Rae Theotis Carruth was born on January 20, 1974, in Sacramento, California. He grew up in a challenging environment but showed early promise as an athlete. Carruth attended Valley High School in Sacramento, where he excelled in football. His skills on the field earned him a football scholarship to the University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder, Colorado.

At the University of Colorado, Carruth played for the Buffaloes football team for four seasons. He demonstrated his talent and hard work, becoming a standout player. In 1996, he was named a first-team All-American. During his college career, he caught 135 passes for a total of 2,540 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. He averaged 18.8 yards per catch, showcasing his ability to make big plays.

Carruth earned a degree with a double major in English and education while playing football. His time in college helped shape his future, leading him to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft in 1997. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers as the 27th overall pick.

During his professional career, he had a notable rookie season. Carruth started in 14 games, catching 44 passes for 545 yards and scoring four touchdowns. This performance earned him a spot on the all-rookie team at wide receiver. However, his time in the NFL was plagued by injuries. In the opening game of the 1998 season, Carruth broke his right foot and did not catch any more passes that year.

In his personal life, Carruth became a father during his sophomore year of college. His girlfriend, Michelle Wright, gave birth to their son Rae Jr. Carruth agreed to pay child support, although there were conflicts regarding the amount.

On November 16, 1999, Rae Carruth's former girlfriend, Cherica Adams, was shot four times while driving near Carruth's home in Charlotte, North Carolina. The shooting was carried out by Van Brett Watkins Sr., an associate of Carruth. After being shot, Adams was able to call 911 and reported that Carruth had stopped his vehicle in front of hers before another vehicle shot her. Carruth drove away after the incident.

At the time of the shooting, Adams was eight months pregnant with Carruth’s child. She fell into a coma after being hospitalized. Doctors performed an emergency caesarean section to deliver the baby, who survived but suffered permanent brain damage due to a lack of oxygen. Adams died in the hospital on December 14, 1999.

Carruth posted a $3 million bail after the incident, with the condition that he would turn himself in if Adams or the baby died. Following Adams' death, Carruth fled and was captured on December 15, 1999, in Tennessee, hiding in the trunk of a car with cash, bottles of urine, and other items.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Carruth had hired Watkins to kill Adams because she refused to abort their child. Carruth’s defense claimed the shooting resulted from a drug deal gone wrong. The jury convicted Carruth of conspiracy to commit murder, among other charges, but he was found not guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to nearly 19 to 24 years in prison.

Watkins received a much longer sentence for the murder of Cherica Adams. Carruth served 18 years in prison and was released on October 22, 2018. After his release, he moved to Pennsylvania and later remarried.