Last spring, we brought you 8 Mysterious People Without a Past, a list of individuals who seemed to have had much of their early existence wiped from history. Other commentators noted that Ruff briefly attended UT Arlington and may have become familiar with the film prior to changing her identity. They tried several times to have a child, but she had trouble conceiving and suffered multiple miscarriages. She was much older than that, he said. In 1986, Kimberly McLean ran away from her home at the age of 18. He revealed that Lori considered it to be a personal item that must never be opened. Given some of the comments she made or suggested, she didnt appear to realize why the marriage ended. Related: Girl in the Green Mac: The Baffling, Unsolved Disappearance of Sheila Fox. The house belonged . Hair pulled from the woman's head had skin on it that helped forensic investigators learn she had one of the genes associated with coronary artery disease. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The harassment was so severe that the Ruffs filed a cease and desist order just before Lori's death. There was a birth and death certificate in the box. "My God, that's Kimberly!," one Pennsylvania relative exclaimed, the Seattle Times reported. We cover everything from big time serial killers (and those you may never have heard of), to hauntings, possessions, disturbing mysteries, bizarre whodunits and basically anything that tickles our creepy fancy. And she did it all pre-InternetShe may have done this on her own, but its possible she sought out one of these identity brokers.. On the West Coast, we generally dont have a discernible accent, said Velling, a Seattle native. Velling agreed to help identify her as a case of identify theft. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter, and receive our eeriest cases delivered straight to your inbox. [1][10] Fitzpatrick had Ruff's husband and daughter tested by a direct-to-consumer testing company, through which she was able to obtain Ruff's DNA results using genetic genealogy phasing techniques, which essentially subtracted Blake Ruff's DNA from Lori's. Before she took her own life with a shotgun, Lori placed a pair of letters inside the car. Lori Erica Ruff was the alias of an unidentified American woman and identity thief who committed suicide on December 24, 2010 in Longview, Texas. Hosts Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson guide you through the most interesting true crime stories. Prior to that, she was known as Becky Sue Turner, an identity forged with the birth certificate of a long-dead child. Included among theitems was a sealed lockbox buried deep in Loriscloset. However, according to records, Becky Sue Turner asphyxiated in a house fire when she was just 2 years old. [6] The fact that Ruff was able to cover up her identity so well in a time before the Internet has led to speculation that she had enlisted the services of a so-called identity broker.[6]. It must have been for some horrific reasoneither she was running away from a crime or an abusive family or relationship., She wanted a complete break from her past, said Velling. By changing her name, she created a clean identity a person with no past.. Shewas an accomplished identity thief. Authorities inspected both letters, which they described asramblings from a clearly disturbed person.They contained no reference toLoris life as an identity thief, nor a confession of her trueidentity. [3], In 2003, she met Blake Ruff, the son of a well-established family in East Texas,[2][3] in a Bible study class. Ruff did his best to find out as much about his new partner as he could. All rights reserved. Additionally, she displayed many asocial behaviors, such as leaving social gatherings to take naps. Although she left notes for her husband and her daughter, they didn't provide any clues. She then moved to Idaho and procured a drivers license using the deceased girls birth certificate. Investigation Discovery's ' Where Murder Lies: The Girl in the Lockbox' chronicles the story behind Lori Ruff's past. [8] Other papers included the birth certificate of Becky Sue Turner and a judge's ruling granting a name change to Lori Erica Kennedy. Market data provided by Factset. Little Beckywas just two years old when she diedin a house fire outside of Seattle, Washington in 1971. The other was for Blake. Ordinary people who do unthinkable thingsThe Minds of Madness is a True Crime Podcast that examines the most disturbing criminal minds and the impact violent crimes have on survivors of homicide. [5], From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core, "Three years after Texas woman's suicide, a question lingers: Who was she? In 2010, a woman in Texas named Lori Ruff parked her Tahoe in the driveway of the house where her estranged husband Blake had been living since he had walked out on her after their relationship had soured. And, as he flipped through multiple IDs with pictures of his wife at different ages, he realized they all had different names printed on them, according to the Daily Mail. ", "Texas woman's true identity baffles ex-husband, authorities years after her suicide", "She stole another's identity, and took her secret to the grave. Whatever the motivation behind one man entering wedlock to one woman, both parties usually do know each other intimately. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She died by suicide in the driveway of her former in-laws' home in Longview, Texas, on Christmas Eve 2010. The two moved to Leonard, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas and roughly 125 miles from Ruffs parents in Longview. Join us for a good mix of lesser known cases as well as our take on what we call the "Big Timers". Signup to sync subscriptions across devices. Investigators then began to search of hertrue identitya process that would take six years to complete. She was very private and didn't open to people about her past. Her mothers remarriage didnt help either and she told her family she was going away. Blake Ruff married the woman he had known asLori in2004. Investigators wondered if she had been a KGB agent, or if she had been in the military and gone AWOL. On Christmas Eve 2010, the body of 42-year-old Lori Erica Ruff was found in acar parked outside the Rufffamily home in Longview, Texas. We now need to revise that list to seven, since one of those mysteries has now been solved. This was very sophisticated, Velling said. But to a dogged federal investigator, she is "Jane Doe," a Texas mother who killed herself three years ago in her famil. It is generally believed that a new identity was already being considered either for herself or others. [1], Fitzpatrick informed Joe Velling, who had in the meantime retired from the SSA. McLean used the child's birth certificate to obtain an Idaho state identification card, then moved to Texas and had her name legally changed to Lori Erica Kennedy. In the car were two suicide notes: an 11-page one addressed to "my wonderful husband" and another addressed to her daughter, to be opened on her 18th birthday. Although plenty of questions about the case still have not been answered, Lori Ruff's name was removed from the federal government's database of missing and unidentified persons. There were no dates and the letter itself was a little vague. A 2013 Seattle Times feature article about the case was published in news outlets around the world and created enormous interest in the online "websleuth" community. McLean requested the birth certificate in Bakersfield, California, Becky Sue Turner's birthplace. Lori Erica Ruff was the alias of an unidentified American woman and identity thief who committed suicide on December 24, 2010 in Longview, Texas.After she died, her ex-husband's family discovered a lockbox in a closet in her home. Any time she got around the family, they would ask her questions and it was uncomfortable for her. A friend of the family verified that Becky Sue Turner had died in a house fire at the age of 2. How had their marriage fallen apart? [4] She was eventually identified as a native of suburban Philadelphia who left home at age 17, in the fall of 1986,[5] because she did not get along with her mother and stepfather. Anyone with credible tips on this case is urged to email this reporter at cristina.corbin@foxnews.com. [1] After two years, Fitzpatrick finally identified Ruff when she discovered a third cousin match who was related to the Cassidys. It was in 2010 when events finally took their toll on her. Mother and child spent a lot of time together, which is normal for such a doting mother. Others, including a private detective, tasked with finding out more about her, consider that an incident in her past concerned her sufficiently to create an entirely new identity. Accept Read More, Jeffrey Alan Lash: His Remarkable Mystery. With the help of investigator Joe Velling, he traced the DNA to a family in Pennsylvania. Buried deep in the back of Lori's closet, Blake pulled out a sealed lockbox. [3], Ruff was incredibly overprotective of her daughter, often refusing to let anyone else hold her, which angered her husband's family. After several miscarriages, the couple finally had a daughter in 2008. She obtained a Texas drivers license in 1989, listing her age as 19. As Blake began the daunting task of sorting through his wife's possessions, he knew that he would have to deal with one thing that Lori had always told him he was to never touch. But to a dogged federal investigator, she is "Jane Doe," a Texas mother who killed herself three years ago in her family's driveway after spending decades using stolen identities to erase a past that remains mired in mystery. And, with the child, Lori's behavior became even more erratic. The mystery surrounding Jane Does identity begins in May 1988, when the unknown woman requested the Bakersfield, Calif., birth certificate of a 2-year-old girl, Becky Sue Turner, who died in a 1971 house fire in Fife, Wash., Velling said. Ruff gradually acquired more documents in her new name, including a Social Security number. Perhaps because of these miscarriages, Lori was ultra-protective of her daughter. The only person in attendance was the preacher. [6], On December 24, 2010, Ruff's body was discovered in her car in the Ruffs' driveway, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot. They believed she fled because she did not like her mothers new husband. