Woman finds brother strangled to death in East Dallas home, pleads for help finding killer

A North Texas family is pleading for help in finding Rory Thacker’s killer.

The victim’s sister discovered him dead inside his East Dallas home on Dec. 5, 2023. Thacker's death is now being investigated as a homicide after initially described as an "unexplained death."

“I’ve had many, many sleepless nights. It’s taken a toll on me physically, mentally,” said Rory Thacker’s sister Holly, who asked NBC 5 to only use her first name. “My parents, they take it day by day because we all have up and down emotions.”

Despite feeling drained and just about "cried out," Thacker’s family is pushing forward, determined his killer be brought to justice.

Their nightmare began on Dec. 5, 2023, at Thacker’s home in the 8000 block of Hunnicut Road.

Holly got a call from her aging mother, worried after Thacker had not shown up to bathe his father and grocery shop for her.

Holly’s older brother later alerted her their mother had called Dallas police to request a welfare check on their baby brother.

Holly went to Thacker’s home at around 9 p.m. that Tuesday after speaking with their mom.

The front door was locked. She then noticed her brother’s car was gone and that his beloved dogs were left in the backyard, raising red flags.

After gaining entrance, Holly says the home did not look out of sorts, so she went toward his bedroom.

“I tried to turn on the light and the light did not turn on,” she said. “I pushed the door back more and I noticed he was lying there on the floor, face up, hands tied tightly, his feet were bound loosely.”

Something had been tossed on her brother’s neck so she could not see a third ligature.

“My husband’s like ‘Get out of there! Get out of there! It’s a crime scene,’” she recalls. “I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it. I never expected to find him dead in his home. I was in hysterics.”

They called 911 and the police soon arrived, but it was too late.

The 46-year-old was dead and had been for 24 to 48 hours, according to Holly.

“How long did he struggle,” she wonders. “How long did he suffer before his death? How evil this person must have been to do this to him.”

According to friends and family, Thacker was a kind man. An animal lover beloved by many, especially in the bird community.

“I would love for my brother to be remembered as a kind person that had a beautiful smile. Loved helping animals, nursing them back to health and doing the same for elderly people. Not just my parents, he had many elderly friends, especially in his bird community,” she said.

Police initially investigated Thacker’s death as an "unexplained death," according to DPD. But on Feb. 16, 2024, the medical examiner ruled that Thacker died from "homicidal violence."

“I did find out from the medical examiner that it was a strangulation that caused his death,” said Holly.

The case was then assigned to DPD’s Homicide Unit.

There is fingerprint residue visible on Thacker’s front door. It is unclear why the way the victim was found did not immediately warrant a homicide investigation.

Dallas police say there are no updates in this case.

The last time Thacker spoke with their mother was on Dec. 3.

“I don’t know of anyone who would do this to my brother,” said Holly. “My brother had a kind soul.”

While police would not comment, Holly is sharing information she hopes will lead to his killer.

She is sure the suspect stole Thacker’s 2015 Silver Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. A neighbor’s surveillance camera captured someone leaving in the car at approximately 3:30 a.m. on December 4, the day before Holly discovered her brother’s body.

The car has still not been found, she said today. The vehicle's VIN is 5XYZW4LAXFG296259.

Her brother’s phone was also taken, and someone charged approximately $4,000- 5,000 to one of his credit cards.

“There is nothing we can do to bring my brother back, but I do not want this to happen to anyone else,” she said. “This suffering and grief that my family and his friends are going through is tragic.”

Friends and family will be gathering for a celebration of life ceremony later this month.

Anyone with information is asked to contact DPD Detective Romero at 214-671-4226 or Joshua.romero@dallaspolice.gov.

The investigation is documented under case number 216536-2023.