48 Hours Mystery: Point Blank

Within hours of responding to the Rhode home, Brownsville Detective Sam Lucio's investigation changed course, as the focus shifted from attempted suicide to a possible homicide.

Lucio says there were all the ingredients of a classic murder plot: a love interest, jealousy, and a pretty, young wife who was behaving suspiciously.

"She's a nurse, but she gave no first aid to her husband whatsoever and the reason she says she didn't give any first aid was because she was in shock," Lucio says.

Despite the shock, Lucio says she had the presence of mind to call work and say she wouldn't be coming in. "Who would be thinking about 'I need to call work so they can get a replacement for me at work today because my husband got shot'?" Lucio asks.

Even more troubling to Lucio was that Traci had washed her hands in front of a police officer. What was she washing off? Gun shot residue?

"I just could smell blood," Traci explains. "I'm a nurse. I'm sensitive to the smell of blood and I just had my hands up there and I just walked over to the kitchen sink and I just ran hot water over my hands and I just stood there crying."

It was not only Traci's behavior that aroused the suspicions of Lucio and his partner, Detective Thomas Clipper. It was also what they learned that day about the final weeks and hours of Scott Rhode's life, including the marital problems.

These problems led detectives to the other man, Shawn Michaels, the unit secretary at the hospital where Traci worked. It was the very same hospital where Scott died from the gunshot.

The detectives also learned that Scott had hired divorce attorney Nat Perez. Just one day before the shooting, Scott took Traci to Perez's office, and blindsided her with a plan.

"'I said 'Scott will have custody of the children but you would have liberal visitation.' She just basically yelled out 'What!' and looked at Scott and said, 'You never told me that. You never told me that I wasn't going to have the boys,'" Perez recalls.
And if she chose to fight, they made it clear they would use Shawn against her.

"I said that didn't matter to me. I would do whatever to fight for my children. I didn't feel like I should sign away my children. I love my children. I was a good mother," Traci says.

"And she told Scott, 'We need to go home and we need to talk about this some more.' And she got up. And she pretty much just stormed out of the office," Perez says.

Back home, emotionally drained, they stopped fighting and started talking, says Traci. "I told him I wanted joint custody of our kids. I wasn't doing anything wrong. I didn't deserve to lose my children."

Traci says both agreed they didn't want to put their kids through an ugly custody battle. But later that night, Scott's mood changed again. Traci says he suddenly flew into a rage in the laundry room over her affair.

"He went and got a ball bat. And he wanted to know where Shawn lived because he was gonna go bash his head in and he's screaming at me, 'Tell me where he lives.' 'I don't know. I've never been to his home. I don't know,'" Traci says. "That's when he got physical with me. Grabbed me by the throat. Put his fist up to me. Told me he was just gonna knock the s***out of me. And I said, 'If that makes you feel better, just do it. I'm not having an affair.'"

"And I went into the bedroom and I started packing a suitcase, I was just going to go stay in a hotel. But he started crying. And he begged me not to go," Traci says. "And then he said, 'Come lay down here with me.' And I laid my head on his chest. It wasn't anger anymore… it was just a loving couple just trying to work out our problems."

The next morning, Scott was found with the gunshot wound to the head.

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[Augustinapriel]

Her story about coming home late because she was helping with a baby's delivery is strange. Nurses work on shifts. When the shift ends, a new nurse takes over. I wonder if she had been unfaithful, and her husband was right about it.

[nullable]

Although I firmly believe she is guilty the evidence of the gun and holster in the blood stain on the floor is flawed logic. Actually it tends to prove another scenario. This would only indicate, if anything, that the gun was there before blood spatter/flow from above/angled perpendicular. Blood would have seeped under the object, not around it, like a mask. Fabric is a conduit. The underlayment and carpet would have absorbed the blood indiscriminate of an object on top of it...unless that object was absorbent. The only way the gun's position would be evidence of anything as a mask to the bloodstain would be if the gun (or any other nonabsorbent object) was on the carpet and blood flowed or was directed from some point above the gun, onto the gun. In this scenario the gun might possibly mask the area below in some fashion. The rate of coagulation would determine other factors of seepage etc...However, this is not the case as the gun was found to have feathers and other indicators that it was used in a close range shooting into the pillow and not found on the carpet after injury to the victim. I am more bothered by other factors(her constant whining and crying certainly does not endear her-but that is beside the point :) that convince me she is guilty. Suicide is not indicated. What a crazy Casey Anthony jury! Wow!

[craigzz]

There are several things which bother me in this case. The lack of detail from Traci, her testimony of hearing a moaning noise, yet apparently not hearing a gunshot, even if she is in a shower. Surely the person with gun shot residue on there hands, is the person who fired the gun, if this basic test was not performed, then the failures in this case are those of the investigators.

There should also have been fingerprints of Scotts on the firearm, if he had indeed used it to commit suicide. It does not seem to add up, as for a motive ? There can be no stronger motive than that of a woman believing she is going to lose her children. I think there was probably a lot of heated arguments, and love turning to hatred between these two before this incident. But then again, the victim was not technically dead, and could possibly have regained conciousness and implicated her, one would have to assume this was some sort of calculated risk on her part, she would have had to have shot him much earlier, and been reasonably aware he was so severely injured and unable to communicate, prior to the 911 call.

I think she woke up very early, or never slept, put on her jogging clothes, put on rubber gloves, shot him, immediately went jogging around the block, to make sure nobody outside heard the shot and to dump the rubber gloves, returned, showered, assessed his conciousness, and then realised her gun placement mistake, rectified it, and then and only then, called 911.

