Name: Cristi Lynn Ruso
Age: 32 years old
Last seen: October 21, 2021
Location: Buna, Texas
Status: Still Missing; arrest made in January 2024, conviction in April 2025
Case Information
32-year-old Cristi Ruso was last seen in Buna, Texas on October 21, 2021. She disappeared after being dropped off at a friend’s house.
Background
Cristi Lynn Ruso was born on January 19, 1990. Ruso was living in Buna, Texas at the time of her disappearance. She is single and is the mother of two children.
Disappearance
On October 20, 2021, Cristi Ruso was released in the morning from Jasper County jail. She later received multiple rides to and from Buna and Silsbee, including Garden Inn & Suites, a motel on Highway 96 in Silsbee, Texas.
On October 21, 2021, Ruso was last seen by her aunt when she was dropped off around 4:00 pm at an acquaintance’s residence in the 1800 block of County Road 777, about 1.5 miles away from Business Highway 96 in Buna.
On October 23, 2021, Ruso was captured on surveillance camera with a group of friends at a Dollar Tree store in Evadale, about a ten minute drive from Buna.
On October 25, 2021, Ruso was last seen being dropped off about 200 feet away from the residence she previously visited on County Road 777. Cristi Lynn Ruso hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Investigation
On December 18, 2021, two soaking wet black trash bags, which contained some of Ruso’s clothing and personal belongings, were found abandoned by a driver on County Road 721 off of Highway 96, about four miles south of Buna, Texas.
One arrest was made during the first search at the County Road property where Ruso was last seen, but authorities say the charges were unrelated to her disappearance.
On February 23, 2023, authorities executed a search warrant on the property located in the 1800 block of County Road in Buna, Texas where Ruso was last seen.
On March 1, 2023, new developments stemming from the first search warrant led authorities to execute a second search warrant on a neighboring property in the 1900 block of County Road 777 in Buna, Texas.
DNA samples recovered from the flooring, walls, and ceiling from the 1800 block of County Road property were sent off to the DPS crime lab in Houston to be analyzed.
Arrest Made in Cristi Ruso Case
On January 4, 2023, 29 year old Colby Tatom was arrested in connection with Cristi Ruso’s disappearance. He is being held on a $1 million bond.
A grand jury indicted Tatom for murder in December, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Officials say evidence shows Tatom murdered Cristi and disposed of her body.
Conviction in April 2025
On April 1, 2025, 30 year old Colby Hunter Tatom has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his connection with the 2021 disappearance of Cristi Ruso.
Tatom pleaded guilty to tampering with a human corpse in connection with the death of Ruso. Her remains have never been found.
During the court hearing, Tatom admitted to murdering Ruso, saying that “he burned her body, then dumped her into the Neches River.”
Appearance
Physical Description:
White female born on January 19, 1990. Cristi has brown hair, brown eyes, stands 5’3 tall and weighs 150 – 160 pounds.
Distinctive Physical Features:
Cristi has a tattoo of large angel wings across her back. Her nose is pierced.
Clothing and accessories:
Cristi was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark shorts, white socks and no shoes.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Cristi Lynn Ruso please contact the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office at (409) 384-5417.
Resources & Further Information
Cristi Ruso – Facebook
Finding Cristi Ruso – Facebook
Justice for Cristi Ruso – Facebook
News & Media Links
Clothing belonging to missing woman found in trash bag on side of Jasper County road – KJAS 12/2021
Cristi Ruso ‘missing person’ from Jasper Co. family wants answers, ups reward – Beaumont Enterprise 01/2023
‘Sweet soul’: Search continues for Jasper County woman missing 15 months – KLTV 01/2023
Jasper Co. investigators searching property tied to Buna woman’s disappearance – Beaumont Enterprise 02/2023
Buna residence searched due to a 2021 missing person’s case – Beaumont Enterprise 03/2023
Cristi Ruso ‘missing person’ from Jasper Co. family wants answers, ups reward – Chron 01/2023
Videos & Flyers
Who is looking after her children , why not mention the connection of the next door property , as the people in the area would normally know of the connection living within the community ? .
Why are the dogs only been brought in now , how far in the immediate area was the search conducted ? .
Where there any underlying factors leading up to her disappearance ? .