She Shot a Neighbor 9 Times and Claimed It Was Self-Defense

Tracey Richter once described herself as a hero, a mother protecting her three children from an armed intruder during a harrowing home invasion. But after years of investigation, the story she told unraveled, leaving a tale of manipulation, deceit, and murder that culminated in her conviction in 2011.

A Heroic Tale or a Calculated Plot?

On Dec. 13, 2001, Richter called police from her home in Early, Iowa, reporting that she had shot a man to protect her family. She claimed two intruders broke into her Victorian home, choked her with pantyhose, and threatened her children. Her quick thinking, she said, allowed her to grab two guns and fire nine shots, killing 20-year-old Dustin Wehde. The other intruder fled the scene, she said.

Richter's son Bert, then 11, supported her story, recounting that he hid in his room with his younger siblings as his mother fought off the attackers. "I closed the door and I could hear her repeatedly say, 'Stay down. Don't get up,'" he testified, as reported by Oxygen.

Conflicting Evidence

Investigators found no signs of a struggle in the home and noted that Wehde was unarmed. The alleged strangulation marks on Richter's neck were determined to be self-inflicted. Forensic analysis of the shooting revealed that Wehde was lying on the ground when the final shots were fired, contradicting Richter's claim that he was getting up to attack her again.

The investigation also uncovered numerous inconsistencies in her story. Despite Richter's claims of heroism, law enforcement grew suspicious of her motivations, particularly given her ongoing custody battle and financial struggles.

The Pink Notebook

Wehde's body was discovered in Richter's bedroom, but his car, parked outside, contained a critical piece of evidence: a pink spiral notebook. Inside were handwritten entries suggesting that Richter's ex-husband, Dr. John Pitman, had hired Wehde to harm her. However, investigators suspected the notebook was fabricated, a key part of what they came to see as an elaborate scheme to frame Pitman amid a heated custody battle.

A Decades-Long Pursuit

Wehde's mother, Mona, had long doubted Richter's version of events, questioning why her son, who had been mentored by Richter's then-husband, would harm the family. Mona had even filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Richter, but dropped it to avoid interfering with the criminal investigation.

A breakthrough came in 2008 when Special Agent Trent Vileta revisited the case. Witness testimony revealed that Richter had prior knowledge of the notebook's contents, despite its existence being kept secret by investigators. This discovery, along with forensic evidence, reignited the case.

Justice Delivered

In 2011, Richter finally stood trial for Wehde's murder. Prosecutors argued that the home invasion never occurred and that Richter staged the entire incident to portray herself as a heroic mother and frame her ex-husband. They alleged Richter lured Wehde, a socially awkward neighbor, to her home under the guise of needing help with paperwork. There, she compelled him to write the notebook entries and then shot him to stage the break-in.

On Nov. 7, 2011, a jury convicted Richter of first-degree murder. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Wehde's family expressed relief at the verdict. Mona said, "I knew that was what we should get. We thank everyone ... for seeing through the lies and hearing the truth. It's what we all were waiting for," according to CBS News. His sister, Ashley Pingree, called it a turning point, saying, "We can move on now..."

Tracey Richter's story of heroism, once celebrated in national headlines, was ultimately revealed to be a deadly ruse. The conviction closed a tragic chapter for the Wehde family, but it left behind lingering questions about how far some will go to manipulate the truth.

References: Iowa Mom Shot 20-Year-Old "Neighbor Kid" Nine Times and Prosecutors Didn't Buy Her Home Invasion Claim | Was Tracey Roberts a Heroic Mom Who Saved Her Kids From Intruders or a Cold-Blooded Killer? | Hero claim rejected, Iowa mom guilty of murder