Ep 2. Tracey Richter

Tracey Richter was once a devoted mother and wife, but she soon became a notorious criminal in the small town of Early, Iowa. In this episode, viewers will discover how this once model citizen's life took a twisted turn towards murdering in a home invasion.

Richter's husband, Michael, filed for divorce in the early 2000s and custody of their children. Richter was distraught at the thought of her kids being taken away from her, and she decided to take drastic measures. She concocted a plan to frame her husband with drug possession by planting methamphetamine in his truck and then enlisted the help of her father and brother. However, her husband was exonerated, and she received no custody of her children due to her criminal activity.

As time passed, Richter's behavior became increasingly erratic. She started telling friends that she had connections to the CIA, and that they were helping her to keep her children safe. She also began to date a man named Dustin Wehde, who she believed to be an undercover agent. However, Wehde and Richter's relationship would take an even darker turn when Richter became fixated on the idea that her ex-husband was trying to take her down and needed to be eliminated.

On December 13th, 2001, Richter's 20-year-old neighbor, Dustin Wehde, and Richter's 13-year-old son, Bert, entered her ex-husband's home and fatally shot Michael Richter multiple times. Richter claimed to have been asleep at the time of the murder and only discovered what had happened after Bert returned home early the next morning. However, through further investigation, Richter's story would quickly unravel.

As detectives looked into the case, they quickly began to uncover inconsistencies in Richter's story. They discovered that traces of her son's fingerprints were found on the gun used in the murder. Additionally, Richter could not explain why she was not awakened by the sound of multiple gunshots, which was strange considering she was a light sleeper. Investigators soon found out that Richter was the mastermind of the entire murder plot and she was promptly arrested for the crime.

In court, Richter would try to argue that she played no role in the murder of her ex-husband, however, her own son would testify against her and others would come forward with details about her strange behavior leading up to the murder. Furthermore, the prosecution was able to present evidence that showed Richter had attempted to hire hitmen to kill her ex-husband before her son and Wehde committed the deed.

Despite her attempts to escape justice, Richter was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In this episode, viewers will gain insight into the mind of a woman who became consumed with paranoia and convinced herself that she was somehow above the law. Richter's tragic tale will make viewers question what ultimately makes a person capable of committing a heinous act like murder.