00:00:01
It doesn't look like anyone's been here. I'm not. What's that smell? This officer is unknowingly reacting to
00:00:11
the decomposition odor coming from Craig Thetford's hidden body. Police have been
00:00:16
searching for him for months with no success. And even now, with the foul odor in the air, they still have no idea
00:00:24
he's buried only feet away. Is that dirt or is that blood? This is the only way I've been able to have any
00:00:32
communication with you. And I don't even know if it's him. I wouldn't even know where to start
00:00:37
looking. There's some weird going on. Whoever killed Craig [music] covered their tracks meticulously using
00:00:44
chemicals to mask the odor, disabling security cameras, and hiding [music] in plain sight. And while detectives spend
00:00:52
months trying to figure out where Craig went, [music] the suspected killer quietly continues spending Craig's
00:00:57
money, allegedly [music] buying houses, cars, and crafting a plan to ensure they're never found. [music]
00:01:06
>> [snorts] >> Oh, it's warm. I want to say something else, but I don't want to implicate her. You need to
00:01:12
say it. You might start looking in the Caribbean. Police department, CRAIG THETFORD IS
00:01:19
MISSING, SIR. IT'S A late May evening in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. [music] Tucked among wooded acreage and mountain
00:01:29
terrain, sits a 2,000 square foot property owned by 60-year-old Craig Thetford. [music] He lives inside this
00:01:37
large three-story house with his wife Dena. The Thetfords enjoy a [music] comfortable lifestyle thanks to Craig's
00:01:43
roofing business. They own multiple residential properties and frequently take luxury vacations. But a few months
00:01:50
ago, something dark took place inside the Thetford household, [music] and it went unnoticed for weeks until
00:01:56
May 2025, when the Otero County Sheriff's Office receives a disturbing call. Communications on recorded line,
00:02:03
how can I help you? Who would I talk to to have a wellness check done on an individual? That would be me. What's
00:02:09
going on? The name is Craig Thetford. Everybody here in Texas has been trying to get a hold of Craig for nearly 2
00:02:16
months. We can't get a hold of his wife. We're really concerned about him because
00:02:21
this is not like him. He always answered his phone and called back. Even his family here hasn't been able to get a
00:02:28
hold of him. Nobody can get a hold of him. On the line is Larry Scott requesting a
00:02:34
welfare check on his friend, but something about this call is different. As Larry explains, nobody has seen Craig
00:02:42
or his wife for months, a detail that's highly unusual since most missing person
00:02:48
reports come within days. Following this, officers are dispatched to the address to conduct a welfare check on
00:02:56
the Thetford couple. [music] Once they pull up to the long driveway and step out into the mountain air, they
00:03:02
can sense something is off about this place. Sheriff's Office. Can you see anything through the
00:03:44
windows? Yeah, I got a pretty good look through the windows. Doesn't look like there's anyone in
00:03:50
there. As officers walk around the residence, they notice the sheer size of the property with multiple carports and
00:03:57
outbuildings. Lights are on throughout the home itself, but strangely, no one answers the door. Looking through the
00:04:05
windows, one officer notices several boxes stacked, suggesting that the couple might be in the process of moving
00:04:12
or had already left. As another officer circles towards the carport, he hesitates. There's something odd about
00:04:20
the air around him. They got a pretty decent security camera on the back. Doesn't look like anyone's been here.
00:04:33
>> [music] >> What's that smell? Coming from the carport, a faint, strange odor drifts through the space.
00:04:44
But up in the mountains, with wildlife and wooded terrain, unusual smells aren't uncommon. So, the officer brushes
00:04:52
it off and moves on. With the home appearing vacant and no immediate signs of foul play, cops call it off and leave
00:05:01
with the impression that the Thetford couple likely moved out and simply forgot to inform their friend Larry.
00:05:07
Unknowingly, officers are walking away from the first signs that something far more sinister is at play.
00:05:17
The next day, things begin to shift into something more serious as police receive
00:05:23
a second call [music] about Craig. However, this one carries more concerning details than the last.
00:05:30
Thetford Communications on a recorded line, how can I help you? Okay, this is going to seem really, really strange.
00:05:35
About 4 months ago, my grandpa have been off the like face of the of the world, and he's a volunteer firefighter up
00:05:43
there. He loves to do it. He talked about it to me all that all the time. And so, I'd like to place a wellness
00:05:47
check, but the only person that said she's talked to him in 4 months is his wife, and apparently now they're getting
00:05:53
a divorce. He's doing a whole bunch of stuff, but I don't I don't believe it. It's not my grandpa. It's just really
00:06:00
strange. And what's his name? Craig Thetford. And what's your name? My name is Cody Gibson, and I'm his grandson.
00:06:06
His wife is supposedly in Texas getting a divorce. With yet another welfare check request
00:06:13
from Craig's grandson, Cody, a clearer timeline begins to form. And now it sounds like Craig hasn't been missing
00:06:20
for 2 months as previously believed by his friend. Instead, he hasn't been seen for over 4 months, which is even more
00:06:29
alarming. Additionally, the reason no formal missing person report was filed starts to make sense as Cody goes on to
00:06:37
explain [music] that his grandfather's wife, Dina Thetford, has been telling everyone that Craig is in Mexico with
00:06:44
another woman after filing for divorce. A story that doesn't sit right with Craig's grandson.
