3 chilling details about the case

Publish date: 2024-05-19

On May 11, 1991, 24-year-old Terry Rouse was nowhere to be found. He had been attending a party on Swamp Road in Waycross, Ware County, but his car, a light blue Ford Thunderbird, was found near Okefenokee Swamp Park. The engine was running, the radio was on, and the windows were rolled down. The car also had some of his personal belongings.

21 years later, in March 2012, Terry's cousin, Craig Lester Thrift, was arrested for the murder of his first cousin. Craig violently attacked his cousin, killed him, and hid the body. Even though Terry's remains were never discovered, the cops had enough evidence to apprehend the suspect.

To learn about this horrific case in detail, tune into Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins - Family Feud on Oxygen on August 6 at 7 pm ET.

The official synopsis of the episode 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."

Everything to know about the terrifying disappearance and murder of Terry Rouse

1) The disappearance

Terry and his family (Image via. Twitter/@Crimesolved)

Upon the discovery of Terry's car, authorities informed his mother, Sara, about the situation. The Thrift family was well-known in the community, so something like this was certainly uncanny. Everyone was asked about his whereabouts, beginning with his cousin, Craig Lester Thrift.

Craig and Terry shared a tight bond. They even worked together at a concrete company. Terry always picked up his cousin on the way to work, but Craig said that he had not arrived that day. Craig was married to Rhonda Thrift during that time. The police had even learned of Terry's drug consumption habits and debts and believed that he had just skipped town to run away from his problems.

2) Terry had an affair with his cousin's wife

A few days after his son vanished in thin air, Sara learned that he was having an affair with Rhonda Thrift, Craig's wife at the time. This could possibly mean that Craig had reason to harm Terry Rouse. While the family was certain that Craig was innocent, the cops didn't think otherwise.

Craig was brought in for questioning, but he refused to take a polygraph test. He even told the investigators,

"Without a body, you don’t have anything, and I’m not taking a test."

Rhonda Thrift also admitted that the affair lasted for eight months. Craig and Rhonda soon got divorced following Terry's disappearance. However, the case was closed due to a lack of evidence.

3) The arrest of Craig Lester Thrift for his cousin's murder

Craig regularly boasted of killing Terry Rouse and getting away with murder. The cops soon reopened the case and finally learned the truth. On May 10, 1991, the cousins had apparently gotten into a huge fight, but the morning after, Terry had indeed come to pick Craig up for work.

Craig then attacked and killed his cousin. The former used tools from their workplace and even used the former's car to not raise suspicion. Terry's body was never recovered.

Craig Lester Thrift was arrested for the murder of Terry Rouse in March 2012. It took an agonizing 21 years to finally solve the case.

Terry Rouse's murder will be explored in detail in Oxygen's Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins - Family Feud on August 6 at 7 pm ET.

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