Cristi Ruso, 31, of Buna, Texas, was reported missing October 21, 2021, the day after she was released from the Jasper County Jail. Investigators say evidence indicates she was shot to death and that her body was disposed of; her remains have not been recovered.

The investigation involved the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Authorities verified Ruso’s movements on the day she went missing up until she returned to Colby Hunter Tatom’s residence on County Road 777 in Buna. Investigators believe Tatom, 29, shot Ruso and disposed of her body; multiple search warrants were executed at his residence and nearby properties and DNA testing was conducted at a Houston crime lab.

Tatom was arrested January 4, 2023, on unrelated charges; evidence gathered during that inquiry led to a grand jury indictment for first-degree murder on December 21, 2023. He was arrested at a Lumberton Walmart and is being held in the Jasper County Jail on a $1 million bond. The investigation is ongoing and the family has said they want closure and justice.

Did anyone in Buna or the surrounding area see Cristi with Tatom on or after October 20, 2021, or have information about searches of County Road 777?