Ashley Humphrey

Parties and identities

Ashley Humphrey was the wife of Timothy "Tracey" Humphrey. She was born Oct. 13, 1982, and her name at birth was Ashley Christine Humphrey (née Laney).

The offence

Sandra Lee "Sandee" Rozzo was a bartender in Pinellas Park, Florida. She was shot to death in her home on July 5, 2003, in the garage of her Pinellas Park townhouse.

Ashley Humphrey was arrested for the first-degree murder of Sandra Rozzo and then cooperated with authorities. Ashley admitted that she shot Sandra Rozzo to death and described the plot to murder Sandee, including details about a plot for an additional failed murder attempt against Sandee.

Investigation

On July 5, 2003, Sandra Rozzo was shot to death in the garage of her Pinellas Park townhouse after returning home from her shift at the Green Iguana, a local bar.

Timothy "Tracey" Humphrey became a prime suspect as Sandra Rozzo’s ex-boyfriend. He claimed an alibi that he had ordered a pizza to his Brandon, Florida apartment at the time of the crime, and this was verified by acquaintance Tobe White.

Further investigation indicated that Ashley Humphrey was not at home during the crime. Cell phone records indicated that Ashley was in Pinellas Park, Florida when Sandra Rozzo was killed.

Arrest and charges

Ashley Humphrey was arrested for the first-degree murder of Sandra Rozzo.

Timothy Humphrey was charged with a federal firearms possession.

Cooperation and plea deal

Ashley Humphrey decided to cooperate with authorities while in custody. She admitted that she shot Sandra Rozzo to death but claimed it was at the behest of her husband. She provided a statement with vivid details about the plot to murder Sandra Rozzo. She also gave up details to another failed murder attempt against Sandra Rozzo.

In a plea bargain, Ashley Humphrey was allowed to plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testimony against her husband. This testimony allowed prosecutors enough evidence to charge Timothy Humphrey with first-degree murder.

Trial

Timothy Humphrey’s murder trial began in February 2006.

As part of her plea deal, Ashley Humphrey testified against her husband. Under oath, she testified that she waited hours for Sandra Rozzo 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.

Timothy Humphrey testified in his own defense, stating that the killing was Ashley’s idea. The jury did not find him convincing.

Timothy Humphrey was convicted of first-degree murder on February 25, 2006. The jury opted for life without parole instead of the death penalty, believing it would be a harsher punishment than death in this case.

Sentencing

On March 10, 2006, Ashley Humphrey was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder.

Ashley Humphrey was incarcerated at the Homestead Correctional Institution in Florida City, Florida. She was scheduled to be released from prison on December 11, 2028, and she would be 46 years old at release. She was to receive 812 days off her sentence for time served in jail since her arrest, but she was required to serve every day of the 25-year sentence with no gain time.

Other details

• Sandra Rozzo was shot eight times on July 5, 2003.
• Sandra Rozzo was described as having a 13-year-old daughter, and she was a former co-worker of Timothy Humphrey’s who had accused him of sexually assaulting her.
• Ashley Humphrey was married to Timothy "Tracey" Humphrey on July 4, 2003, one day before Sandra Rozzo’s murder.
• A state judge, Nancy Moate Ley, sentenced Ashley Humphrey to 25 years in prison, and stated: "Sandra Rozzo's murder was a contract killing," and "For your very misguided view of what love was."
• Prosecutor Fred Schaub said in court: "She should have known better," and "She has left a 13-year-old without a mother."
• Rozzo’s sister, Tracy Havlicek, said after the verdict: "She didn't want anyone else to get hurt by Timothy Humphrey," and "If she had to die to get him off the streets, then that's what she'd do."
• In an interview context, an FBI profiler, Candice DeLong, interviewed Ashley Humphrey for an episode of DeLong's Investigation Discovery series, Facing Evil.
• Ashley Humphrey gave a sworn testimony about following Sandra Rozzo back to her Pinellas Park home and firing eight shots into her.
• In sworn testimony, Ashley Humphrey said: "I realized that I had been brainwashed and taken advantage of by this man, and I wanted to let the truth be known," and "I wasn't allowed to go anywhere without telling him. I wasn't allowed to have any friends," and "If you want me to stay with him, I'll kill Sandra for you," and "I timed her coming out of the parking lot, I began following her car. It looked like she was heading home," and "I went to the garage and I slammed the butt of the gun on her window and she saw me and started screaming and, then I just shot her repeatedly until I thought she was dead. Then I looked in her eyes and she was dead," and "Because I loved him."