The devastating tragedy that changed 90 Day Fiancé cast member Rick Van Vactor's life

Rick Van Vactor, cast member on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days Season 8, endured a devastating tragedy when his two-year-old son, Pharaoh, was murdered in November 2013 by Mathew Berry, the live-in boyfriend of Pharaoh's mother, Adrianna Brown.

Berry received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison after pleading no contest to first-degree murder, with the autopsy confirming blunt force trauma to Pharaoh's head and abdomen as the cause of death.

Van Vactor, appearing on 90 Day Fiancé as a divorced single dad traveling to Madagascar to meet partner Trisha Stiley Firaisantsoa, carries this loss visibly in his home and online tributes.​

90 Day Fiancé star's path through grief

Van Vactor joined 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days Season 8 at age 52, describing himself as a jack of all trades who runs a hair and wig extension business.

Trisha, a 25-year-old midwife from Antananarivo, Madagascar, loves babies and believes every woman should have a child; she once ghosted him for five days.

Episodes air Sundays at 8/7c on TLC, showing their first meetings amid initial sparks and hidden secrets.​

The tragedy unfolded on November 19, 2013. Berry, Adrianna Brown, and Pharaoh ran errands together.

Brown asked Berry to drop her off at their California City home before his Home Depot stop in Mojave; he took Pharaoh along for off-roading instead. His vehicle got stuck in the desert, requiring a tractor tow.​

Brown texted Berry an hour later, demanding Pharaoh's return; responses stopped. She called hospitals, then reported Pharaoh missing at the sheriff's office the next morning.

A bus driver found Pharaoh dead and Berry beside him on a road outside California City on November 20.

Berry refused CPR pleas from the dispatcher during the ride, blocking others from the boy until police appeared at an intersection.​

Pharaoh was pronounced dead at the scene. Berry was arrested immediately. Adrianna and Berry dated for five months; she introduced him to Pharaoh after two.

Van Vactor met Berry twice in person, spoke by phone a few times. "(Their relationship) was kind of volatile," Rick said of Berry and Pharaoh’s mother. 

"They argued all the time and stuff. But he never mentioned anything physical."​

Brown admitted to arguments. She said, 

"He could get very mad and would punch things, like walls. But he was never physically abusive to her or her son."​

In 2018, Berry pleaded no contest. Kern County deputy district attorney Nick Lackie stated, 

“There’s nothing we can do to bring back the victim. Nothing we can do can make the family whole again. But that’s an appropriate sentence. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.”​

Lasting Echoes in the 90 Day Fiancé cast members' world

One month post-death, Van Vactor shared YouTube videos of Pharaoh, still accessible. Recent clips show Pharaoh's photos and framed painting on his mantle, including a 2019 workout video "Tapout XT Sprawl and Brawl." Viewers note his smile masks pain on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days.​

Social media reactions poured in after Starcasm's reveal. "So sad, I wish this would have been kept private, I’m sure it must be painful to see for him & his family," one Instagram comment read. 

"He seems like an amazing man… this is so very sad to hear… very sad!" another added. "And he is still able to keep a beautiful smile on his face. Bless him."​

Fans on forums like Sister Wives Fans Forever called it a "SHOCKING CASE," detailing Pharaoh's murder by his mom's boyfriend. Instagram posts from starcasm_ig confirmed Berry remains imprisoned in California.​

Van Vactor's 90 Day Fiancé storyline contrasts with his past. As a divorced dad, he seeks love with Trisha, the fiery midwife.

The premiere aired recently, with new episodes on Sundays. Unclear if he discusses Pharaoh on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, but the tragedy shaped his life profoundly.​

Berry's vehicle was recovered from the desert. The bus driver alerted authorities after boarding. Pharaoh's small frame lay motionless.

Van Vactor grieves through memorials. Tehachapi News covered the case extensively, quoting family and officials.

Brown was reported missing after no contact. Berry claimed an off-roading detour. Evidence pointed to homicide swiftly. Sentencing closed one chapter, but Van Vactor's wound endures.

On 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, sparks fly initially with Trisha, yet secrets loom. Viewers anticipate how his history intersects the romance. TLC schedules continue, drawing eyes to the Madagascar journey.

Pharaoh's death at two marked an irreversible change. Van Vactor rebuilds, business thriving, love pursued.

Prison walls hold Berry; memories hold Van Vactor. 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days spotlights resilience amid shadows.

Stay tuned for more updates.