Case 312
Dustin Wehde
*** Content warnings: Sexual assault ***
When first responders arrived at the Roberts family home in the small town of Early, Iowa on December 13 2001, they found 20-year-old Dustin Wehde lying in a pool of his own blood. The homeowner, Tracey Roberts, claimed she’d shot Dustin in an act of self defence after he and another unknown assailant broke in and threatened to kill her and her children. As investigators looked into possible suspects, several persons of interest emerged. But all was not as it seemed.
CREDITS
EPISODE
Research & writing – Elsha McGill
Editing – Erin Munro
Creative direction – Milly Raso
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas, Andrew Joslyn
Audio editing – Anthony Telfer
OTHER
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
PREMIUM
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RESOURCES
COURT RECORDS
In Re the Marriage of Michael Ross Roberts and Tracey Richter Roberts (Iowa Court of Appeals 2008)
State vs Richter (Iowa Court of Appeal 2013)
State vs Richter (Iowa Court of Appeals 2017)
BOOKS
Beautifully Cruel – M. William Phelps
VIDEOS
Kill or Be Killed: Shots in the Dark – Oxygen
Twisted – Dateline NBC (S22 E52)
A Father’s Fight – 60 Minutes
ONLINE ARTICLES
Woman arrested in 2001 Sac County slaying – Sioux City Journal
Woman accused in slaying will appeal bond – Sioux City Journal
Dentist: Richter tried to extort him – Sioux City Journal
Mom in Iowa murder case wrote to Wis. sex offender – Deseret News
Case asks: Is she a heroic mom or a shrewd killer? – NBC News
Hero mom or killer? Iowa jury deciding – CBS News
NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES
Town at odds over man’s death – The Gazette (Dec 19 2001)
Early attack victim wonders ‘why me, and why my family’ – The Des Moines Register (Dec 21 2001)
Early women questions motive of attack – The Des Moines Register (Dec 21 2001)
Woman still rattled 7 months after attack – The Des Moines Register (July 29 2002)
Richter: Wehde’s mother breaks down – Sioux City Journal (Nov 2 2011)