Suvechha Sarkar
Rahna Fahringer was a 46-year-old kind and independent woman happily living with her two children in November 2012. However, her life was completely upended when she was taken hostage in her own home in Brunswick, Ohio, for 30 hours. The terrifying incident and its chilling aftermath are revisited in Investigation Discovery’s ‘Home Alone: Ex-ecutioner.’ It delves deeper into how her life was put in danger by someone she once considered her closest. It also features interviews and detailed reenactments from her loved ones and the officials who brought her to safety.
Rahna Fahringer Was Held Hostage in Her Home by Terrance Abel For 30 Hours
Rahna Fahringer’s birth in 1966 brought immense joy to the lives of her mother, Constance Langley, and father. She grew up in a loving household and shared a close bond with her mother that felt more like friendship. As she stepped into adulthood, she crossed paths with Mark Fahringer. It wasn’t long before they grew closer and tied the knot in the presence of their loved ones. In 1996, they welcomed their son, Brock, into the world, and by 2000, they had given birth to their daughter, Blair. However, life eventually got in the way, and Rahna and Mark decided to get a divorce. She then moved into her own home at 1528 Jefferson Avenue in Brunswick, Ohio, with the kids. On the work front, Rahna served as a manager at a Retirement Home but lost her job. During that time, she met Terrance (or Terrence) Abel on a dating website.
By May 28, 2012, Rahna and Terrance had been dating for over a year, and he moved in with her family. According to Blair, everything was going well until Terrance’s business started to decline. She claimed that he allegedly began abusing Rahna both verbally and physically. Since everyone grew concerned, Rahna broke up with him in late 2012. She gradually returned to her regular life, but it spiraled into a nightmare on November 30, 2012. She was alone at home when 16-year-old Brock and 12-year-old Blair went to school. Shortly after, Rahna reportedly heard someone bang down the back door. She discovered that it was Terrance, and he was holding a 9 millimeter handgun. Around 1:30 pm, his brother called 911 and informed them that Terrance went to Rahna’s house with a gun and allegedly wanted to kill her.
Authorities rushed to the residence along with a SWAT team around 1:42 pm. They reportedly discovered that the back door of the house was barricaded and damaged. They further heard a man and a woman arguing inside. Eventually, hostage negotiators got in contact with Terrance, but they were unaware that he had reportedly shot Rahna in her right leg. According to reports, during the 30 hours of negotiation, he continued to change his mind about releasing Rahna. Ultimately, around 7:30 pm on December 1, 2012, the tactical unit entered her home. According to the officials present at the scene, Terrance had lifted his gun and aimed it at her, prompting the officials to shoot him. It led to his death, and during the crossfire, Rahna was reportedly shot in both her hands by Terrance.
Rahna Fahringer is Focused On Her Family and Healing Through Service
After Rahna Fahringer was rescued, she was rushed to the Metro General Medical Center because of her gunshot wounds. She sustained injuries on her right leg, left hand, and right arm. Although the gunshot injuries were non-life-threatening, her left thumb was shattered, and she suffered nerve damage in her right hand. Furthermore, the bullet that hit her right leg shattered her fibula. Rahna eventually had to get multiple surgeries to recover and struggled to raise her children in the aftermath since she was unable to work. Recalling the time when the SWAT team opened fire on Terrance, Rahna stated, “All I hear is gunfire, and I covered my face with my hands. I could feel my hands being hit. There was a hot burning sensation. By that time, they said Come on, let’s go.”
Although Rahna made considerable physical recovery after the incident, she lost some motor skills in her right hand. Moreover, the mental scar was too deep to forget. Speaking on the same, she expressed, “Every little noise I hear, I am kind of reliving it for a split second.” However, she has refused to let the traumatic incident force her out of her home, and she continues to live at the same residence. Long before the horrific experience, Rahna had graduated from Kent State University. In the show, Brock had revealed how the incident brought their family even closer. Fortunately, she found love once again, announcing her relationship with Terry Mackey in August 2015. Apart from that, she continues to maintain a close bond with her son, Brock, and daughter, Blair.
In September 2024, Rahna wished Blair affectionately on Daughter’s Day, writing, “Happy Daughter’s Day to my beautiful daughter, Blair! I love you very much.” She was also elated to welcome Blair’s beautiful daughter into the world in April 2025. Moreover, Rahna still has an incredible relationship with her mother. Beyond this, she has found healing through her volunteer work with The Salvation Army, which has provided her with the opportunity to help those in prison. Her story of turning the traumatic incident into her purpose was also featured on SAconnects Magazine in September 2025. Currently, Rahna is leading a happy life surrounded by her loved ones.
Terrance Abel Was Shot Dead by Officials During the Standoff in 2012
When officials surrounded Rahna’s house on November 30, they had learned that she and Terrance had broken up shortly before due to his alleged abuse. He allegedly threatened her, holding the protective order that she had filed against him. According to Constance, when she called Rahna on her phone during the hostage situation, Terrance picked up her call and told her that he had a gun. When the negotiators finally began communicating with him, the recordings taped him saying, “I’m obsessed with her.” On the call, he reportedly admitted that he began abusing and later hitting Rahna towards the end of their relationship.
In the meantime, the authorities discovered that he had a previous criminal record. As per the recordings, Terrance claimed that he wanted to kill Rahna and then allegedly kill himself. After several hours of the standoff, he was reportedly given a phone to keep in contact with the negotiators since his phone had allegedly died. According to the officials, around 16 hours into the incident, they deployed a robotic device to create a layout of the house and formulate a plan. They stated that they finally convinced Terrance to allow them to enter the downstairs kitchen to deliver food on December 1, 2012.
However, law enforcement officials reportedly utilized the opportunity to send another SWAT team inside. About 30 hours later, Terrance was asked to come to the window to get the food, where the reports stated that he was tased. Yet, the officers were unable to catch Terrance, and he rushed to the back bedroom where he had kept Rahna hostage. According to them, when Terrance pointed his firearm at Rahna, the SWAT team shot him to save her. Ultimately, Rahna was rescued when the paramedics confirmed that Terrance had died on the spot at the age of 39.
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