Laura Rideout's brutal crime - A detailed case overview ahead of Dateline

The Dateline episode, Devil's Bathtub, is returning with the case of Laura Rideout. Originally aired on May 5, 2019, the episode follows the brutal murder of Craig Rideout and the arrest and conviction of his wife, Laura Rideout, and their two eldest sons, Colin and Alexander.

Craig and Laura Rideout appeared to be in a happy marriage, but after a contentious separation, a dark secret came to light, and Craig soon ended up dead.

Investigations into his death revealed clues that pointed to four possible killers, Laura being one of them. The Dateline episode re-airs tomorrow on Oxygen with details from the case.

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Who was Craig Rideout? His relationship with Laura Rideout explored

Craig Rideout was a 50-year-old IT specialist and father of seven from Rochester, NY. His body was discovered in the early hours of July 20, 2016, wrapped in a tarp in rural Yates County, and his face and hands had been doused with a caustic drain cleaner in what prosecutors alleged was an attempt to destroy his identity.

Craig Rideout had been married to Laura Rideout for more than two decades before their marriage collapsed and financial troubles set in. Laura filed for divorce in 2014 and soon began a relationship with Paul “P.J.” Tucci, a longtime family friend. They planned to move out of state, and Laura wanted custody of their two youngest children.

According to prosecutors, Craig resisted Laura’s desire to move out of state with the couple’s two youngest children, creating a bitter custody dispute. This also led to tensions with his older sons, Colin and Alexander. Colin accused his father of emotional abuse over emails, but Craig’s sister, Robbyn Drew, alleged that such claims were false and insisted Craig was a devoted parent.

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The discovery of the body and the identification of suspects

According to the Democrat and Chronicle, on the night of July 19, 2016, Laura and her sons, Colin and Alexander, brought the two youngest children to Craig’s townhouse in Penfield. Once the children were asleep, Craig was lured to the basement, where he was allegedly ambushed.

Investigators said that Craig was struck in the face with a heavy object and strangled with a homemade ligature, made from duct tape and paracord. His body was then transported in his own minivan to Yates County, where it was dumped along a roadside.

Craig's body was discovered by a Mennonite farmer who was bicycling to work the next morning. He noticed two cars parked near the intersection of Yatesville Road, and two figures stood nearby.

Riding back three hours later, the farmer spotted a shovel by the roadside and decided to follow a trail of trampled grass into the woods. He noticed a brown tarp and a bare human foot visible underneath it and immediately contacted the police.

The killers had attempted to dig a grave with a square-edged shovel but gave up, leaving the body concealed only by a tarp. They had poured drain cleaner over his face and torso, allegedly to prevent identification. However, Craig Rideout was identified through his dental records.

Laura Rideout was found guilty (Image via Getty)

The police also recovered garbage bags from a pond nearby, known locally as Devil’s Bathtub, after a Pittsford resident who had seen two young men tossing black garbage bags into it. The police reportedly found gloves, bloody clothing, paracord, and bottles of drain cleaner inside the bags. DNA later tied the blood and clothing to Colin, Alexander, Laura Rideout, and Tucci.

Following the discovery of the body, the investigation quickly gained traction, especially when Robbyn Drew, concerned by her brother’s sudden silence, reported him missing after visiting his townhouse and unexpectedly finding Laura inside cleaning the counters.

Surveillance footage showed Laura and Tucci purchasing drain cleaner at Walmart, while Colin was seen buying the shovel. Moreover, cell phone data traced Craig’s hidden second phone from his home to the site where his body was discovered.

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The trial and sentencing of Laura and her sons

In July 2017, Colin, Alexander, Laura Rideout, and Tucci went to trial for the murder of Craig Rideout. After a five-week trial in the New York State Supreme Court, Laura Rideout and Colin Rideout were convicted of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

Alexander was acquitted of murder but found guilty of tampering. Laura was also convicted of burglary for being inside Craig’s home after his death. PJ Tucci, who was accused of helping orchestrate the crime and dispose of the body, was acquitted of all charges.

Laura and Colin were each sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, while Alexander was sentenced to two to eight years. Tucci, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, moved downstate. He now lives a short distance from the prison in Westchester County where Laura Rideout is incarcerated. The verdict brought closure to Robbyn Drew and other members of Craig's family.

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Catch more about the case tomorrow on Oxygen.