00:06:51
Following the second call, Otero County Sheriff's deputies are dispatched back to Craig's house. This time, instead of
00:06:58
simply knocking and leaving, they widen the scope. If Craig and his wife aren't inside the house, maybe someone nearby
00:07:06
has seen or heard something. So, deputies begin canvassing the surrounding properties. A decision that
00:07:12
will quietly kick-start an investigation into what may become one of the most elaborate and twisted homicide cover-ups
00:07:19
they've ever handled. Deputy Pintero with the Sheriff's Office. By chance, have you seen your your
00:07:26
neighbors over No, sir. I haven't. I I've been really worried about him Okay. >> since January.
00:07:33
And we're real good friends and everything. Okay. And we were both on the James Canyon Fire Department. Mhm.
00:07:38
And then it come January, it was just no contact. No contact at all come January. I got him. I've been
00:07:44
on the I was on James Canyon Fire Department there for about about 5 and 1/2 years.
00:07:49
>> Mhm. And when he moved up here, I talked him into it. Okay. And then I mean we were
00:07:53
real good friends and everything. >> Yeah. And then Josh over here, he got on We
00:07:57
got him on the fire department. Josh and Heidi here would know more information about them cuz Okay.
00:08:02
>> I know what was Do you know what the the address is over there? It's it's this
00:08:06
this that A-frame right there. >> This one right here? >> one right here. >> Okay.
00:08:16
Hi, can I help you? Yes, ma'am. How are you? I'm Deputy Pinter with the Teller County Sheriff's Office. Yeah. We were
00:08:21
looking for Craig Setford. Yeah, we haven't heard from Craig. Okay. Um we're buying the house from him. He
00:08:29
was in Breckenridge taking care of his mom. Okay. >> Dina, is my friend. Um she's in and out
00:08:35
from the house down there. Okay. She hasn't really talked to me either, which is weird. Have you talked to Dina
00:08:40
lately? Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. And have you asked her anything about like Craig, how he's doing or anything like that?
00:08:45
>> She From what she's telling me, she's not talking to him either. She's Oh, okay. Sorry, are they like not together
00:08:52
right now? >> they're splitting up. You got you. Okay. Okay. Okay. >> what's happening. And when was the last
00:08:58
time you saw Dina here in the in the area? It's probably been about 3 weeks now.
00:09:03
About 3 weeks? >> Yeah. As far as Heidi knows, Craig and Dina are in the middle of separating with
00:09:09
Craig supposedly staying at his mother's house in Texas. That explanation doesn't
00:09:14
match what Dina told Craig's grandson, Cody, [music] who was under the impression that his grandfather went to
00:09:20
Mexico after filing for divorce. To investigate further, the deputy asks Heidi for [music] Dina's phone number
00:09:26
and tries calling her, but worryingly, it goes straight to voicemail. With no immediate leads, officers return to the
00:09:33
station. Before Deputy Pinter can relay his findings to detectives, his phone starts ringing. Interestingly, the
00:09:41
caller is one of the Thetfords. Hello. Uh hi, Mr. phone call? Yes, ma'am. How are you? This is Deputy
00:09:49
Pinter calling from the Torrance County Sheriff's Office. I was calling in in reference to your husband, Craig. It
00:09:55
seems that he hasn't been in contact with a lot of his family and and some of his friends. Right. Yeah. We have been
00:10:03
separated and [clears throat] I recently filed for divorce. He's kind of He's involved with someone else and currently
00:10:12
he's in Mexico. And when was the last time you saw him or spoke to him? Before he left. Would you have an
00:10:18
estimate, like, you know, was it like 1 week, 2 weeks? First of the month. First
00:10:23
of the month. And you saw him in person, correct? Yes. Yes, he was packing. Yes.
00:10:28
Where was this at? Was this at your residence on Heatherwood? >> Yes. He has moved out. And where are you
00:10:34
currently staying at? I'm at my mom's in Texas, Seymour, Texas. Yeah. Well, I guess let me ask you, are you going to
00:10:40
permanently be staying at Seymour, Texas? No, okay. Until I see what happens in the divorce. I'm going to ask
00:10:47
for the property. Okay. I mean, I don't I don't think he's missing. On the line is Dina Thetford clarifying
00:10:55
that her husband is actually in Mexico with another woman, the same story she told Craig's grandson, but different
00:11:03
from what her neighbor reported. Naturally, this drastically complicates the investigation as locating a missing
00:11:10
person in another country is exponentially more difficult. But during the phone call, Dina also goes on to
00:11:17
explain that she suspected Craig of cheating on her for nearly a year before confirming the affair a couple of months
00:11:23
earlier. Now she's staying with her mother in Texas, but plans to return to New Mexico and fight Craig in court to
00:11:30
keep the property for herself. The deputy confirms Dina's current phone number before ending the call. Aside
00:11:36
from the inconsistent story about Craig's whereabouts, police have no reason to believe Dina is hiding
00:11:42
anything, but that is about to change. No, I tried to warn Craig. He did state [clears throat] I could kill Craig and
00:11:49
get away with it I'd do it. My mom is crazy. Like she's tried to kill me before.
