After she died, her ex-husband's family discovered a lockbox in a closet in her home. 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. 2021 Wondery LLC. There were two other pieces of paper. It had the instructions to open on her 18th birthday. And she had no accent, leading Velling to believe she originally came from the Pacific Northwest or West Coast. Lori began to complain to Blake about his parents whenever she was even mildly inconvenienced. Be the first to contribute! All rights reserved. [3], After getting married, the Ruffs moved to Leonard, Texas. According to the Seattle Times, a crowd-sourced investigation into Ruffs background began after the paper ran a story on her in 2013. By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. 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. [3], Ruff was incredibly overprotective of her daughter, often refusing to let anyone else hold her, which angered her husband's family. Papers belonging to Ruff, who had been married with a child, surfaced after her suicide indicating she had once been known as Lori Kennedy, and prior to that, as Becky Sue Turner, the name of a young girl who had died in a Washington state fire in 1971. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, She died by suicide in the driveway of her former in-laws' home in Longview, Texas, on Christmas Eve 2010. 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. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices. 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. It was either she or his family, and he chose his family, Velling said. 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. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. If Lori was trying to escape her past, then it could explain her reluctance for publicity. He describes her as being incredibly secretive, particularly regarding her past. ", "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. Lori Ruff | Unidentified Wiki | Fandom Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. 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. Who was she? 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [3], Eventually, Ruff did not want her in-laws to have any contact with her daughter. Yes! Lori Erica Ruff was a secretive person. Blake Ruff has admitted that he isn't completely sure what drew him to Lori. Lori Erica Ruff - identity SOLVED? : r/UnresolvedMysteries - reddit This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Blake had enough with her inability to get along with his family. Yes! Prior to that, she was known as Becky Sue Turner, an identity forged with the birth certificate of a long-dead child. She was eventually identified as a native of suburban Philadelphia who left home at age 17, in the fall of 1986, because she did not get along with her mother and stepfather. She must now fight to clear her name and figure out who betrayed her husband. She created a false identity for the sole purpose of getting lost in America, Velling told FoxNews.com. Lori Erica Kennedy / Lori Ruff - Identified - Facebook 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. After the birth of their daughter, Lori's behavior became increasingly strange. Lori's husband, Blake Ruff, was devastated. Investigators then began to search of hertrue identitya process that would take six years to complete. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter, and receive our eeriest cases delivered straight to your inbox. She had brown hair and hazel eyes. One of these had notes written and a collection of phone numbers and names. 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. 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. About: Lori Erica Ruff - dbpedia.org Lori Erica Ruff's true identity was Kimberly McLean. The Bizarre Truth About Lori Ruff, The Woman Without An Identity. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. Lori Erica Ruff was a secretive person. Lori and Blake tried to have a child almost immediately after they were married, but found themselves experiencing fertility issues. Crimelines walks you through true crime events, pairing captivating tales with clear storytelling. Lori left behind two suicide notes, one of which was addressed to her husband and the other to her young daughter. For years, it was nothing but a series of dead ends. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. 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. 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). She and her young daughter had visibly lost weight. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious Lori Erica Ruff. His recollection was that she was a dancer at a Dallas-area nightclub at the time [she was attending school], Velling said. As many of you know, "Lori Ruff" is the assumed name of an otherwise anonymous woman who died in 2010. In 1986, Kimberly McLean ran away from her home at the age of 18. Blake Ruff thought he had found someone special. [5], From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core, "Three years after Texas woman's suicide, a question lingers: Who was she? I find her case fascinating, especially in a post-9/11 world where there are so many avenues for identifying individuals. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theywalkamongus. We don't take ourselves too seriously but we take true crime very seriously. His letter contained pages of incoherent rambling. This was very sophisticated, Velling said. However, the Mclean family now has a granddaughter who offers a glimpse of their beloved Kimberly. The two moved to Leonard, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas and roughly 125 miles from Ruffs parents in Longview. Lori Erica Ruff - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core McLean requested the birth certificate in Bakersfield, California, Becky Sue Turner's birthplace. She left behind an 11-page suicide note but apparently no clue that she had lived a secret life. And, why had she changed her identity and hid her past from those closest to her? Lori Erica Ruff Suicide Is 3 Years Later Still A Mystery In Texas Blake, who was close with his parents, couldn't take it anymore. Dismayed by having to move and attend a new school, she told Deanne shed be leaving for good. [7] The couple eloped in January 2004 after Nancy Ruff, Blake's mother, inquired about placing a wedding announcement in the local newspaper. Who was she? Although she left notes for her husband and her daughter, they didn't provide any clues. Or, Lori Erika Kennedy? 