Shivangi Sinha
Certain lives are entangled and convoluted, leaving those who encounter them bewildered and confounded. Wyn Reed’s life follows a similar pattern, with each person forming a distinct perception based on their interactions with her. In 2020, she faced legal consequences for the 2016 murder of her maternal uncle, Shane Moore. The documentary ‘Dateline: Killer Role’ delves into the shifts in her demeanor and character post the crime, examining the factors that led to her eventual conviction.
Who is Wyn Reed?
Born on October 15, 1989, in Los Gatos, Santa Clara County, California, Wyn Reed whose original name is Tucker Reed, came into the world as the daughter of Kelly Moore and Dan Reed, both distinguished authors. Demonstrating exceptional writing prowess and a range of talents, Tucker’s journey began at a young age. She attended Ashland High School in Oregon, where her teenage years were marked by various passions. Whether serving as a singer-songwriter for the school band, actively participating in the theater group, or contributing significantly to the high school newspaper, Tucker left an indelible mark. Her essays garnered national recognition, solidifying her reputation as a skilled writer from her junior to senior years.
Tucker Reed enrolled at the University of South Carolina in 2010, where she pursued studies in broadcast journalism, theater, and cinema. During her time at the university, she actively participated in the college newspaper, eventually taking on the role of assistant editor. The initial years of her college life were relatively uneventful except for her book titled ‘Amber House’ which she co-wrote with her mother and sister Larkin, had came out and became extremely successful. They had been working on the book since 2009 and it was Arthur A. Levine imprint of Scholastic Press recognized the potential in their work, offering the trio a lucrative six-figure deal. The book hit the shelves in 2012, earning widespread acclaim from both readers and critics.
In 2013, she made allegations of gendered violence by a male student on campus. After sharing her experiences on a blog, Tucker reported the matter to the USC Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards office. However, when the claims were found to be unsubstantiated, she criticized the committee, deeming it dysfunctional and unresponsive. Subsequently, Tucker began positioning herself as a self-proclaimed activist, making appearances on various media channels and contributing to several magazines on the subject.
For unknown reasons, Tucker Reed left the University in 2016 and shifted her focus to pursuing a career as an actor. However, on July 26, 2016, she was charged with the murder of her uncle, Shane Moore, who was her mother’s brother. The incident occurred at her parent’s home in Applegate, Oregon, where the family was entangled in a property dispute related to her grandmother’s estate. On the day of the incident, a notary had come to the house and Shane approached the door to inquire about the situation. While her mother engaged in conversation with him at the door, Tucker, at that moment, retrieved a gun and shot him in the chest.
During the subsequent investigation, both Tucker and her mother asserted that Shane had threatened harm to her mother, and Tucker argued that she had shot him in self-defense. However, the police deemed their statements, particularly the narrative, to be highly misleading, and on July 29, she was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first and second-degree manslaughter. Her bail was established at $200,000, and she managed to secure her release by paying 10% of the bail amount, allowing her to resume her life as an actor.
Is Wyn Reed in Prison Now?
In 2020, while working on a mystery thriller, Tucker assumed the identity of Wyn Reed for her role as a killer. She concealed her true identity from the cast and crew until another actor, Mig Windows, recognized her as Tucker, a girl from high school, upon seeing her with her mother. The motive for her deceptive identity was revealed a few weeks after the filming concluded. In early 2020, the police obtained video evidence from Tucker’s phone, recorded on the day of the murder, which unequivocally demonstrated that Shane had not posed a threat to her mother, and she had shot him without provocation.
In May 2020, Tucker entered a guilty plea to the charges of second-degree manslaughter. As part of her plea deal, the charges of first-degree manslaughter and second-degree murder were dropped. She received a sentence of six years and three months. In January 2021, she filed a malpractice lawsuit against her defense attorney, but the case was dismissed in May 2021. Tucker is presently serving her sentence at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville.
Read More: Sandra Melgar: Where is The Convicted Killer Now?
