Timothy Alvin “Tracey” Humphrey was born on November 15, 1966, in the United States. Before his name became known in headlines for orchestrating a murder, Humphrey had built a reputation for violence and crime. He carried a long criminal record that included convictions for motor vehicle theft, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. Despite repeated brushes with the law, he continued to drift between jobs and relationships marked by volatility.

In November 2001, Humphrey was working as a doorman at a nightclub in Ybor City, Florida, when he met bartender Sandra “Sandee” Rozzo. They began a brief relationship that quickly turned abusive. By February 2002, Humphrey was arrested for felony battery after allegedly beating and sexually assaulting Rozzo—a case that was pending trial. In the months that followed, Rozzo cooperated with prosecutors, agreeing to testify against Humphrey in the assault case. The trial was scheduled for August 4, 2003.

Around 2002, Humphrey met Ashley Christine Laney at a gym in Florida. The two began dating and developed a relationship that would become both romantic and criminal. Ashley, who was 16 years younger, quickly grew attached to Humphrey. Together, they hatched plans to intimidate Rozzo and, ultimately, to eliminate her as a witness.

On July 5, 2003—just one day after Timothy Humphrey married Ashley Laney—Sandee Rozzo finished her shift at the Green Iguana bar in Pinellas Park, Florida. She drove home unaware she was being followed. Ashley Humphrey, acting under Tracey’s instructions, tracked her to her townhouse garage. There, Ashley fired eight shots, killing Rozzo before she could exit her vehicle.

Tracey had arranged an alibi. He stayed at his Brandon apartment and ordered a pizza around the time of the killing, with acquaintance Tobe White corroborating that he was home. But investigators soon discovered that Ashley’s cell phone placed her at the crime scene.

Both were arrested. Ashley confessed to the shooting and revealed that Tracey had been the mastermind. She described in detail how they had plotted the murder to prevent Rozzo from testifying in the upcoming assault trial. She also admitted that they had attempted and failed to kill Rozzo once before. In a plea deal to avoid a life sentence, Ashley pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against her husband.

In February 2006, Tracey Humphrey stood trial for first-degree murder. On the stand, he claimed that Ashley had acted alone and that he never intended to have Rozzo killed. The jury was not persuaded. After deliberating, they convicted him of first-degree murder on February 25, 2006. Though eligible for the death penalty, the jurors chose life in prison without parole, stating they believed this would be a harsher punishment.

Tracey was later sentenced to an additional 15 years for attempting to escape custody in 2004. He is currently incarcerated at South Bay Correctional Facility in South Bay, Florida, serving life plus 15 years. The murder left Rozzo’s family devastated and became a high-profile example of domestic violence and witness intimidation escalating into contract murder.