A New Mexico woman who claimed her husband vanished on a fishing trip to Mexico is now accused of murdering him and dragging his body across their property with a tractor.
Craig Thetford, 60, was reported missing in May 2024 after relatives said they hadn't heard from him since January, Law and Crime reported. When Otero County deputies conducted a welfare check at the couple's home, his wife, Deana Thetford, told them he had run off to Mexico with a new girlfriend and taken $1.5 million in cash. Weeks later, that account began to unravel.
Authorities say Deana's story shifted multiple times in follow-up interviews. Initially, she said Craig had left the country; later, she claimed he had moved to Texas to care for his mother. Investigators grew suspicious after spotting a deep hole in the yard and learning that Craig's phone was inactive. Security cameras at the property, which Deana said weren't working, also raised red flags.
The case broke open after Deana's daughter contacted police and revealed a chilling confession. According to her, Deana admitted she shot Craig multiple times after a violent argument and left his body in the pool room for two days. She later wrapped the remains in plastic and used a tractor to drag the corpse into the carport, where she covered it with household items, powder, and mothballs.
Police executed a search warrant on June 17 and discovered Craig's decomposing body in the exact spot Deana allegedly described. An autopsy confirmed he died from multiple gunshot wounds and had likely been dead for weeks or months.
Authorities later found Deana in Texas, where she had purchased property with cash. The safes she once claimed were locked contained more than $84,000, several guns, and ammunition.
She is now being held without bond in the Wichita County Jail, facing charges of first-degree murder and evidence tampering. A court date has not yet been announced.
