Andrea Yates made headlines when she drowned all five of her children at her family’s home in Houston, Texas, in June 2001. More than two decades later, her ex-husband, Russell Yates, will speak out about the tragedy in Investigation Discovery’s The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story.
While the former couple is no longer together, Russell – who goes by the nickname of “Rusty” – is expected to share insight into their home life prior to their children’s heartbreaking murders. In light of the docuseries’ premiere, Us Weekly reveals where Russell is now in 2026.
Where Is Andrea Yates’ Ex-Husband Russell Yates Today?
Rusty has lived a relatively private life since Andrea was arrested and convicted of capital murder in 2002. However, a few glimpses of his life have been shared with the public over the years.
He filed for divorce from Andrea in 2004 and it was finalized in 2005, according to NBC News.
Rusty got married a second time in 2006 when he married Laura Arnold during a private ceremony at Clear Lake Church of Christ in Houston, Texas. Following the nuptials, the church minister said Rusty chose to move on with his life instead of seeking revenge on people who may have wronged him.
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“It is easy to judge the actions of another, as though we know all the intricate details of their life story,” minister Byron Fike said at the time, per NBC News. “Jesus has warned us against such judgments.”
Rusty and Arnold welcomed their son, Mark, in March 2008.
Andrea Yates and Rusty Yates Stayed in Touch After Their Split
After he announced the birth of his and Arnold’s son, Rusty revealed that he shared a photo of Mark via email with Andrea while she resided in a San Antonio psychiatric hospital. “She’s like, ‘He’s so cute.’ She was pretty excited,” he told Good Morning America in November 2008.
“We probably trade an e-mail once a week or so and maybe talk on the phone once a month,” he added of his communication with Andrea.
Rusty also said that he didn’t blame Andrea for killing their kids. “Even though it was horribly wrong, it was horribly hurtful to me, my family, everybody, it’s really the illness, you know, that caused this, not her. So, I can’t blame her,” he said.
Russell Yates Appears in ‘The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story’
Rusty will elaborate even more on his experience with Andrea in The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story.
In a teaser clip shared on Tuesday, January 6, Rusty recalled seeing Andrea experience a breaking point when they were staying at her mother’s house. He said he found her in the bathroom as she looked at her reflection in the mirror and held a knife to her neck.
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“She didn’t actually harm herself, but she was hospitalized at that point. The doctors told me that Andrea had postpartum depression, explained the seriousness of the illness, that women who have postpartum depression can develop postpartum psychosis,” he said. “But I didn’t know what psychosis looked like, what it meant.”
Rusty added that it would have helped to be better informed about Andrea’s condition since it led her to believe untrue things and be “dangerous.”
Why Was Andrea Yates Arrested?
Andrea was arrested for drowning her and Rusty’s kids after she grew to believe that it was the only way to save them from the devil. The former couple shared 7-year-old Noah, 5-year-old John, 3-year-old Paul, 2-year-old Luke and 6-month-old Mary.
Following her arrest, it was revealed that Andrea was heavily influenced by the extreme teachings of rogue preacher Michael Woroniecki. While Woroniecki and his followers never publicly identified themselves as a cult, the media has described the group as having a cult-like influence.
Woroniecki has denied having any involvement in the murders of Andrea and Rusty’s kids. However, he admitted to serving as the couple’s spiritual leader and said he “shared Jesus with them” during a 2002 appearance on Good Morning America.
Andrea was convicted of capital murder in 2002 and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after forty years.
The initial verdict was later overturned on appeal due to a false testimony by forensic psychiatrist Park Dietz. In July 2006, the case was retired and a Texas jury found that Yates was not guilty by reason of insanity.
She is currently a patient at the Kerrville State Hospital in Kerrville, Texas.
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When Does ‘The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story’ Premiere?
The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story will premiere on Tuesday, January 6, at 8 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery. The episodes will also be available to stream on HBO Max.
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