The unknown palm print on the gun, and complete lack of fingerprints, and/or gun residue of suspects, suggests the killer used gloves, and that this print is simply that of someone who once handled the gun in the past, but the police should at least try to make a match, to either implicate or exclude someone, it is after all the murder weapon, and to not trace this palm print, is just plain bad police work. The entire police investigation was sub-standard, unprofessional and sloppy, and they did not deserve a conviction. Why police officers, who are automatically sent to such locations along with EMS, do not routinely take pictures as soon as they get there, is the first mistake.

[anonyq]

It's unbelievable that anyone could think she's innocent just because she cries every time she's interviewed and does such an elaborate job portraying herself as the victim, and portraying the husband that she murdered in his sleep as the villain.

No one shoots himself through a pillow (and then wipes the fingerprints off the gun). Come on, people! Don't you find it odd that this happened the day after she met with his divorce lawyer and found out that he wanted custody of the kids? He obviously cared about his kids. Why would he suddenly kill himself? Where is the suicide note or any prior indication that he would do that?

And of course, she never had affairs, oh, except for the one time when she was caught.

And she stayed with her boyfriend in a motel shortly after her husband died. She didn't think anyone would find out because they met out of town. Then when people found out about it she tried to downplay that too.

The jury must have been insane to let her go home to her kids. Sure she's the psychopathic murderer who shot their father to death in his sleep, but she cried in court so we'll let her move back in with the kids. It won't be long before something terrible happens there.

[namvet0527]

I had a hard time watching the whole show. The stupid cops were so lazy & full of tunnel vision & did what most cops say not to do, make a conclusion from the beginning & BEND the facts to fit their ASSUMPTION. These cops made the TEXAS RANGERS look like a bunch of KEYSTONE COPS. These cops should go back to cop school. Harold Dow, the correspondent, did a lousy job of telling this story. I can't stand that fat faced ignorant cop that so much wanted to get a notch on his gun he exagerated the truth & bent the facts to fit his ASSUMPTION to what HE THOUGHT happened, damned the REAL FACTS. This guy reminds me of a stereotypical GOOD OLE BOY REDNECK SOUTHERN COP. These cops ought to sued & jailed for corruption. This guys put a VERY BIG BLACK SMUDGE on the reputation of the Texas Rangers. I had high regard for them until this story. I wish I could confront this Texas redneck hillbillie pigs. I have absolutely no respect for them whatsoever.

[debaw66]

I have followed many news stories over the years and have always been right on when it came to being able to tell if someone was guilty or not. I have always had a good gut instinct as well, especially when it comes to maternal instincts.
I truely believe that with all my heart Tracey Rhodes did NOT kill her husband. She was genuinely upset and too upfront, open, and honest when she very easily could have lied. This is a mother who adores her children and stayed in a marriage because of them. Nieve maybe, but not a killer for sure and most definately not the town ***** as she was portrayed. But for argument sake, had she been an adultress, it still would not make her a killer.
My theory: Tracey's husband killed himself while she was in the shower and used a pillow to muffle the sound so that he would not wake the children and so that they wouldn't be the ones running to find him. Several people that know both of them, all believe he killed himself and that she is innocent. Not one person outside of law enforcement and the procecution thinks otherwise. Even the jury obviously had reasonable doubt or would not have gave her probation. Sadly she lost her nursing liscence and could lose her children if she trys to clear her name and loses. Why would she even consider clearing her name is she were not innocent? That is a huge risk for a guilty mom. I hope that she can clear her name someday for her childrens' sake, she deserves that much for all that she has been through.

[debaw66]

PS, I do wonder if the palm print might match the other man involved at the time. Or did Scott in is paranoia, try to have the final revenge by framing his own wife, think about it, he wanted to strip everything away from her, including her children.

[lightsout1089]

This was a very poorly written "48 hours". There was so much left out of the story, no one could possibly come to a informative decision. Did she or didn't she have an affair? Was the boyfriend's palm checked against the palm print? How did the husband find out about the boyfriend. Come on, guys! this is a great story told horribly.

I did notice that Traci never shed a tear. She cried a lot during the interview with "48 hours", but her face was dry.

Personally, I'm not sure if she actually pulled the trigger, but I do think she had something to do with it.

[chasm61]

Actually, I'm nearly positive these were all mentioned.

-During an argument, in "the heat of the moment" she blurts out her feelings for Shawn.
-She and the boyfriend never had sex or anything while the husband was alive, it was just "mutual attraction."
-I think they only checked Traci and Scott's palms.

[Wildwood1966]

definitely makes you think - I am not sure she did it - If I had been on jury I could not say"beyond reasonable doubt" the husband ccertainly had issues why would she lose her license? If she was actually not charged that seems wrong God be with her and her family and their pain

[hercule1122]

This case is baffling. The husband was clearly a paranoid, schizo who moved his family around like pawns on a chess board. From the details, he most clearly had the motivation to commit suicide. I know the jury found her guilty, but I also know that juries in this country usually are composed of people the defense and prosecution lawyers accept and they may be educated or not. Think about many high profile cases, like O.J. where the evidence was overwhelming and the jury acquitted since the glove didn't fit! I think there is much room for improvement in the system. I think this case was poorly handled.

[timbenton51]

What's baffling? She killed him. The evidence is overwhelming

Is there some reason you can't accept that?

[Tomcrews]

This case is a travesty! Traci Rhode is a cowardly murderer! Americans totally refuse to hold women ACCOUNTABLE for ANYTHING! Where women are killers, even first degree murder is completely excused. A man would have been executed by lethal injection for this! End of story!