What happened to Rhonda Chantey Blankinship? Details explored ahead of Dateline on NBC
The upcoming episode of Dateline is all set to dive into Rhonda Chantey Blankinship's murder, which shook the close-knit community of Brown County, Texas. The church-going woman of 25, who also reportedly suffered from some disabilities and depended heavily on those around her, was assaulted and murdered in an abandoned house in 2016. The case remained unsolved for over a year after the murder.
This case is set to be the subject of Dateline's latest episode, titled The Haunted House Confession. This episode premieres on Friday, February 28, 2025, at 9 pm EST on NBC. The logline for the same reads:
"In May of 2016, Blankinship vanished after going for a walk in North Lake, a quiet, rural neighborhood in Brown County, Texas where she lived with her grandparents. Her body was discovered two days later in a dilapidated house a few miles away."
Ahead of the Dateline episode, here is an overview of what happened to Rhonda Chantey Blankinship and who was behind it all.
Who was Rhonda Chantey Blankinship, and what happened to her?
Rhonda Chantey Blankinship was a 25-year-old native of Brown County and was reportedly diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder as a child, which left her dependent on others. She lived with her grandfather and other family members and regularly attended church.
She knew Ryan Riggs from her neighborhood of North Lake, and they attended the same church. On May 13, 2016, she stepped out for a walk, and Ryan allegedly joined her.
The same day, her grandfather reported her missing, and understanding that she did not have the capability of running away, the entire community engaged in finding her. On May 15, her dead body was found in an old, dilapidated Victorian house about five miles from Rhonda Chantey Blankinship's neighborhood.
An autopsy revealed that she died from blunt force trauma to her head, face, and neck and was also s*xually assaulted before she was killed. A bloody lawnmower blade was also found beside her body, which was used to commit the murder. Despite the investigation that ensued, the police could not reach any suspect.
The DNA found at the scene also did not match anyone, and the case slowly started to grow cold. This was until a Snapshot report was generated by the authorities using the DNA, and the digital sketch was circulated all around.
Who killed Rhonda Chantey Blankinship?
Hours after the digital sketch was released, the police received several tips, including one that led to Ryan Derek Riggs. Not only did Ryan know her, but he also had alleged romantic involvement with her. When the police tried to talk to Ryan, he was not found.
On November 15, 2018, exactly 18 months after Chantay's body was discovered, Ryan Riggs came to the North Lake Community Church, accompanied by his parents, and confessed to the crime. He admitted that he had killed Rhonda Chantey Blankinship but did not mention anything about the assault.
He confessed the details of the crime in an interrogation and pleaded guilty to assaulting and murdering the 25-year-old woman. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The upcoming episode of Dateline will cover this case in more detail.