00:11:55
In the days that follow, Craig Tetford is officially entered into the FBI database as a missing person and the
00:12:02
case is assigned to Detective Bobby Curtis with the district's major crimes unit. As Curtis begins digging into the
00:12:08
couple's background, one detail immediately [music] stands out. Craig is Dina's fourth husband. She had already
00:12:16
been married three times before and those relationships seemingly ended under troubling circumstances. So Curtis
00:12:23
decides to call the people who might know Dina best, her ex-husbands. And what she's about to hear may not just
00:12:31
explain where Craig is, but also what really happened to him. I got a voicemail from you about an hour
00:12:39
ago, I guess. I was calling to see if you had a minute to talk to me about Dina. I was married
00:12:46
to her 30 years ago. I called her Dina possessed one time and thought her crazy.
00:12:52
I was told that there was possibly a time when she had tried to run you over with her car. I would probably say
00:13:00
that's more of her her drug addicted or alcohol addicted state. That's the against that way.
00:13:08
And that's the the best time to leave her alone is when she's that way. And I think that's how we we both survived for
00:13:16
10 years. Hello? Hi, is this Scotty? Yes. Hi, it's Detective Curtis First let's go ahead and start with the why did you
00:13:28
guys end up getting a divorce? Cuz she's crazy. She is what they classify as a binge
00:13:33
drinking alcoholic. She would always be very abusive. Yeah, she has assaulted me multiple
00:13:40
times. Broke two pair of glasses, bald up her fist and hit me twice tried to kill me.
00:13:46
You know, I was always afraid something like this was going to happen cuz I knew
00:13:49
she was capable and then you know, when I when I saw that Craig was missing I immediately called. You know, I tried to
00:13:55
warn Craig multiple times and she did say in front of me and my wife if I could kill Craig and get away with it
00:14:02
I'd do it. That final remark from Scott is disturbing and certainly doesn't bode
00:14:10
well for the situation. Following these statements from Dina's ex-husbands, Detective Curtis decides to dig further
00:14:17
into Scott's claims. Turns out Dina worked as a correctional officer for nearly eight years in the early 2000s.
00:14:24
Then in 2008, according to Scott, Dina was arrested for allegedly trying to stab him while intoxicated, an incident
00:14:31
[music] that reportedly landed her in jail overnight. After that, the couple briefly reconciled, but in 2010, Scott
00:14:39
also alleged that Dina found his pistol and chased him while pulling the trigger, though the gun was not loaded
00:14:46
and he survived. As Curtis continues reviewing the reports, she notices that at various points over the years, Dina's
00:14:53
daughter Leslie had lived with her and Craig. So one of Curtis's co-investigators reaches out to Leslie
00:14:58
to gain insights into what was happening inside that house. When he finally gets
00:15:03
her on the phone, she shares some startling information about her mother. How are you this morning? Good as I can
00:15:09
be. How are you? I'm good. So whenever you were living at the house, Leslie, was there domestic
00:15:17
violence going on in the house? Did your mom and dad fight? >> Yeah, all the time. My mom is crazy. My
00:15:22
mom is so crazy. Like she's tried to kill me before. She stabbed one of her other husbands. She tried to run my real
00:15:29
dad over with a car. She had my sister hog-tied and thrown in a car and like shipped off one time. So, what's your
00:15:36
mom >> [music] >> said to you? Yeah, to everyone pretty much. She's I always thought she was
00:15:42
like possessed, like demonic. Like it was so evil that like I just couldn't even believe like it was real. Okay.
00:15:49
>> [music] >> At the time that that you were there at the house, did your mom and dad drink or
00:15:54
use drugs, >> [music] >> either one of them? Yeah, she she's an alcoholic. She's always been. She also
00:16:01
does other drugs and I think she might have poisoned him or been trying to poison him or something like or like
00:16:07
messing with his medication or something. Needless to say, things are starting to
00:16:13
sound grim. There are now two [music] separate people alleging that Craig may be dead and that Dina could somehow be
00:16:21
involved. With this troubling development in mind, Detective Curtis moves on to review the couple's recent
00:16:27
financial activity and this is where things become very peculiar. In the last four months, Dina appears to have spent
00:16:34
hundreds of thousands of dollars [music] including a new house and a new car while also potentially helping fund her
00:16:40
son's new business. With all these findings combined and Dina's shifting story, investigators begin to suspect
00:16:48
they may be dealing with something far more serious than a missing person case and the possibility of a concealed
00:16:53
homicide now sits squarely on the table. But in the middle of trying to piece together what really happened to Craig,
00:17:00
detectives receive a tip that his wife Dina has returned home and is acting as if nothing ever happened.
00:17:10
What if somebody's home? Following this, Deputy Roger Schoolcraft is sent to check if Dina returned home
00:17:21
and can provide any answers. In a few seconds, he will come face-to-face with the one person investigators now believe
00:17:29
may be their prime suspect. But before we get to that, if you're like me, you probably want to save money and have
00:17:36
your money actually work for you without overcomplicating things or constantly thinking about it. That's where our
00:17:42
video sponsor, Chime, comes in. Chime is the most loved banking app that makes saving simple, especially with their
00:17:50
high-yield savings account. The national average savings rate is 0.39% APY, which
00:17:55
is basically nothing. But with Chime's high-yield savings account, you earn up to 3%, about seven times the national
00:18:03
average. To put that into perspective, if you had $5,000 in a regular savings account, you would earn about $20 in a
00:18:10
year. But with Chime's savings account, that's closer to $150 in a year. Real money that can actually go towards
00:18:18
something you want. Chime also makes saving easy to automate. You can send part of your paycheck straight to your
00:18:24
savings, or you can turn on round-ups so spare change from everyday purchases go
00:18:28
straight into your account without you having to think about it. There are no monthly fees or minimum balance
00:18:33
requirements, so more of your money stays yours. And unlike some savings accounts, your money isn't locked up.
