Terry Rouse, a member of the Thrifts, a prominent Georgia family, went missing on May 11, 1991, shortly after leaving a party. His car was found abandoned near Okefenokee Swamp Park with his belongings still inside. In 2003, Terry was officially declared dead by his mother, and to this day, his body remains unfound.
The sole suspect in the case was Craig Thrift, as there were reports of Terry having an affair with his wife, Rhonda. Craig refused to cooperate during the investigation, but his wife confirmed the affair.
The case went cold until 2009 when Craig’s former wife Robyn told detectives that he had bragged about the killing in the past.
The Cinemaholic reported that Terry got into a fight with Craig when the latter beat, shot, and murdered him. The killer was arrested 21 years later in March 2012 and convicted of felony murder, receiving life in prison with parole.
Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins on Oxygen will further delve into Terry Rouse’s disappearance and murder in an episode titled Family Feud. The official synopsis reads:
“When 24-year-old Terry Rouse disappears near a southern Georgia swamp, his devastated mother relentlessly pursues a one-woman investigation that runs parallel to law enforcement; what she and the detectives ultimately uncover shocks everyone.”
The all-new episode will air on the channel this Sunday, August 6, 2023, at 7:00 pm ET.
Terry Rouse’s abandoned car was found outside the Okefenokee Swamp Park and his body was never found
According to Jacksonville.com, Terry Rouse was last seen alive in the early morning hours of May 11, 1991, sometime around 5:00 am after he left a party at a house on Swamp Road in Waycross, Ware County.
Later that day, his abandoned car was found out of gas and with the engine still running at the entrance to Okefenokee Swamp Park. His belongings, including clothes, were found inside.
According to the news source, 24-year-old Terry would pick up his best friend and first cousin, Craig Thrift, and drive him to work every morning at the concrete finishing firm owned by Craig’s father.
The cousin, when questioned by authorities, claimed that Terry never arrived at his place that morning. His wife Rhonda corroborated this statement. The couple claimed that they last saw him at the party the previous night, but maintained that they left long before he did.
Several tips concerning Terry’s disappearance came. Many of them alleged that he was knee-deep in debt because of his drug consumption habits and likely ran away to avoid paying back. They also learned of his affair with Craig’s wife Rhonda, which could have been a potential motive to murder.
However, Craig then refused to take a polygraph test, but Rhonda agreed to take one. The test confirmed that she was indeed having an affair with Terry for months. The case then remained unsolved for a couple of years and he was declared officially dead by his mother in 2003.
Who was arrested in connection with Terry Rouse’s disappearance and presumed murder after 21 years?
Terry Rouse [left] and Craig Thrift [right] (Image via American Monster)
According to a report by The Cinemaholic, in 2009, a new investigator took on Terry Rouse’s case. This investigator began investigating a lead that involved Robyn, the former wife of Craig Thrift. Robyn revealed that Craig had boasted about killing his cousin on several occasions.
Moreover, a babysitter, who worked at Craig and Rhonda’s house, alleged that she heard the couple fight on the morning of May 11, 1991. The babysitter also revealed that Terry was there at their house to pick up Craig before work that morning.
After learning this, detectives concluded that Craig fatally beat his 24-year-old cousin and also shot him before dumping his body, which was never found. He was arrested and charged with murder in March 2012, more than two decades after the crime was committed.
Graig Thrift’s arrest was followed by a controversial and complex trial during which Rhonda provided an alibi for him alleging that they had been partying and drinking all night after which the defendant headed straight to bed. Robyn, on the other hand, testified against him, mentioning how he beat up, shot, and killed his cousin.
In 2014, Craig was found guilty of felony murder in Terry Rouse’s case and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after seven years.
Learn more about the case on Oxygen’s Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins, this Sunday.
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