Secret Killer Leads Cops Into Her $3,000,000 Murder Mansion | Forensic Files

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

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After Craig Thetford went missing, police initially believed he had simply left town. But inconsistencies in his wife Deana Thetford’s story quickly raised suspicion. As detectives pieced together witness statements, financial records, and forensic evidence, they uncovered a disturbing pattern that pointed toward a concealed homicide hidden in plain sight.

This video was made for educational purposes only.

The video is presented to provide genuine footage of police incidents to promote transparency in government while providing educational, informative and newsworthy content allowing viewers to examine and assess public safety material. This is a fact-checked documentary using authoritative sources.

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Brief Summary

Craig Thetford's disappearance leads to a murder investigation, revealing his wife's dark past and her eventual arrest for his murder.

Key points

The Mysterious Disappearance of Craig Thetford. Craig Thetford has been missing for months, and police are baffled by the lack of leads. "Even now, with the foul odor in the air, they still have no idea he's buried only feet away."
Dina's Inconsistent Stories. Dina Thetford claims her husband is in Mexico, but evidence suggests otherwise. "I don't think he's missing."
Disturbing Revelations from Ex-Husbands. Dina's ex-husbands reveal troubling details about her past behavior. "She is what they classify as a binge drinking alcoholic."
Leslie's Startling Testimony. Leslie, Dina's daughter, shares alarming details about her mother's violent past. "She tried to run my real dad over with a car."
Dina's Financial Peculiarities. Dina's spending habits raise red flags as investigators suspect a homicide cover-up. "Dina appears to have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Dina's Doubts About Craig. Dina expresses her suspicions about Craig's fidelity and his activities with younger people.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Whoever killed Craig covered their tracks meticulously.

0:40WatchMar 14, 2026

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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