That same year, she married entrepreneur Michael Roberts after a whirlwind internet romance. Remember, Tracey claimed her glasses had been knocked off in the attack, so she couldnt see very well yet she shot at Dustin with near perfect accuracy. Check resumes and CV, social media profiles, photos and videos, news, business records, work history, skilled experts, public records and places of employment . In 2012, Tracey wrote to a child sex offender named James Landa to try and find a witness for her defense. He got away with it for an incredible 45 years before the law finally caught up to him. Her second husband Michael claims Tracey is still trying to kill him and believes that shes taken out a hit on him as little as three weeks ago. Her son Bert still claims the home invasion was real and Dustins shooting was in self defense. A friend of Traceys, Mary Higgins, claimed. He also described an incident where she made a potent cocktail for him, sat him in his car, closed the garage door, turned the engine on, and quickly left while he was semi-conscious in the front seat. She was later sentence to life in prison, where she remains today. Lets start with Traceys courtship and marriage, shall we? So he would want to hold onto the ones he did have. What followed was an investigation into what exactly happened that fateful night. She adamantly denied this when confronted, and no charges were ever filed. But at one point, she also said her hands were bound with pantyhose. Their life seems ideal, until one of them snaps. One of them strangled her with a pair of pantyhose, and she blacked out. The couple formalized their divorce in 1996. Richter shot and killed Dustin Wehde on December 13, 2001 after discharging nine bullets from two weapons. She was held responsible for defending her children during a horrific home invasion in 2001. According to the prosecution, Wehde was the son of Richters real estate agent and once he got to Richters house, she forced him to write in a pink spiral notebook that hed been hired by her ex-husband to kill her and her 11-year-old son. Walsh was the first woman to be registered with the American Stock Exchange, the first woman to be director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and first woman to be president of the Greater . She was sentenced to life behind bars. "You Are On Indian Land". However, Bert Pitman with his father, John -- who he claimed at one point might be involved in the alleged home invasion, Meanwhile, investigators were working hard to piece together just what happened on the night of December 13, 2001. But I did think it was a bit strange. Chris and Karon Pugh seem like a model working class couple living in a small seaside town. Andy Warhol: A Documentary . Just exactly who was Tracey Richter and, di. Apparently this was done because the testimony would have crossed the line into the realm of bolstering Richter's credibility., On November 7, 2011, Tracey Richter was found guilty of the murder of Dustin Wehde. Services Focus areas and treatment approaches have not been provided. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a147e39399dc035 Just exactly who was Tracey Richter and, did she act in self-defense or did she murder Dustin in a failed plan to frame her ex-husband John. There was also information in the diary about John that Dustin couldnt have known. Investigators were also suspicious of Michael, thinking he convinced Dustin to kill Tracey so he could get her life insurance payout. James Landa was in jail in Wisconsin but heard about Traceys case from a local Iowa newspaper and supported her. - Michael Jordan. There are obviously still a lot of details here that we dont know, so I am curious to see what everyone thinks. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 12. Following the birth of their son Bert, the relationship began to disintegrate. His request for passports was rejected because he still technically had joint custody with Tracey, who hadnt consented to the kids traveling out of the country. At first, Bert said he thought his dad had something to do with it because he hadnt called after the attack to see if his son was okay. She says Mona once told her she was afraid to leave Dustin alone with her other children since she was afraid he might hurt them. This two-hour broadcast chronicles the story of a revenge-fueled individual who committed a heinous crime just so she could defeat her ex-husband. . Early, Iowa - December 1, 2013. Tracey Richter Episode aired Mar 25, 2015 TV-PG 43 m YOUR RATING Rate Drama A seemingly heroic mother takes a twisted revenge on her ex-husband by devising a murderous plot and implicating him as the fall guy. Summary: A mother is hailed as a hero when she kills a home intruder -- but a secret journal leads police to suspect she may have planned a cold-blooded murder. Tracey had some claims of her own. She was a pleasant woman with a promising future. One of their arguments got physical, and Michael was arrested. (second appeal). At first, it was considered that Dustin Wehde died in self-defense. After her ex-husbands death, Dustins mother, Mona, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Richters, blaming them for Dustins death. Nevertheless, in the end, the judge and jury unanimously agreed that there was overwhelming evidence of murder, and found Tracey guilty of the charges against her sentencing her to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Tracey Richter, 48, . Dustin has been described as shy and having few friends, never having been invited to birthday parties or sleepovers as a child. County Attorney Ben Smith, testifying as a witness for Michael Roberts, stated my article was a lie when I published Michael Roberts failed police polygraph. The Story of Bubba the Love Sponges Ex-Wife. She said at one point she fired from one position, then later said she fired from another. She was convicted of first-degree murder in 2011 following a trial . She was very smart and a good student with high test scores and, more than likely, a promising future. In the episode, there