Flight attendant Rana Nofal Soluri's body identified by DNA; roommate Dennis Day charged with murder
DNA testing has confirmed that a body found by a fisherman under a bridge on a Texas creek bank in June is Envoy Air flight attendant Rana Nofal Soluri, 47. Her former roommate Dennis Day, 67, is charged with murder, and Joni Thomas, 63, is charged with tampering with evidence.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Police say DNA testing has confirmed that a body found by a fisherman under a bridge on a Texas creek bank is that of Rana Nofal Soluri, a 47-year-old flight attendant for Envoy Air, a regional carrier owned by American Airlines. NBC NewsLC “Soluri’s remains were found on June 13 but only recently have been “confirmed to be her through DNA testing,”” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “The body of a flight attendant was discovered by a fisherman in a Texas creek” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1The body was taken to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification. Fort Worth Police Detective Tom O'Brien told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the identification was confirmed about two weeks before his Friday remarks. New York PostR “the body was taken to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification and confirmed to belong to Soluri two weeks ago, O’Brien said on Friday.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Her former roommate, Dennis William Day, 67, is charged with murder. According to the arrest warrant, he admitted that he 'snapped' during a dispute and strangled her with his bare hands. NBC NewsLC “Suspicion quickly fell on Day, who later admitted to police that he “snapped” during a dispute with Soluri before he “began to strangle her with his bare hands,” his arrest warrant said.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “Day was indicted on a murder charge” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1The New York Post reports that, per the affidavit, Day said they fought after she filmed him acting irate and, when she threatened to call 911, he panicked and strangled her on the kitchen floor. New York PostR “when she threatened to call 911, he panicked and strangled her with his bare hands on the kitchen floor.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Day allegedly put the body head first into a large black trash bin and drove it about 70 miles to Bowie, in Montague County, where he dumped it over a bridge. The New York Post adds that he allegedly threw her phone into a nearby river. NBC NewsLC “Day loaded Soluri’s body “head first, into a large black trash bin and transported” it 70 miles away to Bowie, a town in Montague County” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “He also allegedly ditched her cellphone in a nearby river.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Joni Thomas, 63 (also known as Joanne Walters), is charged with tampering with evidence for allegedly helping Day dispose of the body. Investigators said an 'inadvertent call' and message on her phone captured a panicked Day asking for her help, and that she lent her truck and helped load the body. NBC NewsLC “Investigators in September revealed they found an “inadvertent call” and message on Thomas’ phone on which a panicked Day can be heard asking for her help to move Soluri.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “Joni Thomas, 63, has also been charged with tampering with evidence and helping Day dispose of Soluri’s body.” Read at New York Post ↗
Mixed · 2Investigators also obtained home security video from March 21, 2025 showing Day dragging 'what appears to be a lifeless body from the home into the backyard.' NBC NewsLC “Investigators also found home security video from Day’s home, showing him dragging “what appears to be a lifeless body from the home into the backyard,” on March 21, police said.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “video surveillance footage from the night of March 21” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Soluri had lived with Day for about a year and was recovering from minor surgery. She was due back at work on March 31, 2025, and a co-worker reported her missing in June 2025. Day told police during a June 10 welfare check that he had not seen her for three months, and he was arrested that month. NBC NewsLC “She had taken some time off for a minor operation and was supposed to return to work on March 31st, 2025. When she didn’t, a co-worker reported her missing on June 11, 2025, police said.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “Day told cops that he had not seen her for three months during a welfare check on June 10.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2The New York Post reports that a notice from the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office, filed before the DNA confirmation, says Day allegedly bragged in jail that he could not be convicted if her remains were never found. NBC News calls the body potentially powerful new evidence for prosecutors. New York PostR “allegedly bragged to people in jail that he could not be convicted if no one ever found Soluri’s remains” Read at New York Post ↗ NBC NewsLC “have a powerful new piece of evidence — the victim’s body.” Read at NBC News ↗
Mixed · 2The body has been released to Soluri's daughter, Lulu. American Airlines flew it to Seattle for a Muslim burial on Sept. 29, according to a GoFundMe update. The daughter plans to attend an October court date in Texas to give a statement. NBC NewsLC “American Airlines flew the body to Seattle for a Muslim burial that took place on Sept. 29, an update on the GoFundMe announced.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “a trip to Texas for an October court date — where she will release a statement.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Both Day's and Thomas's cases are pending. NBC News said it was not immediately clear where Day is being held. New York PostR “Both Day and Thomas’s cases remain pending.” Read at New York Post ↗ NBC NewsLC “It was not immediately clear where Day was being held.” Read at NBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- NBC News leads with the DNA confirmation as a powerful new piece of evidence for prosecutors, then sets out the case chronology.
