lori erica ruff documentary lori erica ruff documentary

[6], Eventually, Ruff did not want her in-laws to have any contact with her daughter; as a result, the Ruffs began encouraging Blake to get out of the marriage. He filed for divorce a short time later. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She then moved to Idaho and procured a drivers license using the deceased girls birth certificate. 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. Lori began to complain to Blake about his parents whenever she was even mildly inconvenienced. Using DNA analysis from Ruff's daughter, investigators were able to trace Ruff's identity back to a family in Pennsylvania, whose teenage daughter had disappeared in 1986, per Mental Floss. Lori would also spend time fidgeting and stare at the palms and back of her hands. Find a Grave Days later, she applied for and received a Social Security number a move that effectively erased her past. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theywalkamongus. [1] Velling approached a relative, who immediately identified the deceased Lori Ruff as Kimberly McLean.[1]. In his spare time he enjoys astronomy and Xboxing. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. At some point in the past, Lori had been a dancer at an exclusive gentlemans club, and a post-mortem examination revealed that Lori, not Becky, had received breast implants. [8] She would also obsessively track the Ruffs' family history and try to find out their family recipes, but she still refused to talk about her own past. Host Charlie brings in appropriate historic and cultural context to look beyond what happened and consider why it happened. The woman told doctors in 2005 that she was 35 a claim Velling doubts. He noticed the car and called the police. She arrived at this identity by way of a girl named Becky Sue Turner. Les currently resides in London and is a freelance writer with a long standing passion for the unexplained and paranormal. Lori Erica Ruff (2021 Podcast Episode) Plot Showing all 0 items Jump to: Summaries It looks like we don't have any Plot Summaries for this title yet. Shewas an accomplished identity thief. After they married, Lori and Blake moved across the state from his parents, and they tried to have a child almost immediately. It took hard work on the part of investigators and some unique forensic genealogy for the truth to come out. [6], After getting married, the Ruffs moved to Leonard, Texas. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. The new Mrs. Ruff was an unusually private person, particularly around her in-laws, according to Velling, special agent in charge of the Social Security Office of the Inspector General in Seattle, Wash. When people made small talk with her like asking where she went to high school she would say, 'Its none of your business.' The harassment was so severe that the Ruffs filed a cease and desist order just before Lori's death. 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 . ", "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. Lori Erica Ruff's true identity was Kimberly McLean. Who was she? Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. For years, it was nothing but a series of dead ends. They looked for signs of gambling addiction and sex trafficking. The suicide notes were quickly determined to be incoherent ramblings that offered no clues to Ruff's identity. There were two other pieces of paper. At the time of this application, Lori quoted her age as 19. Velling said hes determined to uncover Jane Doe's true identity because he suspects she may have used a so-called identity broker to pull off such a complex crime. Her mothers remarriage didnt help either and she told her family she was going away. [2] The writings on the paper found in the lockbox included the scribblings "North Hollywood police", "402 months", and "Ben Perkins", who turned out to be an attorney. RedHanded the podcast jumps head first into all manner of macabre madness. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter, and receive our eeriest cases delivered straight to your inbox. This site uses cookies to improve user experience. True Crime. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. She had brown hair and hazel eyes. Sometime later, Blake's father left the house to pick up the paper. Colleen Fitzpatrick, a former nuclear physicist who created[citation needed] the field of forensic genealogy, learned of Lori Ruff in 2013 and began work on the case. In 2010, he moved back in with his parents and filed for divorce. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. Then, in September 2016, investigators believed they solved the case. This has led investigators to believe that Ruff was much older than she claimed to be. There was a successful application for a new social security number. However, according to records, Becky Sue Turner asphyxiated in a house fire when she was just 2 years old. She also received breast implants during this time. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, She left behind an 11-page suicide note but apparently no clue that she had lived a secret life. 