Starting with the seemingly wholesome YouTube content, Devil in the Family goes on to expose the dark reality behind the now-defunct 8 Passengers brand, revealing the troubling parenting methods, child abuse, and former life coach Hildebrandt’s role in the case.
Through firsthand accounts and never-before-seen footage, the true crime series paints a harrowing picture of how a family once idolized by millions unraveled, ultimately landing Ruby and Hildebrandt behind bars together. Warning: some may find this content distressing.
Where is Ruby Franke now?
Ruby Franke is currently being held at the Utah State Correctional Facility, and she’s in the same women’s prison unit as Jodi Hildebrandt. However, they aren’t sharing a cell, as the unit houses approximately 375 prisoners.
HuluThe 43-year-old’s offender number is 262747, while her 55-year-old co-conspirator’s is 262776. USCF is situated in the northwestern corner of Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s a new facility, having replaced the former Utah State Prison in July 2022.
Now, the prison – which can house up to 3,600 inmates – offers improved access to natural light, a public library, a vegetable garden, religious services, and upgraded mental and physical health resources.
Another notable inmate at USCF is Megan Huntsman, who murdered six of her newborn children shortly after giving birth to them in Utah.
As per Biography, both Franke and Hildebrandt are being held in the women’s general population unit, also known as Dell. But Karen Tapahe, a public information officer at Utah Department of Corrections, told the outlet that the pair have been separated.
“Although they are both in Dell, it is divided into a high side and a low side, and then several units within each of those sides. One of them is housed on the high side, and the other is housed on the low side,” Tapahe said.
Both women were previously being held at the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane, Utah, before being transferred to USCF in February 2024 following their sentencing.
Ruby is now estranged from her entire family, and no longer has contact with ex-husband Kevin Franke, as well as their six children.
How long will they be imprisoned?
Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were handed the same sentence: four consecutive terms of one to 15 years for aggravated child abuse. This means their earliest possible release would be 2027, while their latest would be 2053.
HuluEven though their maximum consecutive terms equals 60 years, under Utah law, second-degree felony sentences like these are capped at 30 years total.
As such, Franke and Hilderbrandt will serve a minimum of four years and a maximum of 30 years, depending on parole decisions.
Both women were arrested on August 30, 2023, after Franke’s malnourished 12-year-old son escaped from Hildebrandt’s home and ran to a neighbor’s house for help.
He was found with deep wounds from being tied up with duct tape dressed in a honey, cayenne pepper mixture, along with severe signs of starvation. Authorities later discovered Franke’s nine-year-old daughter in similar condition.
Franke and Hildebrandt were charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse, but later pleaded guilty to four counts each in December 2023 as part of a plea deal. In February 2024, they received their sentencing.
According to court documents seen by ABC4, their first parole hearing will take place in December 2026. This typically involves one member from the Board of Pardons and Paroles interviewing the offenders, although attorneys and parole officers are allowed to attend.
Victims are also allowed to give statements at parole hearings. Following this, the board will decide whether they shall be released, schedule a rehearing, or order the inmates to serve the full sentence.
Shari Franke says mother is struggling behind bars
In her 2025 memoir The House of My Mother, Shari Franke said Ruby described sitting in her cell “crying the days away.”
Hulu“In the letters Ruby wrote to Kevin – letters that will forever go unanswered – she described sitting in her cell, crying the days away,” she wrote.
“I do not wish suffering upon her; rather, I desperately hope for her to find some kind of path toward redemption, if that’s even possible. I heard she was trying to get a degree through the prison system, which is a positive step.”
Shari went on to say, “She’ll need to prepare herself, because the reality is that when she’s released – whether that’s in 10 years or when she’s much older – she’ll need to support herself.
“I don’t have a desire to see her destitute. My hope is that she can use this time to educate herself, so that upon release, she can find a way to survive. Have a small house and a quiet life. Far away from me.”
For more on the case, read about why Shari Franke slammed the Lifetime movie about her mom. And for true crime news, read about American Murder: Gabby Petito and the most shocking Netflix docs to watch now.