00:18:40
You can access it anytime. Right now, Chime is offering up to a $350 bonus. Yes, up to $350 [music]
00:18:49
when you open a new Chime account through my link, chime.com/insanity, or just click the link in the
00:18:55
description below, or scan the QR code on screen. With that said, let's get back to Deputy
00:19:01
Roger, who's on the verge of hearing a story that may explain why Craig truly vanished.
00:19:15
>> Hi, good morning. Dena? Yes. >> Hi. Good morning. Good morning. Hey, I'm doing some follow-up. I'm
00:19:25
Roger. I'm sorry. Roger Spur back. Nice to meet Dena? Yes, I think we met at a base uh
00:19:31
football game. Probably did. I'm trying to do some follow-up on uh Craig. And I thought maybe I could
00:19:39
meet with you and maybe you could try to kind of help me give me some information
00:19:42
and or can we sit somewhere or All right. Kind of chilly. Okay, well, obviously we got some calls
00:19:52
because people haven't been hearing from her or anything. So, you being the wife,
00:19:57
you might be able to help me. Well, it's his mom. I talked to his mom. Oh, really? So, you guys aren't
00:20:03
No, we have been having some issues. Uh Okay. I guess you would say we're separated.
00:20:13
How long's that been going on? Um nothing's [clears throat] legal yet. We just haven't been spending any time
00:20:21
together since at least February. February? Early February or late February? >> Late
00:20:29
things weren't working out. So, you left, he left. How did it He left. He's He told me Well, he first went to Texas
00:20:37
cuz he was studying, needed to go help his mom. So, he left here to go help his mom?
00:20:42
>> That's That was what he said, yes. Um I've never really had any reason not to not believe what he said.
00:20:49
And that was like the second week of February? You You'll have to bear with me because
00:20:55
I don't keep track of time. Even though Dena doesn't keep track of time, she does seem to keep track of
00:21:01
other things, like the details surrounding Craig's disappearance. Within just a few minutes of their
00:21:06
conversation, Deputy Roger notices that Dina slightly adjusts her explanation about Craig's whereabouts, now claiming
00:21:14
that he simply told her what he was doing and she had no reason not to believe him. But as the pair continue
00:21:20
rehashing the details, Dina begins to visibly sense that Deputy Roger isn't convinced. She appears to have no idea
00:21:29
of the amount of suspicion that's been mounting against her. In reality, Dina is well prepared for this moment because
00:21:35
she's about to present what she believes is concrete proof to validate her story
00:21:40
and put an [music] end to the growing suspicion around her. I've never had a reason to doubt it, but
00:21:47
I now I do. I mean I I really I think that he has hooked up with some youngsters
00:21:55
that are doing these classes and I think he's reliving his youth >> [music] >> and he's ready for me to get out of the
00:22:02
picture. >> And where would he be doing that at? Mexico, I guess. Mexico. But when I
00:22:08
would come home, I mean he's been here. Um Uh it got to the point where he would
00:22:15
just leave me a note like that one. Over there. Now this There's been several. This is
00:22:23
This is our communication right here for the last 2 months. Okay. And there's been
00:22:28
several, but this is the Now this one is from not like 2 weeks ago. Can you put place This is your
00:22:38
handwriting and that's his? >> Yes, cuz his family's been calling me, "Where is he?"
00:22:42
You know, and I'm like, "I know as much as you do." Where's El Salto? Mexico. And he has
00:22:49
friends in El Salto or he went >> Because El Salto is a trophy bass fishing >> Oh, okay, yeah. I'm a big bass
00:22:58
fisherman, too. >> He's I I this would make like the third time he's been there.
00:23:03
Even if Deputy Roger tried, he couldn't sound fully convinced that Craig actually wrote this message. But he
00:23:10
takes the bait anyway, or at least allows Dina to believe her plan is unfolding exactly as she intended.
00:23:17
Conveniently, Dina quickly moves on to the next step in her plan. There's something downstairs that might help
00:23:24
clear things up, and she's willing to share it off the record. Can I say something off the record?
00:23:31
Sure. Um Craig keeps all our money in cash. I can't get in the safe, so I can't tell
00:23:38
you if he took it or if it's there. All the money? Mhm. And why can't you get into the safe?
00:23:46
>> have the combinations. And was that an issue between the two of you? That he wouldn't let you have
00:23:50
access to the safe or what? It wasn't an issue with us, but uh it was an issue with his first wife.
00:23:57
Well, she was stealing money from him or what? Okay, I understand now. And how much? 1.5 million.
