“The Haunted House Confession”: Dateline Reports on Chantay Blankinship Homicide February 28 2025

NBC’s Dateline presents The Haunted House Confession on Friday, February 28, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. This gripping two-hour episode examines the tragic murder of 25-year-old Chantay Blankinship, whose remains were found in an abandoned building in Brown County, Texas, known locally as the “Haunted House.” Investigators struggled with dead-end leads for over a year until a stunning confession during a church service unraveled the truth.

Dateline correspondent Blayne Alexander interviews key figures, including Chantay’s mother, Michelle McDaniel, her sister, Destinee Jarvis, and law enforcement officials who spent months pursuing justice. The case took unexpected turns, leading to a dramatic courtroom resolution that finally gave the victim’s family closure.

A Quiet Life in Brown County Cut Short

Rhonda Chantay Blankinship, known as “Tay” to her loved ones, was a beloved member of the Brown County community. Described as petite, kindhearted, and intellectually challenged, she found comfort in her faith and friendships. A graduate of Brownwood High School’s special education program, she was known for her radiant smile and participation in the North Lake Community Church choir.

Chantay enjoyed simple pleasures—walking around her neighborhood, attending church, and spending time with friends. On the evening of May 13, 2016, she followed her usual routine, walking near her home in the Tamarack Mountain area before vanishing without a trace. The next morning, her worried grandfather, Charlie Barnett, reported her missing, and the community quickly mobilized to find her.

The Discovery of Chantay Blankinship’s Body

Two days after her disappearance, volunteers searching an abandoned Victorian house on County Road 424 made a gruesome discovery. Inside a storm cellar, they found Chantay’s body, her head covered in blood. Nearby, investigators recovered a bloody lawnmower blade, later identified as the murder weapon. The autopsy revealed evidence of sexual assault, strangulation, and severe blunt force trauma to her head and chest.

Investigators faced an immediate challenge—there were no clear suspects. DNA was recovered from the crime scene, but no matches were found in national databases. Interviews with family, friends, and known offenders yielded no leads. The case went cold, leaving Chantay’s family without answers.

A Breakthrough in the Investigation: DNA Phenotyping

With no progress for nearly 18 months, Brown County Sheriff’s Office turned to Parabon NanoLabs, a forensic DNA analysis company specializing in phenotyping. Using DNA recovered from the crime scene, Parabon generated a digital composite of the suspect, predicting physical traits such as eye color, hair color, and ancestry.

In November 2017, law enforcement released the composite sketch to the public. Within hours, several tips identified Ryan Derek Riggs as a potential suspect. The 21-year-old lived near Chantay and occasionally attended North Lake Community Church. However, when investigators attempted to contact him, Riggs had disappeared.

Authorities launched a search for Riggs, who evaded law enforcement for nearly a week. As pressure mounted, he resurfaced in the most unexpected way—delivering a shocking confession in front of a church congregation.

A Confession in Church

On November 15, 2018, Ryan Riggs arrived at North Lake Community Church with his parents. During the evening service, he stood before the congregation and admitted, “I’m a murderer. I killed Chantay Blankinship.” His admission stunned those in attendance, many of whom had prayed for Chantay’s family since her death.

Pastor Ron Keener immediately contacted law enforcement. That same night, Riggs provided investigators with a detailed, two-hour confession. He described how he lured Chantay into his truck, drove her to a secluded area, and strangled her. He then sexually assaulted her before transporting her lifeless body to the abandoned house. To ensure she was dead, he struck her repeatedly with the lawnmower blade and stomped on her chest.

Riggs’ chilling account confirmed details that only the killer would know. Investigators matched his DNA to the sample found at the crime scene, securing the final piece of evidence needed for prosecution.

The Legal Battle: Seeking Justice for Chantay

With an airtight case against Riggs, prosecutors had to decide whether to seek the death penalty. Given Riggs’ lack of prior violent offenses and his confession, the district attorney’s office weighed the potential for a lengthy, costly trial against the certainty of a life sentence.

In February 2019, Riggs pleaded guilty to the capital murder of Chantay Blankinship in exchange for life without the possibility of parole. Chantay’s family attended the sentencing, with her mother delivering an emotional statement. “You will never get married. You will never have grandkids for your mom and dad. My daughter would have forgiven you because that’s who she was,” she told Riggs.

By pleading guilty, Riggs avoided the death penalty but ensured that he would never walk free again. Chantay’s family finally received the justice they had waited for, though no punishment could erase the pain of their loss.

A Case That Changed Investigative Techniques

The Blankinship case marked a turning point for the Brown County Sheriff’s Office. DNA phenotyping, once viewed as experimental, proved instrumental in identifying a suspect who had eluded traditional investigative methods. Law enforcement officials credited the $3,600 spent on Parabon NanoLabs as “the best money ever spent” in the pursuit of justice.

The case also underscored the impact of guilt and conscience. Riggs had evaded law enforcement, yet ultimately, it was his own admission that sealed his fate. His confession at church was an extraordinary moment, one that left the community grappling with the reality that the killer had been among them all along.

Remembering Chantay Blankinship

In the years since her death, Chantay Blankinship’s memory has remained strong in the Brown County community. Friends and family gathered each year to honor her life, remembering her as a kind, joyful young woman who loved music, faith, and those around her.

Her murder remains a devastating chapter in the town’s history, but her family takes solace in the fact that her killer will never harm another person. The haunting truth of what happened in the abandoned house has been revealed, and the justice system has ensured that Chantay’s story will never be forgotten.