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. She began to lose weight and attended counseling sessions held at the local church. For the next couple of years, Blake worked on all aspects of the marriage. Lori would also spend time fidgeting and stare at the palms and back of her hands. For example, Lori would often ramble to the minister on a variety of topics; mainly her perceived flaws, problems, and the failure of her marriage. [1] He flew to Pennsylvania to meet the potential family. [1] Despite the questions Blake's family had about Lori, the couple married in January 2004. [6], Ruff was "extremely protective" of her daughter, often refusing to let anyone else hold her and even taking the baby with her to use the bathroom. As far as the authorities were concerned, once Blake called them in, she was an identity thief now given the name "Jane Doe.". She must now fight to clear her name and figure out who betrayed her husband. It's clear that even at this time, Lori knew what she was doingBecky had been born in one state and died in another, making it far less likely that the fraudulent use of her identity would be discovered. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Lori met her future husband, Blake, in 2003. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. Ruff did his best to find out as much about his new partner as he could. Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff, was an American identity thief who remained unidentified for nearly six years after her death. They Walk Among Us is an award-winning weekly UK true crime podcast covering a broad range of cases from the sinister to the surreal. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. And why didn't she see any other option but to end her own life? Who was she? That created a lot of heartburn for the family.. Lori Ruffs handwritten notes. But Lori tragically died by suicide just before Christmas in 2010. Using a DNA analysis from Ruffs daughter, investigators were able to trace Ruffs identity back to a family in Pennsylvania, whose daughter had disappeared in 1986, when she was 17. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. In 2010, a woman in Texas named Lori Ruff parked her Tahoe in the driveway of the house where her estranged husband Blake had been living since he had walked out on her after their relationship had soured. Her Idaho identification card listed her as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and her Dallas drivers license had her at 5 feet, 10 inches, but she was really somewhere in-between, Velling said. If you can never get enough true crime Congratulations, youve found your people. After four years of attempts, miscarriages, and disappointments, the couple had a daughter. She left behind an 11-page suicide note but apparently no clue that she had lived a secret life. She was sending unhinged, threatening emails to the Ruffs; she and her daughter were losing weight; she even possibly tried to break into the Ruffs' home. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. And she had no accent, leading Velling to believe she originally came from the Pacific Northwest or West Coast. Ruffs apparent identity theft pulled in former Social Security Administration investigator Joe Velling, who hoped that publicity from the Times piece would urge amateur sleuths to provide some leads. In life, Lori hadwarnedhimto stay away from it. According to the Seattle Times, a crowd-sourced investigation into Ruffs background began after the paper ran a story on her in 2013. The family tried everything to find her but she changed her name and location regularly, making it difficult for Kimberlys family to find her. Lori Erica Ruff was the alias of an unidentified American woman and identity thief who committed suicide on December 24, 2010 in Longview, Texas. However, Perkins has no memory of the woman, and there were no matches for the woman in fingerprint and facial recognition databases. According to Deannes brother, Tom, Kimberly grew irate after her mother and father separated in the 1980s. The trail leading backwards was in the forbidden lockbox. Related: Lady of the Dunes: Was the Unidentified Cape Cod Murder Victim an Extra in Jaws? Nancy said it was like that all afternoon she asked questions, and Lori provided evasive answers. Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Plot Summary submission guide. However, several weeks after getting the new identification, Becky legally changed her identity to Lori Erica Kennedy in Dallas. But, it didn't happen easily and it took the hard work of a number of people and a little bit of luck to learn the truth.Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious Lori Erica Ruff. RedHanded the podcast jumps head first into all manner of macabre madness. Among the various documents was a certificate indicating that Lori Kennedy had changed her name from Becky Sue Turner. The family members identified the picture of the mystery woman as Kimberly Mclean. They married and had a daughter together. Or, maybe she was none of them. The nature of these scribblings has led some to believe that Ruff was trying to avoid prison time, due to the references to police, a possible jail term length, and the name of an attorney. Where Murder Lies is investigating the mysterious case of identity thief Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff, aka Kimberly Maria McLean, who, unbeknown to her husband, led a secret life for decades. Related: The Strange Case of the Isdal Woman. NY Daily News By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. Within the next two years, she . Les currently resides in London and is a freelance writer with a long standing passion for the unexplained and paranormal. They tried several times to have a child, but had trouble conceiving and suffered multiple miscarriages. One of television's most popular true-crime series adapted for your ears. Before 1988, Lori Erica Kennedy simply did not exist. Apparently, after Becky Sue Turner perished, a woman turned up and requested a copy of the birth certificate. [7] She eventually gave birth to a baby girl via in vitro fertilisation in 2008. Join her as she shows you just how southern fried the justice system can be in the Deep South. ", "Texas woman's true identity baffles ex-husband, authorities years after her suicide", "Live chat with investigator, reporter about Jane Doe case", "Mystery woman: After 30 years and a suicide, Lori Ruff's real identity emerges", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lori_Erica_Ruff&oldid=1125479355, Articles with minor POV problems from October 2022, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from October 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 December 2022, at 06:14. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. We don't take ourselves too seriously but we take true crime very seriously. Blake Ruff has admitted that he isn't completely sure what drew him to Lori. She was very private and didn't open to people about her past. Lori Erica Ruff went by many names. El Caso de Lori Erica Ruff -Documental Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/HypnosMorfeoPaginaoficial/?fref=ts Sigueme en Twitter: https://twitter.com/hypnosmo. [1] She eventually graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1997, with a degree in Business Administration. The contents of this safe put into sharp focus everything that Blake thought he knew about Lori Kennedy. "My God, thats Kimberly! The family member confirmed Ruff was actually Kimberly McLean, daughter of Deanne Cassidy and James McLean, who had run away from home in Pennsylvania at the age of 18. You can help support the show at patreon.com/criminology, Learn more about your ad choices. It outlined work that Lori had done for him until 1988. [3], After getting married, the Ruffs moved to Leonard, Texas. The only person in attendance at their wedding ceremony, held in a church outside Dallas, was the officiating preacher. Lori refused to allow anyone else to babysit her child. The truth of Ruff's deception only came to light after she committed suicide, and some determined investigators began looking into . Years later, in the life she created with Ruff, tensions between the Verizon account manager and the wife he never really knew eventually reached a breaking point. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The house was in total shambles. According to the Seattle Times , a crowd-sourced investigation into Ruff's background began after the paper ran . All rights reserved. He noticed the car and called the police. Why had Lori begun behaving so erratically? In the box a number of documents were discovered which revealed that Ruff had stolen the identity of Becky Sue Turner, a 2-year-old girl killed in a fire in 1971 in Fife, Washington, in 1988, and then changed her name to Lori Erica Kennedy. But all that he managed to discover was that Lori had something of a difficult upbringing. Yes! Trophy Wife: Dirigido por Christian Sesma. After several months living as Becky Sue Turner, she legally changed her name to Lori Kennedy and moved to the Dallas area, where she met Blake Ruff. Lori Erica Ruff The Generation Why Podcast. Blake admitted knowledge of the box. Although questions about the case remain, Lori Ruff's name has now been removed from the federal government's database for missing and unidentified persons. In May of 2016, several commentators on the internet noticed similarities to Ruff's story and to the plot of a 1987 crime drama called Positive I.D., which was directed by a professor of film at UT Arlington.
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lori erica ruff documentary
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