00:24:04
Could you show me where that safe is? >> Yes. Okay. That's a substantial amount of money by
00:24:11
anyone's standards, and Deputy Roger is beginning to suspect he may already know
00:24:17
why Craig suddenly vanished. Even though Dina claims she can't access the safe, Roger will soon discover that this, too,
00:24:25
might not be true. But since Dina brought up the money unprompted, Roger recognizes an opportunity to dig deeper
00:24:32
and decides to take it. I'm sorry. You got me? Uh got a bad knee. I'm apologizing. Well,
00:24:39
we could do No, it's good. >> floor. No, just getting old. I feel you. Holy smokes, big house. Yeah, it is. Too
00:24:51
big for two people. >> way too big. Uh this is the bottom floor here >> Yes. Okay.
00:24:59
I'm sorry. Oh, that's cool. Right? Yeah, good lord. That cost a penny. Yeah, that was my present and
00:25:09
now I don't know if I get to keep it. Yeah. This one and this one. Oh, there's two
00:25:14
of them. >> Yeah. So, you don't have the combination for either safe? >> No. No, I just
00:25:20
>> [sighs] >> You didn't keep it written down anywhere or you know, you don't know.
00:25:25
Okay. As Roger checks the safe, he has no idea that he is standing in the very spot
00:25:32
where Craig's body remained for days before it was eventually moved and hidden. [music]
00:25:38
None of that is apparent in this moment, so the two head back upstairs after taking a quick look. By this point,
00:25:45
Roger feels he's heard what he came for and then some. But before leaving, he decides to share a small surprise he's
00:25:51
been holding back. Have you been married before, too, or >> Oh gosh, yes. >> Okay. Oh, gosh, yes.
00:25:57
Why do you say that? Oh, well, cuz I used to It seemed to be a regular occurrence.
00:26:01
>> Oh, I'm sorry. >> [laughter] >> No, no, it's it's I'll make it a joke. I'll make it a joke. Yeah, I mean, I I
00:26:07
just It took me a long time to figure out I'm the common denominator. Mhm. So, um
00:26:12
>> How many times were you married? He is my fourth. >> Your fourth, okay. >> Yes.
00:26:16
I don't know, it's just a little history of me. I'm actually a retired police officer.
00:26:21
Came back to work about 2 years ago. I got bored sitting at home. Um but the vast [clears throat] majority
00:26:26
of my career I was I worked in in investigations, CID, homicide unit Albuquerque. So, that's most of my
00:26:34
career has been doing that. Deputy Roger leaves little room for doubt, subtly making it clear that he is in fact
00:26:42
investigating a possible homicide. Even though Dina tries to appear nonchalant, her face tells a different story. She
00:26:50
looks visibly taken aback by the idea that a homicide detective is now sitting in her living room and the timing of
00:26:57
Roger's reveal couldn't have been more deliberate coming right after Dina seemingly acknowledged that she's the
00:27:04
common denominator in her previous failed marriages. With the surprise revealed Roger wraps up the conversation
00:27:11
and heads out leaving Dina with a clear implication that she may now be a prime suspect in the possible homicide of her
00:27:18
husband. A thought that will soon begin to consume her. At the same time Roger walks away with something else he
00:27:26
believes he identified during the hour-long interview. A possible financial motive behind Craig's
00:27:32
disappearance as well as an even stronger suspicion that he may have just been speaking with the alleged killer
00:27:39
herself. Before heading back to the station to relay his findings Roger's relentless
00:27:46
instincts get the best of him. With more than two decades of experience and having handled a case with eerily
00:27:52
similar circumstances that later turned into a homicide he can't shake [music] the feeling that something isn't right.
00:27:59
So instead of leaving right away he decides to stick around the neighborhood and speak with people who live nearby. A
00:28:05
move that will not only fuel Roger's growing suspicions [music] but also reveal some new details police
00:28:11
hadn't fully heard before. All right. How are you doing? >> How are you? Roger's going to I wouldn't
00:28:20
mind. Yeah. I just I was at the school. You want to go out here? We can we can come up here. Will the dog bite me? No.
00:28:25
No. No. No. No. There. There. >> Just a good [music] barker. What do you know anything on the last
00:28:32
time you saw him or talked to him? You know, um it's been a while and there's some weird
00:28:39
stuff going on. Yeah, for sure. And I'm I I don't want to I'm not trying to implicate Right. anybody. What it sounds
00:28:47
like in past, you know, whenever those two get like when I say those two, Craig and Dina, they get together and
00:28:55
you mix in a little bit of alcohol, things get a little bit flammable or can be.
00:29:03
And Craig said if anything ever happens to me out of one these calls, Dina has a
00:29:08
combination to the safe and [music] I keep a I keep a an envelope full of money in it. This is
00:29:14
all I wait I've been able to have any communication with you and I don't even know if it's him.
00:29:19
Wonder who he supposedly went fishing to Mexico with. See, we had a call like this a long time ago.
00:29:26
Long story short, turned into a murder. She was staying in the house 3 weeks [music] after she'd murdered him and she
00:29:32
dragged him out in the back portion and covered him up with a tarp. Kind of rings the same deal. Same [music] story,
00:29:37
oh, he went on a fishing trip. Well, he kept not showing up for work and people were calling.
