Links to more information about the attempted murder of Rob Whedbee...

 People Magazine: "In the Dead of Night" 

LA Times: "A Secret in Oak Ridge..."

AP: "...begins sentence for soliciting murder..."

Google News: "Victim Takes Stand..."

Oxygen Video: "Snapped - Rob Whedbee Interview"

Oxygen's Blog Page

True Crime Story Tells the Tale of Ultimate Betrayal and the Ultimate Failure of the Judicial System...

Rob Whedbee was a hard working and successful insurance man. He was known and well-respected around Knoxville, and his family and friends knew Rob’s word was the solid truth. He adored his children, Justin and Britanny, and spent as much time as he could with them. He liked being a father and he was a very good one. He also worked hard on his marriage and for years, everything seemed to be good. However, things began to change when his daughter was born in 1990. Two days after her birth, the doctor came to he and his wife, Lisa, and told them that Britanny had Down Syndrome. It was hard news to hear, but after some reflection, Rob knew things would be OK. They’d do what they had to to give their baby girl a good life, and care for her special needs. To say that Lisa didn't take the news well, would be an understatement. Bordering on hysteria, she turned to her husband and implored, “How do we get out of this?” Both Rob and his father-in-law, who was also in the room, were taken aback. From that moment on, things would never be the same between Lisa and Rob, and no one could begin to imagine just how bad things would eventually get.

A perfectly normal family or just an illusion?

New Book "Rude Awakening - The Attempted Murder of Rob Whedbee" Tells What Really Happened...

On a June night in 1994, Rob Whedbee awoke to see a dark figure wielding a butcher knife above him, and suddenly found himself in a struggle for his life.  Rude Awakening, a new book in progress, recounts the story of the attempted murder, and one of the biggest cases in Tennessee judicial history. The story fueled national and international interest, and was covered in major newspapers and magazines across the country, and on news tabloid television programs such as Dateline, Snapped, City Confidential, Hard Copy, and A Current Affair. A collaboration between the victim, Rob Whedbee, and writer, Sheree Martines, the true story chronicles the years leading up to the crime and the legal fiasco that followed.

Knife and baseball bat used in the attempted murder

Excerpt from the upcoming book Rude Awakening - The Attempted Murder of Rob Whedbee...

"Like a rat in a hole, he crouched there, stiff from the seven hours he had laid in wait in the cramped confines of the basement closet.  He was dying for a Virginia Slim and contemplated creeping outside for another one.  Hell, he smoked more than four packs a day, however that was possible. Everyone agreed he always smelled like mentholated smoke. He cautiously opened the closet door and listened. The house was silent and still.  He quickly slipped out the sliding door, slicing through the dark for a second as he lit up. Crouching against the brick, he sucked hard on his cigarette.

He was quite pleased with himself. He was part of a grand plan that had been months in the making. None of the bullies he’d encountered through life would believe “scrawny, mild-mannered Michael” could ever do anything so horrific. He had meticulously selected his garb, wearing black jeans, black socks and shoes, and to make a statement, his black Phantom of the Opera t-shirt. Latex gloves and a black stocking mask, he would don later, were crammed in his pockets. Focusing on the prize at hand, he felt no fear."

  

Frazier's t-shirt stained with Rob Whedbee's blood

"He snubbed out his smoke, threw the butt out into the yard, and made the short trek back to his berth. He was infused with demonic adrenalin as he envisioned his mission. He was there to slay the dragon, driven by his consuming desire for her. He would save her and she would be his…She would be his! His heart thundered as he clutched the wicked blade, and waited for her  word.  Michael Frazier, preacher’s kid and choir boy, was about to commit cold-blooded murder."

Frazier's mugshot

Please check back for future updates and book excerpts.

About Rob Whedbee...

Born and bred in Knoxville Tennessee, Rob Whedbee is a successful business owner in the insurance industry. Actively involved in sports during his school years, he played and enjoyed football, basketball, and baseball. He also excelled in boxing and power lifting. He enjoys all water sports, motorcycles, and outdoor activities such as boating, fishing, and hiking. Rob is devoted to his family, and is the proud single father to Justin, 26, and Brittany, 22, his daughter with moyamoya and profound down syndrome.