When Russell “Russ” Faria walked through the door of the Troy, Missouri home he shared with his wife on December 27, 2011, he never expected his world to be turned upside down, but it did. Not only did he find his love, Betsy Faria, lying in a pool of drying blood on the floor of their living room, as depicted on NBC’s “The Thing About Pam,” but he also became the prime suspect in her brutal murder. So now that it’s been a while since he was officially cleared of all charges, let’s see what there is to know about him and his current whereabouts, shall we?
Who is Russell “Russ” Faria?
After being married for over ten years, Russ and Elizabeth “Betsy” Faria had endured quite a few ups and downs over time, including divorce and infidelity. However, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, they chose to put their differences aside for good to make the most of the time left together. “Betsy had an award-winning smile and one of the biggest hearts you’ve ever met,” Russ said. “I know she loved me, and I loved her.” That’s why he was hysterical when he discovered her cold remains in late 2011.
In his shock, Russ told the 911 dispatcher that his wife had committed suicide—probably because of suicidal thoughts he knew she was struggling with her cancer—which turned out to be a huge mistake. Since she had been stabbed 55 times and there were clear signs of a struggle, it was impossible for her to die by suicide. Therefore, he was arrested, even though he had an alibi and there were no traces of blood on him. Claims of being an abusive man by Betsy’s friend Pamela “Pam” Hupp didn’t help his case either, so he was convicted in 2013 of murder and armed criminal action.
Where is Russell “Russ” Faria now?
Russell “Russ” Faira was sentenced to life without parole plus an additional 30 years on the charges against him, but he maintained his innocence every step of the way. So he appealed his conviction where possible, leading to an overturned sentence and allowed a new trial when new evidence/withholding information came to light. This time, in 2015, since every bit of evidence was allowed to be presented to the jury, Russ was acquitted, meaning he became a free man after being wrongfully behind bars for nearly four years.
It should be noted that Russ has filed a civil lawsuit against the detectives and prosecutor initially responsible for handling his wife’s case for ignoring exculpatory evidence, which was settled for more than $2 million in 2020. As for where he is now, as far as we can tell, the Missouri native is slowly but surely moving forward to the best of his ability, keeping the memories of Betsy alive in his heart. Not only does he now work at a motorcycle shop and contribute to the Midwest Innocence Project, but he has found true love again with a woman named Carol McAfee.
As for his take on Pam, the woman now being charged with murdering Betsy for the $150,000 payout from her life insurance policy, Russ doesn’t seem to have any sympathy or pity for her. “She may have thought I was an easy target,” he told People, referring to why she kept attacking him over the years. “I was 99 percent sure that Pam was the killer…I have to close. I want Pam to be convicted of this crime.” In another interview with the magazine, he added, “The only words I can use to describe her are evil incarnate.”
Read more: Where are Betsy Faria’s daughters now?