00:29:43
So, he's really nowhere to be found. No, ma'am, he's nowhere to be found. >> Everything we've been told and heard is
00:29:51
I I don't know how he is. So, then I I want to say something else, but I don't want to implicate [music]
00:29:56
her. You need to say it. When we first moved here, we were just having conversations and she was like
00:30:02
and she didn't say she'd kill him, but she was like if that happened, you know, I'd be okay with it. Kind of to that
00:30:08
effect. >> Mhm. By now, the pattern is becoming impossible to ignore and it seems like
00:30:15
everyone familiar with the couple is thinking the same thing. They're [clears throat] just hesitant to say it
00:30:20
out loud. Notably, Craig's firefighter friend Thomas [music] also reveals that Craig told him Dina has the combination
00:30:27
to the safe, directly contradicting Dina's claims earlier when she claimed she had no way of accessing the money
00:30:33
inside the safe. Roger records these statements [music] and eventually heads back to the station to speak with a lead
00:30:38
detective Curtis to determine their next steps. [music] Even though investigators
00:30:42
are now strongly considering the possibility of homicide, they still [music] lack physical evidence of foul
00:30:48
play or Craig's body, at least for the time being. Five days after his initial visit,
00:30:57
Deputy Roger returns to the Thetfords' house to follow up with Dina. They still haven't been able to reach Craig, and
00:31:03
the situation is looking increasingly grim. But this time, something different awaits Roger. As he arrives and steps
00:31:12
[music] out of his car, he notices something unsettling on the ground. Good morning.
00:31:37
How are you? Good. How are you? Good. Good. >> about to make some coffee. I'll take
00:31:42
some coffee. What are you putting in the ground? I'm not putting in the ground. I
00:31:46
was trying to flatten it. I'm going to roll those rocks back in there. Oh, well, I saw that metal thing. I thought
00:31:52
maybe it was some kind of a home improvement thing. It's an above ground gardening. Oh,
00:31:58
yeah. Yeah. Roger treats the discovery lightly, even joking about the massive hole Dina dug outside. But he'll soon
00:32:05
find out that he's been unknowingly walking right over the truth this whole time. Was he close to? Was he close to
00:32:13
any of the females at all? He's nice to everybody. I mean, everybody adores [music] him.
00:32:18
>> Yeah. You know, we were going to church and uh everybody just loves him and the
00:32:25
neighbors, he would do anything for anybody. So, none of these neighbors had a gripe with him or an issue with him.
00:32:32
It's just so unusual somebody just completely just completely pop off the radar. Just poof.
00:32:37
They're gone. Well, it's a it's a mystery. I just keep thinking he's maybe got an enemy that
00:32:43
we're not aware of or somebody that had felt like they had something to gain. I think, you know, if I had just left when
00:32:49
he told me to, then none of this would have happened. With this statement coming directly from
00:32:55
Dina, she has effectively pointed [music] the finger at herself. Whether she realizes it or not, remains to be
00:33:01
seen. With the remainder of the conversation yielding no new leads, Roger wraps up his second visit and
00:33:07
heads out still empty-handed. But as he leaves the property, Roger has no idea that this [music] might be the last time
00:33:14
he ever sees Dina alive. In the following weeks, things begin to escalate dramatically as Dina appears to
00:33:27
have vanished. Any phone calls from detectives went straight to voicemail and police were unable to locate her.
00:33:33
Investigators also caught wind of rumors alleging Dina was talking about fleeing
00:33:38
to Jamaica or taking her own life. However, there's a huge development that's about to happen today because
00:33:46
sometime in the afternoon, an old co-worker of Dina from her prison job calls lead detective Curtis with an
00:33:52
explosive tip. Hello. Hi, is this Andrew? Yes, ma'am. This is Detective Curtis with the Otero
00:33:59
County Sheriff's Office. I had a message that you had called. Yes, ma'am. All right. What can I help you with,
00:34:04
sir? I >> [clears throat] >> recently got in touch with an old friend of mine. She was married to that dude
00:34:09
and apparently she said she said she shot him. I don't I don't I have a conscience and I can't
00:34:16
I couldn't just not say nothing. Can you tell me her name? Uh this is my ex-wife,
00:34:20
Dina. Did she tell you when? No, no, ma'am. I don't have I don't know none of the
00:34:26
details. What everyone has been anticipating this entire time has finally come to fruition. Seemingly
00:34:34
straight from Dina herself, according to her old friend Andrew. However, without
00:34:39
a body or hard evidence, Detective Curtis can't obtain an arrest warrant or press any charges. But not long after
00:34:46
this call, another development takes place. This time, police catch wind that Dina was at her mother's house in Texas
00:34:53
and attempted to take her own life. Detective Curtis realizes how quickly and dangerously the situation is
00:34:59
escalating. If Dina manages to flee or worse yet, takes life, they may never find Craig's body and the case is doomed
00:35:09
to go cold. With that possibility looming over the case, Curtis decides to act fast. She
00:35:16
obtains a search warrant for Craig's house and begins coordinating with the major crimes unit to execute the search,
00:35:21
find Dina, and more importantly, uncover Craig's body. As coordination is underway, Curtis sends a group of
00:35:28
detectives and heads out to Dina's mother's residence. She needs to figure out why Dina is trying to hurt herself.
