Marriage, Money and Murder: Steven and Celeste Beard

Engraved Shotgun

Christopher Doose was not alone in suggesting Tarlton's name to authorities. When news of the Beard shooting broke, any number of people stepped forward to identify her as a possible suspect—just about everyone, investigators noted, except Celeste Beard.

Detective Rick Wines paid Tarlton a visit at her apartment two days after the shooting.

"We asked if she owned a 20-gauge shotgun, and she said yes, she did," Wines told CBS's "48 Hours."

Tarlton was an avid skeet-shooter. Somewhat reluctantly, she agreed to hand over her shotgun for ballistic testing. The $1,000 Franchi, manufactured in Italy, was engraved with Tracey's name. It had been a gift from her father.

A few days later, police had their results.

Tracey Tarlton arrest photo

"The shotgun shell that we found at the scene came from the shotgun that we found in her house," Wines said. "You know, two and two to me has always been four."

On Oct. 8, six days after the shooting, Tarlton was arrested and charged with assault.