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. Lori Erica Ruff Kept Her Past Locked Up in a Secret Safe Blake Ruff thought he had found someone special. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. She obtained this identity via a girl named Becky Sue Turner, who died in 1971 in a house fire near Seattle, Washington. So, it was granted without question. It did. Lori Erica Ruff was a secretive person. She had told him she was from Arizona, that both her parents were dead, and that she had no siblings. [9][6], After Lori's funeral, some of the Ruffs drove to Leonard to see if they could find out more about her in her house. She also began sending harassing emails to the Ruffs, created a scene at a custody exchange, and stole a set of house keys from them. Or at least they should. She told them her parents were dead and that she had no living siblings or extended family. Henceforth, Lori would be known as Lori Erica Ruff. Ruff did his best to find out as much about his new partner as he could. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Loris behavior was highly erratic in the timebetween theseparationand her death; she sent threatening emails to Blake and his family, and might have even attempted a break-in at Blakes parents home. As far as the authorities were concerned, once Blake called them in, she was an identity thief now given the name "Jane Doe.". She wasnt Lori Erica Ruffshe was a Pennsylvania woman named Kimberly McLean. 2021 Wondery LLC. Buried deep in the back of Lori's closet, Blake pulled out a sealed lockbox. 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. Market data provided by Factset. McLean also asked them not to come after her. It took hard work on the part of investigators and some unique forensic genealogy for the truth to come out. She was eventually identified as a native. But nobody in the world knew Lori Erica Ruff. Also found in the lock box was a paper with several seemingly random scribblings.[6]. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. It's a big Universe full of wonders. The tension between the Ruffs continued to grow as the new grandparents were rebuffed from visits. Also found in the lockbox was a paper with several seemingly random scribblings. Within the next two years, she obtained the birth certificate of Becky Sue Turner, a 2-year-old girl who had died with her two sisters in a house fire in 1971. Authorities believe she initially traveled to the home with the intent of harming the family.[6]. She began to lose weight and attended counseling sessions held at the local church. Using DNA analysis from Ruff's daughter, investigators were able to trace Ruff's identity back to a family in Pennsylvania, whose teenage daughter had disappeared in 1986, per Mental Floss. Why had Lori begun behaving so erratically? Most of these discoveries came from talking to those that she had worked with previously. Related: A Killer Calls: The Unsolved Murder of Dorothy Jane Scott. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Sources Synopsis 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. However, it was written on hotel stationery from Bangkok, Thailand. The house belonged to his parents and it was his father who discovered her [] The post Lori Erica Ruff 93 Generation Why appeared first on The Generation Why Podcast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. 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. It was in 2010 when events finally took their toll on her. ", "Three years after Texas woman's suicide, a question lingers: Who was she? When he returned to his parents, he filed for a divorce. After four years of attempts, miscarriages, and disappointments, the couple had a daughter. She wanted to live in her little cocoon.. For the next couple of years, Blake worked on all aspects of the marriage. This is a true crime podcast that spares none of the details and delves into what makes these killers tick. When problems became too difficult for him to continue, Blake finally accepted that their marriage wasnt working and subsequently moved out of the home they shared. Dismayed by having to move and attend a new school, she told Deanne shed be leaving for good. Lori Erica Ruff, a Texan who committed suicide in 2010 and left behind a series of puzzling documents hinting that she wasnt who her family thought she was, has now been identified. By the time she married Jon Blakely Blake Ruff, of Longview, Texas, in January 2004, her phony identification was as solid as her real past was distant. [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. Or, Lori Erika Kennedy? Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices. She was very private and didn't open to people about her past. 