are interviews with Richter as well as with her son Bit Pitman and more. Michael was never awarded custody by the court and is still, by Iowa family Court findings, the least fit parent of the two. The two were smitten with each other and they both had a very promising future in medicine. Dustins mother had tried to file a case for wrongful death against her, claiming that Tracey had lured him in, but as months went by nothing could be proven. I did what I had to do to safeguard my family, Tracey alleged. Who Is Claudia Haro, Joe Pescis Ex Wife? 35-year-old Tracey Ann Richter (scale?) Self - Suspect 2012 In the episode, there are interviews with Richter as well as with her son Bit Pitman and more. He began to covertly make plans to get a separate apartment in Chicago, but wanted to keep it under the radar so as not to further infuriate his wife, or endanger his son Bert with his wifes erratic behavior. Dustin was difficult, she said but he was never violent. Richter married the young man eighteen days after meeting him. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. She increasingly expressed dissatisfaction with their relationship and instigated fights with her husband when he returned from work. Based on Tracy Chevalier's beautiful novel, this film for art lovers is the imagined tale of Griet. (She later said shed made a mistake there.) The story of Richter has been featured on NBC Dateline's titled episode 'Twisted'. When marriages fail, divorce can turn ugly and even deadly. Suite LL-6. Noah was born in 1998, and Mason was born in 2000, to the couple. [videorecording] by Burns, Ken, 1953-; Burns, Amy Stechler; Florentine Films; WETA-TV (Television station : Washington, D.C.) The pets disappear, and Tracey pulls a gun. But agent Vileta wouldnt let it go. Afvis. Later that year, allegations came out that Tracey and her mom were harassing people who had testified for the prosecution in her trial. American Monster travels to the small town of Early, Iowa, to investigate a bizarre plot by Tracey Richter to frame her ex-husband for murder, which involved her shooting dead Dustin Wehde. They began to think Tracey had coerced Dustin into writing it to incriminate him further, maybe in the few days before he died. Dustin went to church with them, they played paintball together and he even mowed their lawn. At this point, investigators wanted to prove Tracey knew about the notebook found in Dustins car. On Dec 6, 2011, after months of sifting through a cunning web of lies and deceit, the jury found her guilty of first-degree murder and she was sentenced to life in prison. Mona said she was never worried about leaving Dustin alone with his sisters, she just didnt like doing it. Best MatchPowered by Whitepages Premium Tracey Lee Richter Studio City, CA (South Valley) AGE 50s AGE 50s Tracey Lee Richter Studio City, CA (South Valley) Shed also given police a description of the second mans face, but earlier had told them he was wearing a ski mask. She faced life in prison. Her story was shared nation-wide in 2002, when she appeared on "The Montel Williams Show." With her husband at the time of the . The police decided he was a liar as well as a murderer. She is strongly supported by her mother Anna Richter, and her new fianc, Russ Scherz. She faced life in jail and was returned to Iowa. After that, he noticed that along with strange men going in and out of his house at all hours, his credit cards were disappearing as well. He tried to work through their relationship but her unpredictable temper and violent outbursts made this increasingly more difficult. More and more, this supposed home invasion was beginning to look like murder. About a year later, the couple welcomed their only child, a son named Bert. Tracey didnt take the stand, but said in an interview that she had no need to manipulate the custody battle in her favor because. John, a 4th year medical student, met 19-year-old Tracey at University of Northwestern in Chicago. Nearby Areas. Before that, her story was also featured on Diabolical Women. On December 13th 2001, shortly after John sought custody of Bert, Tracey killed her 20-year-old next-door neighbour, claiming that he had broken into her home, and that she had killed him in self-defense. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Just exactly who was Tracey Richter and, did she act in self-defense or did she murder Dustin in a failed plan to frame her ex-husband John. My Brilliant Friend is a co-production between . According to one scenario, Tracey planned to kill Dustin in order to accuse John of her murder. 159 Following. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. All he was told by them was that he should leave town as soon as possible because his life was in danger. The verdict carried a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole in Iowa. There were money issues, arguments, temper tantrums, and manipulative behavior. So thats all I have for you day on Tracey Richter. Tracey lied to, cheated on, stole from, and physically attacked her first husband. A friend of Traceys, Mary Higgins, claimed she didnt think Tracey would have had enough room to turn and fire like she said she did from the tiny space between the bed and the wall. "The Lacombe Farmer's Market is the same great market, just on a new great day at a new great time," said Richter. It didnt take this long. Tracy Richter. The appeal claimed that her attorney botched her defense on multiple issues, including a misplaced dot depicting the shooting on a trial exhibit. There were also allegations of physical abuse on both sides. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Tracey didnt take the stand, but said in an interview that she had no need to manipulate the custody battle in her favor because she never doubted she was going to lose custody anyway. However, no sign of a break-in was ever discovered. Gerhard Richter: Painting, Amazon Prime. When they found out her friend Mary Higgins had known about the notebook, they knew Tracey was guilty. 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