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48 Hours covered one of Alabama's most controversial cases.
The show examined a shooting that divided a community. Hunter Grissom, a construction worker, was killed by his ex-wife in 2012. The case raised serious questions about self-defense and domestic violence.
The story had two different versions. Each family told a completely different version of events. The girl next door, Tracey Grissom, seemed like a simple person. She was a nurse and the mother of two children.
But her life took a dark turn on May 15 in 2012. That morning transformed everything for two families. The Binion Creek boat landing turned into a crime scene. Hunter Grissom lay dead on the pavement. His ex wife had shot him six times. She called 911 afterward and the case took years to reach trial.
48 Hours: Who was Hunter Grissom?
Hunter Grissom was a young construction worker from Alabama. He met Tracey in 2003 when he was around 19 years old. They eventually got married in 2004 after a brief romance. Hunter loved Tracey's son from her former relationship. The couple teamed up and started the Grissom Construction together. They had a daughter named Anna Grace after several miscarriages; however, soon their marriage fell apart. Tracey filed for divorce around 2010, claiming that Hunter had drug issues.
48 Hours: What happened on May 15, 2012?
Tracey drove to a boat landing that morning. She said she wanted to photograph his construction sign. She claimed he owed her money. Hunter was there with two workers, Dale Dockery and William. According to Tracey, Hunter walked toward her car aggressively.
She felt threatened and opened fire. But the Dockery brothers told a separate story. They said Hunter looked scared when he saw her car. He told them to call the cops. Then Tracey went out and started shooting. Hunter ran away from her. He was hit four times and two bullets went through his back, and he died on the spot.
48 Hours: Did Tracey claim self-defense?
Yes, Tracey Grissom claimed that she feared for her life. She told 48 Hours that Hunter had raped her in November 2010. She showed photographs of serious injuries. There were bruises all over her body, and she had a head wound that required stitches. Hunter was arrested for sodomy, rape, and domestic violence.
Tracey got a restraining order against him. She bought a gun for protection and took it everywhere. On the morning of the encounter, she claimed Hunter had made an obscene gesture. She believed he would kill her. So she shot him until her gun was empty.
What was the motive?
Prosecutors claimed that money was the primary motive. Tracey had a life insurance policy on Hunter worth $103,000. She called the insurance company the day before the shooting. She verified her address with them. After Hunter's death, she called again to report it. The prosecution argued she wanted him dead before the rape trial.
Hunter had stopped paying spousal support. Tracey was struggling financially. She had lost everything, but her defense lawyer said this made no sense. The Girl Next Door, Tracey Grissom, maintained she never planned to kill him.
48 Hours: What happened at trial?
The trial took place in August 2014 and lasted only two days. 48 Hours covered the proceedings extensively. The Judge would not allow the rape pictures as evidence.
This hurt Tracey's defense significantly. The prosecutor argued she killed him for money. A pathologist said Hunter was running away when shot. His wounds proved he was not attacking her. Tracey took the stand to defend herself. She claimed to be living in constant fear. The judge offered to mitigate the charge to manslaughter. Both sides agreed to let the jury consider it. But Tracey rejected the suggestion. She believed the jury would find her not guilty. This was a huge gamble and did not pay off well.
48 Hours: The final verdict
The jury took just 90 minutes to reach a decision. They found Tracey Grissom guilty of murder. She was devastated by the verdict. His daughter was only five years old. But there was a surprising twist later on. One juror called the defense lawyer. She said she regretted the decision.
If she had seen the rape photos, she would have voted separately. She informed reporters she felt she had made a huge mistake. At sentencing, the judge finally saw the graphic photos. Tracey received 25 years of imprisonment. This was between the maximum and minimum sentences.
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48 Hours displayed how complicated domestic violence cases can be.
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