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. Upon opening the container, Blakediscovered why: Inside was a birth certificate and IDs belonging to several different people. As with the birth certificate, it was relatively straight forward to acquire a new social security number. Lori Erica Ruff (born Kimberly McLean, October 16, 1968 - December 24, 2010) was a woman who took her own life while living in Longview, Texas. She must now fight to clear her name and figure out who betrayed her husband. [2], In the months between the separation and Lori's suicide, she behaved very erratically. He describes her as being incredibly secretive, particularly regarding her past. McLean assumed a series of aliases before marrying Blake Ruff in 2004 and settling downleaving no trace of Kimberly McLean, at least until Fitzpatrick began researching her family tree. On Christmas Eve 2010, the body of 42-year-old Lori Erica Ruff was found in a car parked outside the Ruff family home in Longview, Texas. Prior to that, she was known as Becky Sue Turner, an identity forged with the birth certificate of a long-dead child. [7] She then traveled to Idaho, where she used the document to obtain a state ID card on June 16.[8]. Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. Various identification cards of Lori Ruff (AKA: Kimberly McLean) retrieved from the Social Security Administration. And why didn't she see any other option but to end her own life? Lori acquired Becky Turners birth certificate in 1988. Additionally, she displayed many asocial behaviors, such as leaving social gatherings to take naps. [3], In 2003, she met Blake Ruff, the son of a well-established family in East Texas,[2][3] in a Bible study class. One of television's most popular true-crime series adapted for your ears. Investigators wondered if she had been a KGB agent, or if she had been in the military and gone AWOL. Con Erica Peeples, Tiffany Black, Sean Patrick Thomas, Chris Sakyi. Loris husband, Blake Ruff, was devastated. Until now, Lori Erica Ruff was known to authorities as Jane Doe a woman of mystery who jumped from state to state, taking on the identities of other people. So, join us, plug in, sit back and prepare for scares. Knowing the identity of the third cousin led her to Ruff's identity. The Ruff family declined to comment on the story, which was first reported by the Seattle Times on Saturday. And, why had she changed her identity and hid her past from those closest to her?You can help support the show at patreon.com/criminologyAn Emash Digital productionLearn more about your ad choices. Whomever she was, the woman Blake knew as Lori Ruff was not who she claimed to be. Included among theitems was a sealed lockbox buried deep in Loriscloset. [1] She eventually gave birth to a baby girl via in-vitro fertilization in 2008. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. Police also found a curious letter within the safe. Lori Erica Ruff The Generation Why Podcast. Lori and Blake tried to have a child almost immediately after they were married, but found themselves experiencing fertility issues. 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. The Bizarre Truth About Lori Ruff, The Woman Without An Identity. One of these had notes written and a collection of phone numbers and names. To give you the best possible experience, this site uses cookies. Accept Read More, Jeffrey Alan Lash: His Remarkable Mystery. The only person in attendance at their wedding ceremony, held in a church outside Dallas, was the officiating preacher. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. Legal Statement. Ruff gradually acquired more documents in her new name, including a Social Security number. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff, was an American identity thief who remained unidentified for nearly six years after her death. There were no dates and the letter itself was a little vague. She died by suicide in the driveway of her former in-laws' home in Longview, Texas, on Christmas Eve 2010. 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. And when he asked her to marry him in 2004, she said yes, but insisted on no announcement in the newspaper, and wanted a wedding where only the minister was present. However, the Mclean family now has a granddaughter who offers a glimpse of their beloved Kimberly. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But all that he managed to discover was that Lori had something of a difficult upbringing. As far as the police officers could tell, Lori never traveled abroad before 1990, as there is no passport with that name. During all of this, Blake continued in his efforts to pry more details from the mother of his baby. Late in 2015, Velling received a call from a former nuclear physicist and forensic genealogist named Colleen Fitzpatrick, who had been following the case online. His recollection was that she was a dancer at a Dallas-area nightclub at the time [she was attending school], Velling said. She created a false identity for the sole purpose of getting lost in America, Velling told FoxNews.com. These secrets Lori Ruff had kept from even her husband, Blake Ruff, and his family. Lori Ruffs handwritten notes. Before 1988, Lori Erica Kennedy simply did not exist. Image: http://reallifeishorror.blogspot.co.uk/. Yes! Follows Toni, who has a complete breakdown and ends up in a mental facility after the unexpected news that her husband was murdered, and even she is a suspect. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Lori Erica Ruff was a secretive person. The news of Kimberlys death saddened her mother deeply. The investigation into her suicide hit dead end after dead end. [7] The couple eloped in January 2004 after Nancy Ruff, Blake's mother, inquired about placing a wedding announcement in the local newspaper. 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. Related: The Strange Case of the Isdal Woman. After she died, her ex-husband's family discovered a lockbox in a closet in her home. They separated, but on Christmas Eve, 2010, the woman everyone knew as Lori Erica Ruff pulled into the driveway of the Ruff family home and shot herself. Hosted on Acast. To her husband, she was Lori Kennedy. Lori's behavior caused immense tensions between Lori and the Ruffs, even keeping the new grandparents from visiting their granddaughter. 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. Join us for a good mix of lesser known cases as well as our take on what we call the "Big Timers". The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories. El Caso de Lori Erica Ruff -Documental Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/HypnosMorfeoPaginaoficial/?fref=ts Sigueme en Twitter: https://twitter.com/hypnosmo. She refused to let other people hold the child and was overly protective, even for a first-time mother. She also began sending harassing e-mails to the Ruffs, created a scene at a custody hearing, and stole a set of house keys from them. Ruff's true origins remained a mystery until 2016, when her identity was confirmed using a combination of public records and direct-to-consumer autosomal SNP analysis of her husband's and daughter's DNA, leading back to the McLeanCassidy family on Philadelphia's Main Line. She suffered a miscarriage before eventually giving birth to a baby girl in 2008. A Net Inceptions project. The tall and slender brunette met Ruff at a bible study group and introduced herself as Lori Kennedy. [2] She would also obsessively track the Ruffs' family history and try to find out their family recipes, but still refused to talk about her past. Although she left notes for her husband and her daughter, they didn't provide any clues. Numerous theories regarding her identity can be found on various internet websites. It's not exactly clear why Kimberly McLean fled (most family accounts suggest it was due to a dislike of her new stepfather), but extended family immediately recognized the woman in the investigator's photo. Nothing. How had their marriage fallen apart? Before she took her own life with a shotgun, Lori placed a pair of letters inside the car. While the hotel was genuine and a favored haunt of numerous celebrities, there was no trace of the author. The response? Image: Social Security Administration. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. All rights reserved. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. She was very private and didn't open to people about her past. 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. Becky was born in one state and died in another, making it much less likely that a fraudulent use of her identity would be noticed. Yes! [3], Ruff was incredibly overprotective of her daughter, often refusing to let anyone else hold her, which angered her husband's family. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. Lori kept to herself, rarely speaking Finally, in 2008, the pair had a daughter, conceived with in vitro fertilization. Join Jim Clemente (former FBI profiler), Laura Richards (criminal behavioral analyst, former New Scotland Yard) and Lisa Zambetti (Casting director for CBS' Criminal Minds) as they profile behavior from real criminal cases. Lori Erica Ruff's true identity was Kimberly McLean. One was for her daughter. She received a Texas driver license in 1989 and qualified for a GED[8] the following year. In September 2011 the Ruff family, with the help of a congressional aide, sought the help of Joe Velling, an investigator for the Social Security Administration (SSA). [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. McLean requested the birth certificate in Bakersfield, California, Becky Sue Turner's birthplace. For several years, nobody suspected anything. Fitzpatrick found matching DNA records using saliva samples of Blake and Loris daughter. Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff (October 16, 1968 December 24, 2010), was an American identity thief[3] whose true identity remained unknown for nearly six years after her death. "My God, that's Kimberly!," one Pennsylvania relative exclaimed, the Seattle Times reported. But who she really was is still a mystery. Over time the pair grew closer and eventually, they eloped to Dallas. DNA taken from the body might also help crack the case. After several months living as Becky Sue Turner, she legally changed her name to Lori Kennedy. For two years, Social Security investigator Joseph Velling has been working to uncover the real identity of Lori Erica Ruff, who was Lori Erica Kennedy before marrying into an East Texas family in 2004. 