- Emphasis
- Procedural detail: the Thomas phone recording, the arrest warrant quotes, the burial, and the uncertainty over where Day is held.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the alleged jail boasts or the kitchen-floor dispute over Soluri filming Day.
- Charged language
- “powerful new piece of evidence”
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The New York Post leads with the discovery of a 'lifeless body' and Day's alleged admission, and uses emotive language about the family.
- Emphasis
- Day's alleged motive and confession, the alleged jail boast, and the daughter's GoFundMe and court appearance.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Thomas's phone recording or the Muslim burial, and gives no county for the discovery.
- Charged language
- “lifeless body”“morbid discovery”“heartbroken daughter”
- For example
-
“After the morbid discovery, the body was taken to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification” — New York Post
“The heartbroken daughter is also using the fundraiser funds” — New York Post
What every side reports
- A fisherman found Rana Nofal Soluri's body under a bridge on a creek bank in June, and DNA testing at the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification confirmed it.
- Dennis Day, 67, is charged with murder and allegedly admitted strangling her.
- Joni Thomas, 63, is charged with tampering with evidence for allegedly helping dispose of the body.
- Home security video from March 21 allegedly shows Day dragging a body from the house.
- American Airlines helped fly the remains to Seattle, where her daughter Lulu is handling the burial.
Where accounts differ
-
Where the body was found
- Left
- NBC News says it was found June 13 on a creek bank beneath a bridge in Montague County, about 70 miles northwest of downtown Fort Worth.
- Right
- The New York Post says it was found on the bank of Brushy Creek under a bridge in June, and does not name the county.
-
Timing of Day's arrest
- Left
- NBC News says Day was arrested in June 2025, two months after Soluri went missing around March 19, 2025.
- Right
- The New York Post's headline presents the arrest alongside the body's discovery. Its text says police focused on Day in June, without dating the arrest.
Dennis William Day person
According to the arrest warrant, Day denied involvement at first, then admitted strangling Soluri and dumping her body. Both outlets report this as an allegation, and his case is pending.
“Day, who later admitted to police that he “snapped” during a dispute with Soluri” — NBC News
“Both Day and Thomas’s cases remain pending.” — New York Post
Rana Nofal Soluri person
Soluri is described as a 47-year-old flight attendant and mother. Her daughter Lulu is arranging her burial and plans to give a court statement.
“where her daughter, Lulu, will “finish laying her mother to rest.”” — New York Post
Envoy Air organisation
Envoy Air is her employer, and its co-workers reported her missing. American Airlines, which owns Envoy, helped fly her remains to Seattle.
“Soluri worked for a regional carrier owned by American Airlines.” — NBC News
“her Envoy Air co-workers reported her missing” — New York Post
Left1 article
-
DNA confirms body found in Texas creek is missing flight attendant
Neutral Evidence-focused report on the DNA confirmation, the prosecution case and the warrant details, attributed to police.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Sympathetic Crime narrative built around the alleged confession and the grieving daughter, with emotive wording.
- 4 Oct 20:06 First New York PostR Flight attendant’s lifeless body found in Texas creek a year after she went missing, roommate arrested
- 5 Oct 20:27 +24h 21m NBC NewsLC DNA confirms body found in Texas creek is missing flight attendant
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.