A mysterious disappearance, a disturbing confession, and an accidental butt dial have all come together in a chilling Texas murder case involving a missing flight attendant. Authorities have arrested two people — one for murder and another for helping cover it up — even though the victim’s body has still not been found.
Who Was Rana Nofal Soluri?
Rana Nofal Soluri, 47, was a flight attendant who was last seen in March 2025, though she wasn’t reported missing until June, as she had taken a leave of absence for surgery. When she didn’t return to work by March 31, co-workers became concerned.
According to colleagues, Soluri was reliable and professional, so her silence was unusual. One co-worker said their final conversation on March 19 ended abruptly, and she hadn’t flown for work or leisure since October 2024.
The Main Suspect: Dennis William Day
Soluri had reportedly been living with Dennis William Day, 66, in Fort Worth. When police began their missing person investigation, Day was one of the first people they questioned.
At first, Day claimed he hadn’t seen Soluri for months. He said she had moved some belongings to storage and even left her brand-new car in his driveway. However, his stories didn’t add up.
Eventually, a search warrant and surveillance footage from March 21 captured Day dragging what looked like a lifeless body into the backyard around 10 p.m. Soon after, the camera mysteriously stopped recording.
Faced with the evidence, Day confessed to killing Soluri. He told police he strangled her during an argument after she threatened to call the police on him. He claimed the killing happened in the kitchen after she had tried to record him.
After the murder, he put Soluri’s body in a trash bin, disconnected the cameras, and later dumped the body off a bridge in Bowie, Texas, nearly 70 miles away. He also admitted to tossing her phone into a river and led police to her handgun, which was recovered.
The Accidental Butt Dial That Exposed the Cover-Up
While Day’s confession revealed the crime, investigators soon learned he didn’t act alone. Police say he called a friend, Joni Thomas, 62, right after the killing, and she arrived with her pickup truck to help.
Thomas initially told investigators she didn’t know anything and that Day hadn’t used her truck. Then she changed her story, claiming she had been asleep when he used it.
But what broke the case open was an accidental voicemail — likely the result of a butt dial — which recorded the two moving something heavy. In the audio, a man is heard saying:
“Hey … help me.”
“Make sure the lid’s on.”
“I got you messed up in this.”
This audio evidence directly contradicted Thomas’s earlier statements and led to her arrest for tampering with evidence. She was later released on bond.
Body Still Missing, Search Continues
Despite Day confessing and cooperating to some extent, Soluri’s body has not been recovered. He led investigators to multiple bridges near Bowie, but no remains have been found.
The case remains open, with Day jailed on a $200,000 bond in Tarrant County, charged with murder. Thomas has been charged with tampering with evidence and faces legal consequences for assisting after the crime.
The murder of Rana Nofal Soluri is a painful reminder that even those we trust can turn dangerous. This tragic case has unfolded piece by piece—from a concerned co-worker’s missing person report to a chilling butt dial that led to the arrest of the alleged accomplice.
While Soluri’s family waits for closure, investigators continue searching for her remains and building a case against those responsible for her death.