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. [6] The Ruffs opened and read the letter, but it contained only "ramblings from a clearly disturbed person" and no details about Lori's past. It had the instructions to open on her 18th birthday. In the days following her death, hebegan the grim task of sortingthrough his wifespossessions. [3] 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 visited an "identity broker".[3]. Lori attended the University of Texas regularly and graduated with a business administration degree in 1997. She then moved to Idaho and obtained a driver's license using Becky's birth certificate, according to news.com.au. Erica Kelley is a native Tennessean exploring historical and contemporary true crime in the South. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [4] She also said her father was a failed stockbroker. The following people have been ruled out as possible identities for Ruff:[5], Ruff was a white female, who was approximately 41 to 50 years old when she committed suicide. Related: Lady of the Dunes: Was the Unidentified Cape Cod Murder Victim an Extra in Jaws? In 1989, her new identity was completed with a Texas drivers license. Investigation Discovery's ' Where Murder Lies: The Girl in the Lockbox' chronicles the story behind Lori Ruff's past. This page was last modified on 5 May 2016, at 17:33. When Blake met Lori, she went by the name of "Lori Erica Kennedy." By changing her name, she created a clean identity a person with no past.. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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 . Lori acquired Turner's birth certificate in 1988, a time when you could just send a letter requesting a birth certificate with little resistance. Some people can explain all of this with nothing more sinister than the Witness Protection Program. Other commentators noted that Ruff briefly attended UT Arlington and may have become familiar with the film prior to changing her identity. Prior to marrying Blake, Loriwas known as Lori Erica Kennedy. Be the first to contribute! But it wasn't until Lori ended her life on Christmas Eve that the Ruffs would get answers. Or, Becky Sue Turner? When contacted, however, Perkins stated that he had never heard of Becky Sue Turner or Lori Kennedy. However, several weeks after getting the new identification, Becky legally changed her identity to Lori Erica Kennedy in Dallas. After some failed marriage therapy sessions, Blake Ruff moved back to his parents' house in Longview and filed for divorce, leaving Lori with their daughter in Leonard. With each question she asked, Lori deflected, the Seattle Times reported. Who was she? Whatever the motivation behind one man entering wedlock to one woman, both parties usually do know each other intimately. Among the various documents was a certificate indicating that Lori Kennedy had changed her name from Becky Sue Turner. Four years filled with miscarriages and disappointments passed. 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. That created a lot of heartburn for the family.. Mother and child spent a lot of time together, which is normal for such a doting mother. The contents of this safe put into sharp focus everything that Blake thought he knew about Lori Kennedy. The house was discovered in disarray, with piles of dirty dishes, laundry, and trash stacked up around the house, as well as shredded documents and papers with incoherent scribblings on them. McLean, posing as Becky Sue Turner, then appeared before a judge in Dallas on July 5, 1988, and legally changed her name to Lori Erica Kennedy. Crimelines walks you through true crime events, pairing captivating tales with clear storytelling. Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher. Anyone with credible tips on this case is urged to email this reporter at cristina.corbin@foxnews.com. They tried several times to have a child, but she had trouble conceiving and suffered multiple miscarriages. It is one thing to suspect Lori Erica Ruff of being a simple identity thief, but it is another thing to understand why. She and her young daughter had visibly lost weight. Legal Statement. [3], Eventually, Ruff did not want her in-laws to have any contact with her daughter. On Monday though, Lori. Apparently, after Becky Sue Turner perished, a woman turned up and requested a copy of the birth certificate. As many of you know, "Lori Ruff" is the assumed name of an otherwise anonymous woman who died in 2010. Lori Erica Ruff was the alias of an unidentified American woman and identity thief who committed suicide on December 24, 2010 in Longview, Texas. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. In the box, which she told her husband never to touch, were all the documents exposing her elaborate ruse the paperwork showing the name change and the application for a Social Security number, among other receipts. In May 1988, McLean obtained the birth certificate of Becky Sue Turner, a two-year-old girl who had died, along with two of her siblings, in a house fire in Fife, Washington in 1971. Blake did learn that Lori was born somewhere in Arizona. However, Perkins has no memory of the woman, and there were no matches for the woman in fingerprint and facial recognition databases. And she had no accent, leading Velling to believe she originally came from the Pacific Northwest or West Coast.