Murder of Sandra Rozzo
Encyclopedia
Sandra Lee "Sandee" Rozzo was a Pinellas Park, Florida
bartender who was shot to death in her home on July 5, 2003. Her ex-boyfriend Timothy "Tracey" Humphrey, and his wife Ashley Laney Humphrey, were convicted of her murder
.
and Sandee was a bartender
. Tracey had a long previous criminal record
of conviction
s for motor vehicle theft
, kidnapping
and aggravated assault. The following February, Tracey was arrested for felony battery
after allegedly beating and sexually assaulting
Sandee. Tracey was due to go to trial
on that charge on August 4, 2003, one month before Sandee's murder.
Ashley Christine Humphrey (nee Laney; born Oct. 13, 1982) was working at Planet Smoothie
in Brandon, Florida
when she met Tracey Humphrey in 2002. Ashley and Tracey married on July 4, 2003, one day before Sandee's murder.
townhouse
after returning home from her shift at the Green Iguana, a local bar. Sandee's ex-boyfriend Tracey Humphrey became the prime suspect. Tracey had an alibi
however, claiming that he had ordered a pizza to his Brandon, Florida
apartment at the time of the crime. This was verified by an acquaintance, Tobe White. Further investigation however, revealed that his wife of one day, Ashley Humphrey, was not at home during the crime, as cell phone records indicated that Ashley was actually in Pinellas Park, Florida
when Sandee was killed. Ashley Humphrey was arrested for the first-degree murder of Sandra Rozzo and her husband Tracey was charged with a federal firearms possession. But while she was in custody, Ashley Humphrey decided to cooperate with authorities. She had admitted that she shot Sandra Rozzo to death, but claimed it was at the behest of her husband. In her statement, she told vivid details about the plot to murder Sandee. In addition, Ashley also gave up details to another failed murder attempt
against Sandee. In a plea bargain
, Ashley was allowed to plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testimony against her husband. This gave prosecutors enough evidence to charge Tracey Humphrey with first-degree murder.
Tracey Humphrey is serving his sentence at the Everglades Correctional Institution in Miami, Florida
. Post-conviction, he was sentenced to an additional 15 years for a pre-trial escape
attempt in April 2004.
On March 10, 2006, Ashley Humphrey was sentenced to 25 years for murder. Incarcerated at the Homestead Correctional Institution in Florida City, Florida
, she is scheduled to be released from prison on December 11, 2028. She will be 46 years old.
This case has been televised on Dateline NBC
, Snapped
, and On the Case with Paula Zahn.
Pinellas Park, Florida
Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida. The population was 45,658 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 47,166 . The city was founded by Philadelphia publisher, F. A...
bartender who was shot to death in her home on July 5, 2003. Her ex-boyfriend Timothy "Tracey" Humphrey, and his wife Ashley Laney Humphrey, were convicted of her murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
.
Perpetrators
Timothy Alvin "Tracey" Humphrey (born Nov. 15, 1966) was Sandee Rozzo's ex-boyfriend at the time of her murder. The two met at a Ybor City, Florida nightclub in November 2001 where Tracey worked as a doormanDoorman
A doorman, also known as doorkeeper, is someone who is posted at, and often guards, a door, or by extension another entrance A doorman, also known as doorkeeper, is someone who is posted at, and often guards, a door, or by extension another entrance A doorman, also known as doorkeeper, is someone...
and Sandee was a bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
. Tracey had a long previous criminal record
Criminal record
A criminal record is a record of a person's criminal history, generally used by potential employers, lenders etc. to assess his or her trustworthiness. The information included in a criminal record varies between countries and even between jurisdictions within a country...
of conviction
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
s for motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
, kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
and aggravated assault. The following February, Tracey was arrested for felony battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
after allegedly beating and sexually assaulting
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
Sandee. Tracey was due to go to trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
on that charge on August 4, 2003, one month before Sandee's murder.
