The Ticonderoga Tour Guide

A fatal trust, a hidden life, and a case that shook a fandom.

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Thomas Krider, known as TJ Greene, was a tour guide at the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour in Ticonderoga, New York, where fans from around the world can walk through meticulously recreated Enterprise sets. An Elvis tribute artist with a warm smile and generous spirit, TJ helped visitors experience Star Trek’s vision of the future up close.

But in April 2024, TJ disappeared after telling his wife he was helping an old friend move furniture. Four days later, Ronald Rayher walked into a police station with a confession: There was a body in his basement.

What emerged in court was a story no one expected. Claims of secret role-play, homemade chloroform, and a fatal encounter that divided a community. Was this a tragic accident between consenting adults, or reckless manslaughter?

This is the story of TJ Greene, the trial that shocked upstate New York, and the question at its center: Where does consent end and criminal responsibility begin?

Credits:

This episode of “The Prime Detective” was produced and hosted by Grayson Thagard.

Music for “The Prime Detective” is composed by Ben Wise: https://benwise.bandcamp.com/

Website and publishing support thanks to David Moody, Producer: “Let’s Talk About Treks” The Podcast.

Original artwork for “The Prime Detective” by Julie Hendrickson.

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