5 key details about Craig Rideout's case

The chilling murder of Craig Rideout is once again being explored as Dateline’s episode Devil’s Bathtub re-airs tomorrow on Oxygen.

First aired in May 2019, the episode delves into the brutal killing of the father of seven from Rochester, whose disfigured body was discovered in rural Yates County in July 2016.

Craig's murder came in the aftermath of custody battles with Laura over the custody of their two youngest children. The investigation into his death pointed to four suspects, including Laura and her two eldest sons.

---

Craig Rideout's murder: 5 key details

Dateline explores the murder of Craig Rideout (Image via Getty)

1. The fallout between Craig and Laura over custody

50-year-old IT specialist and father from Rochester, Craig Rideout, was caught up in a family conflict that tragically led to his murder. He was married to his wife, Laura Rideout, for more than two decades. But financial troubles started creeping in and led to divorce filings in 2014. Laura soon began a relationship with Paul “P.J.” Tucci, a longtime family friend.

Together, they had planned to move out of state, and Laura wanted custody of her two youngest children. However, Craig opposed this plan, triggering a bitter custody dispute, which drove a wedge between Craig and his older sons, Colin and Alexander, who sided with their mother and accused Craig of being emotionally abusive.

---

2. Craig Rideout's murder

On the night of July 19, 2016, Laura and her sons, Colin and Alexander, brought the youngest children to Craig’s townhouse in Penfield, according to prosecutors.

Once the children were asleep, investigators said that Craig was lured to the basement, where he was bludgeoned and strangled to death. Craig's body was then transported to rural Yates County in his own minivan, where it was dumped along a roadside.

Prosecutors claimed that the killers attempted to dig a grave but abandoned the effort, leaving Craig’s body under a tarp. His face and hands were doused with drain cleaner in what authorities alleged was an attempt to make him unrecognizable.

---

3. The discovery of the body

Craig Rideout's body was discovered in the early hours of July 20, 2016, by a Mennonite farmer bicycling to work. What caught his attention were two cars parked along Yatesville Road and two figures nearby.

Hours later, when he was returning, he spotted a shovel and followed a trail into the woods, where he found a tarp with a human foot visible beneath it and contacted the police.

Authorities managed to identify the body through dental records. Moreover, investigators also received a tip from a local resident who had seen two young men throwing bags into a pond known as Devil’s Bathtub. When the police recovered the bags, they found gloves, paracord, and bottles of drain cleaner inside.

---

4. Suspects identified

The investigation into Craig's death quickly gained momentum, and surveillance footage was retrieved, which showed Laura and Tucci buying drain cleaner at Walmart, while Colin was recorded purchasing the shovel. Cell phone data tracked Craig’s hidden second phone, which traveled the same route as the minivan used to dump his body.

Moreover, the DNA evidence from the items recovered from the pond pointed to Laura, Colin, Alexander, and Tucci. Meanwhile, Robbyn Drew, worried about her brother’s sudden silence, visited his home only to find Laura inside, suspiciously cleaning the counters. She immediately reported Craig missing.

---

5. Trial and sentencing

In July 2017, all four defendants went to trial in the New York State Supreme Court. After five weeks of deliberations, the jury delivered its verdict. Laura and Colin Rideout were convicted of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Laura was also convicted of burglary for entering Craig’s home after his death.

Alexander was acquitted of murder but found guilty of tampering, and Tucci was acquitted of all charges. Laura and Colin each received 25 years to life in prison, while Alexander was sentenced to two to eight years. Tucci sold his Rochester-area home and moved downstate, closer to the prison holding Laura.

---

For Craig Rideout's sister Robbyn and other family members, the verdict brought some closure. Details of the case are explored on Oxygen tomorrow.