Ashley Christine Humphrey (nee Laney; born Oct. 13, 1982) was working at Planet Smoothie
Planet smoothie
Planet Smoothie, is the third largest American chain of smoothie stores serving fruit smoothies, as well as salads, breakfast items, and sandwiches. The company was founded in 1995 by Martin Sprock in Atlanta, Georgia, and currently operates more than 125 locations...
in Brandon, Florida
Brandon, Florida
Brandon is a census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 103,483.-Founding:...
when she met Tracey Humphrey in 2002. Ashley and Tracey married on July 4, 2003, one day before Sandee's murder.
Investigation
On July 5, 2003, Sandee Rozzo was shot to death in the garage of her Pinellas Park, FloridaPinellas Park, Florida
Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida. The population was 45,658 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 47,166 . The city was founded by Philadelphia publisher, F. A...
townhouse
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
after returning home from her shift at the Green Iguana, a local bar. Sandee's ex-boyfriend Tracey Humphrey became the prime suspect. Tracey had an alibi
Alibi
Alibi is a 1929 American crime film directed by Roland West. The screenplay was written by West and C. Gardner Sullivan, who adapted the 1927 Broadway stage play, Nightstick, written by Elaine Sterne Carrington, J.C...
however, claiming that he had ordered a pizza to his Brandon, Florida
Brandon, Florida
Brandon is a census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 103,483.-Founding:...
apartment at the time of the crime. This was verified by an acquaintance, Tobe White. Further investigation however, revealed that his wife of one day, Ashley Humphrey, was not at home during the crime, as cell phone records indicated that Ashley was actually in Pinellas Park, Florida
Pinellas Park, Florida
Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida. The population was 45,658 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 47,166 . The city was founded by Philadelphia publisher, F. A...
when Sandee was killed. Ashley Humphrey was arrested for the first-degree murder of Sandra Rozzo and her husband Tracey was charged with a federal firearms possession. But while she was in custody, Ashley Humphrey decided to cooperate with authorities. She had admitted that she shot Sandra Rozzo to death, but claimed it was at the behest of her husband. In her statement, she told vivid details about the plot to murder Sandee. In addition, Ashley also gave up details to another failed murder attempt
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
against Sandee. In a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
, Ashley was allowed to plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testimony against her husband. This gave prosecutors enough evidence to charge Tracey Humphrey with first-degree murder.
Trial
Tracey Humphrey's murder trial began in February 2006. As part of her plea deal, Ashley testified against her husband. Under oath, she testified how she waiting for hours for Sandee to get off work at the Green Iguana, and then followed her back to her Pinellas Park home, where she fired eight shots into Sandra Rozzo. Tracey Humphrey testified in his own defense, stating that the killing was Ashley's idea. The jury did not find him convincing. He was convicted of first-degree murder on February 25, 2006. Even though he faced the death penalty, jurors opted for life without parole, believing that it would be a harsher punishment than death in this case.Tracey Humphrey is serving his sentence at the Everglades Correctional Institution in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. Post-conviction, he was sentenced to an additional 15 years for a pre-trial escape
Escape
Escape may refer to:* Escapism, mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation* Escapology, the study and practice of escaping from physical restraints* Prison escape, the act of breaking out of prison...
attempt in April 2004.
On March 10, 2006, Ashley Humphrey was sentenced to 25 years for murder. Incarcerated at the Homestead Correctional Institution in Florida City, Florida
Florida City, Florida
Florida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is the southernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 5,413,212 in 2007. The population was 7,843 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S....
, she is scheduled to be released from prison on December 11, 2028. She will be 46 years old.
This case has been televised on Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
, Snapped
Snapped
Snapped is an American true crime television series that airs on the Oxygen Network. Snapped debuted on August 6, 2004 and is produced in conjunction with Jupiter Entertainment.-Synopsis:...
, and On the Case with Paula Zahn.