00:35:35
I watched this thing to get stuck in your Hi Mary, I'm Detective Curtis with the
00:35:41
Sheriff's Office of New Mexico. Is it okay if I come in? Sure. I understand that these guys updated you
00:35:49
on where we're all here. Yes. Okay, we're hoping that maybe we could talk to you a little bit bit about
00:35:58
everything that's going on if that's all right. And tried to take her Did Did Dina tell you why she wanted to
00:36:05
take No. No? Did she have a message she was planning on using? I don't know. She didn't say that? I
00:36:14
knew she was real depressed. I didn't expect any of this. >> [snorts] >> About how long has she been back here?
00:36:33
She She started coming back off and on. I think it was maybe I'm not sure. Dina's mother is visibly shaken by the
00:36:46
thought of her daughter harming herself, but she can't explain why Dina would take such drastic action. Detective
00:36:52
Curtis wraps up the interview and gathers possible addresses for Dina's acquaintances, hotels, and hospitals
00:36:58
where she might be. They need to find her before she can do something irreversible.
00:37:03
Hours later, back in New Mexico, the major crimes unit is briefed and the coordination is in full effect.
00:37:09
Detective Curtis and Deputy Roger, along with a group of officers, make their way
00:37:13
to the Thetford property hoping to find at least one of the two alive. You stay locked OUT OF THERE.
00:37:30
SHERIFF'S OFFICE! IS THERE A QUICK CODE SPOT? NO. Let me check these other doors.
00:37:43
No. This one's already been forced. It's already been what? Huh. After circling around the exterior of
00:37:53
the top floor, deputies discover one of the front doors is suspiciously unlocked
00:37:58
suggesting Dina may be somewhere inside. Officers decide to conduct an initial sweep for potential threats. Given
00:38:05
Dina's violent past, her prison officer background, and the murder allegations hanging over her, deputies can't be too
00:38:11
careful. One of the deputies has a code for the garage door downstairs, and that's where they decide to make their
00:38:17
entry. Through the garage. We're up this way. That door's clear. Sheriff's office.
00:38:30
Clear. It's locked. Any stairs there? Locked. Two doors to the left. I'm going to open this. Stairs?
00:38:45
Upstairs. What's it? What's it? You got stairs? What do you want to So there's another door on this other side.
00:38:52
You want to check that door and I'll go upstairs. Clear this door. I got another door. All right. Come on,
00:39:11
dude. I got another door. Clear. Hello. Hello, Blue. I'm good. Yep. Yep. Back around.
00:39:27
After clearing the basement, officers spot Craig's safe that's supposedly holding 1.5 million dollars in savings.
00:39:34
A locksmith quickly gets to work on unlocking the safe while deputies head upstairs to continue sweeping the house
00:39:40
where they'll soon find their first clues of foul play. Back up. Hello, Blue. All clear.
00:40:08
All clear? I already checked the bedroom here and the bathroom and the closet. As police finish sweeping the house,
00:40:16
they begin to notice multiple clues that suggest a violent event and subsequent clean up. Multiple bottles of bleach
00:40:23
scattered throughout the house, a surveillance system that appears to have been physically disabled, and various
00:40:29
areas showing signs of cleaning. But with no sign of Dina or Craig's body in the main house, deputies move outside to
00:40:36
check the outbuildings starting with Craig's man cave. It's a This is my man cave.
00:40:50
There you go. Good job, Deborah. WHO IS THE FOREMAN? SEARCH UPSTAIRS, SEARCH YOURSELF.
00:41:00
SEARCH WIDE. LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE AN UPSTAIRS. Small room, got a door. Small room coming out. Okay, small room.
00:41:21
Light it up. Clear. Clear. So, I'm looking to see if there's any cameras. I haven't seen any.
00:41:29
>> [cough] >> There's cameras on the back side of this house. Yeah. Which is good if we find anything.
00:41:38
I'm sure she destroyed it if there was any. Is that dirt? Or is that blood? As deputies continue their search, they
00:41:53
also find a table saw with possible blood traces, as well as suspected splatter in the workshop area. But
00:42:00
still, no human body or remains anywhere. In the meantime, back in the basement of the main house, the
00:42:07
locksmith is seconds away from opening Craig's safe and confirming something Deputy Roger had suspected all along.
00:42:19
Let me get a photographer over here. Where do you guys want us? Over here in the corner?
00:42:25
On camera. We can get out of here for a minute if you'd like. >> No, you're good. You're good.
00:42:30
Got your ammo? Rifle, pistol? Yeah, I have it all here. Holy smokes. I want >> Kimber is missing. I want to destroy
00:42:41
this. >> that. I'm not going to have it stored in my name. Can I turn this in? Looks like it was 4,200 first time.
00:42:50
Okay, 4,200? Okay. She missed it. I'm set. Yeah. 10,000, 4,200, 70,000. 84,200 right here.
00:43:07
The total amount Deputy Roger counts is far less than the 1.5 million dollars Deanna had told him was inside just a
00:43:15
few weeks ago. The missing money further supports investigators speculations that
00:43:19
Craig's been dead for a while and that his wife has been burning through his money. The area is vast and if Craig had
00:43:27
been buried somewhere beyond the property, finding him could take months or longer. What officers don't yet
00:43:34
realize is that Craig's body has been hidden in plain sight the entire time. As the search continues, a detective
00:43:45
back at the police station gets a call from someone all too familiar with Deanna, her daughter, Leslie. The last
00:43:52
time the detective spoke with Leslie, she revealed [music] startling allegations about her mother's behavior
00:43:58
during the time they lived together. This time, however, Leslie has critical information to share,
00:44:03
>> [music] >> details she and her siblings supposedly knew for a while, but she's the one who
00:44:09
finally decided to talk. Really, it's Lizzie and I have Leslie on the line. So, I told her that I kind of filled you
00:44:15
in, but I was going to let you ask her any questions you may have. Okay. Hi, Leslie. How are you this morning?
