Viswa Vanapalli
In March 2005, the mysterious disappearance of Tracey Tetso in Maryland became national news, leading to an extensive search for her. But years later, the authorities arrested her husband, Dennis Tetso, for killing his wife despite never finding a dead body. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here: Shadows Of Death: No Body’ focuses on the evidence that led to Dennis’ arrest and what happened in the aftermath. So, let’s find out more about this case then, shall we?
How Did Tracey Tetso Die?
Tracey Leigh Gardner had been in a relationship with Dennis Tetso for about six to seven years before they married in September 2004. She was described as a fun, responsible, and caring person who loved her three pet dogs. The couple lived in Rosedale, Maryland, at the time of the incident, and both worked at Aggregate Industries. Then about 32-years-old, Tracey was employed as a dispatcher there.
Tracey was last seen at around 3 pm on March 6, 2005, at her home. On that day, she was supposed to go to a Motley Crue concert in Washington DC; her friends bought her a ticket for her upcoming birthday. However, Tracey never showed up at the venue. Despite a rigorous search for her, she was nowhere to be seen. Dennis reported her missing, and loved ones knew it was unusual for her to leave without contact. While Tracey is believed to have been murdered, her body has never been found, so the cause of death is unknown.
Who Killed Tracey Tetso?
The police learned that Tracey’s car was seen on video passing through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel in Maryland at around 7:48 pm. The vehicle was found on March 17, 2005, abandoned in the parking lot of a hotel off a highway in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Surveillance video from the hotel showed that the car was left there on the night Tracey disappeared by a figure that appeared to be a man. The authorities considered Dennis the prime suspect, but at the time, no evidence tied him to the disappearance, so the case didn’t go much further.
It was revealed that Tracey had planned to go to the concert with a coworker with whom she was having an affair. Furthermore, she and Dennis had been having issues, and they had been arguing in the time leading up to the incident. Dennis’ behavior was suspicious in the aftermath of the disappearance because he refused to cooperate with the authorities and didn’t participate in the searches for his wife. Tracey’s loved ones stated that she was not happy in the marriage and was considering divorcing Dennis.
However, Dennis denied knowing what happened to Tracey, and the case eventually went cold. Then, in 2009, the authorities reopened the case and realized they were in possession of Tracey’s key fob. The investigation revealed that the key fob was the only way to unlock Tracey’s car and surveillance video from the parking lot showed the man locking the car remotely. During the initial stages of the investigation, Dennis had the key and handed it over to the police, leading to the belief that he was the killer.
Dennis was arrested in June 2009, and the prosecution claimed that he killed Tracey upon learning about her affair with a coworker. A former colleague who knew Dennis and Tracey testified that Dennis placed a recording device on the home phone to listen to his wife’s calls. The colleague added that Dennis admitted to using someone else’s van to follow Tracey around undetected.
Dennis Tetso Was Released in 2001
In October 2010, Dennis, who was about to turn 46 in a few weeks, was found guilty of second-degree murder. He maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. The following month, Dennis was sentenced to serve an 18-year term behind bars. He was denied parole in 2017 after the board believed he showed no remorse.
At the time, Dennis said, “I have nothing to say. I didn’t commit a crime. I have no idea where she (Tracey) is, and I will take it to my grave.” Then, it was reported that he was released in November 2021 for good behavior. As part of his sentence, Dennis would be under parole supervision for five years in Glen Burnie after being released. He has maintained a low profile since then, and from what we can tell, he remains in Glen Burnie.
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