00:44:20
Oh, you know. Hanging in there? Yeah. Well, good. So, Leslie, can you tell me what your mom
00:44:29
told you? It was just like everyone was being so weird and I knew something was going on, but nobody would tell me
00:44:34
anything. Well, it's my sister she came she said she was going to and then she came to see me one last
00:44:41
time and she wanted to see my son, her grandson one last time and then she told me what happened. What did she tell you
00:44:46
happened? She said Craig pushed her down the stairs and she shot him and he fell into
00:44:54
the pool room. She left him laying there on the floor for like a day, two days and a half and then she wrapped him up I
00:45:03
don't know rug, plastic garbage stuff and then they tied that up with a tractor and they moved him with the
00:45:11
tractor to the carport. Did you >> two carports over there and I kind of have the feeling that he's probably in
00:45:18
the one by the bunk house where he used to park like underneath the tractor or like something parked on top of him like
00:45:26
it might be like they might have dug like a little hole or something. It's like that hidden in plain sight type of
00:45:31
thing. So, why do you think your mom called you? Well, I was the last one to find
00:45:36
out. My other siblings had already known for a long time. She said she wanted to
00:45:41
like unburden herself. All my siblings knew that everybody was like acting so weird. Then my sister was crying and
00:45:47
everything and she asked me to come to her house to see her. So, I went to her house and then after I got back from
00:45:53
there like everyone cut contact off with me. And I haven't talked to them since then.
00:46:00
And just like that, Leslie seemingly cracks the case, [music] giving investigators the breakthrough
00:46:06
they've been looking for. The deputies back at the residence are informed that Craig's body is hidden on the property.
00:46:13
Based [music] on Leslie's tip, they move to conduct a thorough search of the detached metal carport west of the
00:46:19
house, [music] where investigators will discover that the truth has been hidden in plain sight all along.
00:46:28
In the carport, next to the tractor, officers spot a large pile of cardboard boxes, rugs, soil bags, and other items
00:46:36
stacked to hide something underneath. As they clear the pile, black plastic sheets become visible, and inside they
00:46:44
discover a human body concealed beneath materials to hide the foul odor. After transporting [music] the body for an
00:46:52
autopsy, doctors estimated it's been deceased for weeks to months, consistent with a January killing. Three or four
00:46:59
gunshot wounds are found on the left side, including one through the heart, classifying the death as homicide. After
00:47:07
using fingerprints, the body is positively identified as Craig Thetford. With this tragic discovery, an arrest
00:47:16
warrant is officially issued for Dina, and multiple units in both New Mexico and Texas are informed to be on the
00:47:23
lookout for her. A few hours into the search, officers in Texas receive information from Dina's mother, Mary.
00:47:29
She tells them that Dina is at Red River Hospital. Officers [music] quickly arrive at the hospital where they find
00:47:35
Dina alive and unharmed. She's taken into custody without incident. As she's transported to the station for
00:47:42
questioning, Dina remains calm and cordial, almost as if she's been expecting this moment for months.
00:47:48
Detective Curtis now has a body and what she believes enough evidence to pursue homicide charges, but there's one final
00:47:56
question she doesn't have an answer to yet. Why was Craig truly killed? We will let you know
00:48:03
if the district attorney's office has anything to add. I'm Detective Curtis with the Otero County Sheriff's Office.
00:48:15
So, I am sure you understand why we're all here. Yes. Did you get a copy of your arrest
00:48:22
warrant yesterday? >> gotten a copy of it. Anything by anybody anywhere. Okay. And
00:48:29
I'm just going to tell you right now I'm going to need a lawyer. Okay. And that's
00:48:32
as far as I want to go. Okay. This is my plan because I don't know any better any
00:48:36
other way. I don't either, unfortunately. They don't let me get very close. As fate would have it, Detective Curtis
00:48:49
won't get the answer she hoped for as Dena invokes her right to a lawyer effectively ending the interview.
00:48:56
Following this, Dena is booked into jail without bond for first-degree murder and
00:49:01
tampering with evidence. And while the why of Craig's death remains unanswered, the investigation continues. In the
00:49:08
following weeks, detectives and prosecutors gather their evidence and build a classic circumstantial homicide
00:49:14
case alleging Dena intentionally shot Craig multiple times inside the house, moved and hid his body, lied repeatedly
00:49:22
about his whereabouts, and looted shared assets. Prosecutors believe what they have will lead to a conviction with the
00:49:29
main open question being whether the jury finds first-degree murder or a lesser homicide charge. As of March
00:49:36
2026, [music] Dena Fetzer's case is still in the pretrial phase and she remains innocent until proven guilty in
00:49:43
court. She faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 [music] years if convicted of first-degree
00:49:49
murder or 18 years if convicted of second-degree murder, plus additional time for the tampering charge.