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Prior to marrying Blake, Loriwas known as Lori Erica Kennedy. Within a few months of Blake moving out, Lori had completely deteriorated. These secrets Lori Ruff had kept from even her husband, Blake Ruff, and his family. It wasnt until the Ruffs found a safebox hidden inside their daughter-in-laws bedroom closet that showed the woman wasnt who she had claimed to be. Lori met her future husband, Blake, in 2003. On Christmas Eve in 2010, Lori Erica Ruff sat in her car outside her in-laws' Longview, Texas home, and ended her life with a gunshot to the head. [1] After two years, Fitzpatrick finally identified Ruff when she discovered a third cousin match who was related to the Cassidys. Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. RedHanded the podcast jumps head first into all manner of macabre madness. Apparently, after Becky Sue Turner perished, a woman turned up and requested a copy of the birth certificate. The Varangians: Viking Conquerors turned Byzantium Honor Guard, The Secret Necropolis of Ancient Varna and the First Goldsmiths. 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. After some failed marriage therapy meetings, Blake Ruff moved back to his parents' house in Longview and filed for divorce, leaving Lori with their daughter in Leonard. The trail leading backwards was in the forbidden lockbox. She arrived at this identity by way of a girl named Becky Sue Turner. The truth of Ruff's deception only came to light after she committed suicide, and some determined investigators began looking into . Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher. He filed for divorce a short time later. Shortly after marrying Ruff, Jane Doe tried repeatedly to conceive a child of her own with much difficulty, according to Velling. Lori Ruff & The Dark Secret She Hid From Everyone 864,142 views Feb 5, 2019 13K Dislike Share Save Weird History 3.81M subscribers Few stories have fascinated the Internet quite like the one of. In the days that followed, Blake tried to make sense of how things had gone so wrong. While the hotel was genuine and a favored haunt of numerous celebrities, there was no trace of the author. She wasnt Lori Erica Ruffshe was a Pennsylvania woman named Kimberly McLean. In a matter of months, Lori completely deteriorated. 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. Due to her off-putting[opinion][clarification needed], secretive[citation needed] behavior, she clashed with her husband's family, and her marriage eventually collapsed. They then discovered the lockbox in a closet, pried it open with a screwdriver, and discovered the documentation of Ruff's past. Blake's mom, Nancy Ruff, described facing a stone wall. [3], The suicide notes were quickly determined to be incoherent ramblings that offered no clues to Ruff's identity. Buried deep in the back of Lori's closet, Blake pulled out a sealed lockbox. Related: Lady of the Dunes: Was the Unidentified Cape Cod Murder Victim an Extra in Jaws? Lori Erica Ruff - Wikipedia 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. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. Lori Erica Ruff The Generation Why Podcast. Numerous theories regarding her identity can be found on various internet websites. The writings on the paper found in the lock box included the scribblings "North Hollywood police," "402 months," and "Ben Perkins." Different cultures define matrimony in different ways and tie the knot for various reasons. When Lori Erica Kennedy took her own life, she left behind evidence that she'd stolen another's identity. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. Where is Lori Ruff's Daughter Now? - The Cinemaholic 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. [2], In the months between the separation and Lori's suicide, she behaved very erratically. Authorities believe she initially traveled to the home with the intent of harming the family.[6]. 2021 Emash Digital & Mike Ferguson, Mike Morford. Lori Erica Ruff was as evasive as she had always been but did reveal that both of her parents had passed away and that she had no living relatives. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. In 2013, a nuclear-physicist-turned-forensic genealogist Collen Fitzpatrick worked on Ruffs case and new details emerged about her past. Police also found a curious letter within the safe. In his spare time he enjoys astronomy and Xboxing. She told them her parents were dead and that she had no living siblings or extended family. 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. [6], After getting married, the Ruffs moved to Leonard, Texas. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. [7] She eventually gave birth to a baby girl via in vitro fertilisation in 2008. Ruff gradually acquired more documents in her new name, including a Social Security number. Trophy Wife (2022) - IMDb Lori didnt take this at all well. On December 24, 2010, the body of Lori Erica Ruff was found in her car parked in the driveway of the Ruff family's Texas home. Marriage is a sacred act between two people that care deeply for one another. El Sorprendente Caso de Lori Erica Ruff -Documental - YouTube Every day, stories unfold that have no resolution. 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. Over time the pair grew closer and eventually, they eloped to Dallas. After obtaining the driver's license, Ruff went before a judge in Dallas on July 5 1988 and legally changed her name to Lori Erica Kennedy; a week later she obtained a social security number, effectively erasing her past. 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. In the car were two suicide notes: One 11page note addressed to "my wonderful husband" and another addressed to her daughter, to be opened on her 18th birthday. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Lori would also spend time fidgeting and stare at the palms and back of her hands. The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories. And, with the child, Lori's behavior became even more erratic. [6] The article was subsequently republished in numerous newspapers around the world. With the help of investigator Joe Velling, he traced the DNA to a family in Pennsylvania. 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. 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. Image: http://reallifeishorror.blogspot.co.uk/. As far as the authorities were concerned, once Blake called them in, she was an identity thief now given the name "Jane Doe.". This led investigators to believe that Ruff was older than she claimed, although the difference turned out to be less than a year. Hersuicide cameafter Blake had filed fordivorce and moved back in with his parents. After they married, Lori and Blake moved across the state from his parents, and they tried to have a child almost immediately. A friend of the family verified that Becky Sue Turner had died in a house fire at the age of 2. 2010 42- , . She was never too keen to go into further detail. On Monday though, Lori. 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. "True identity of Lori Ruff revealed six years after she committed suicide", "After 30 Years, Lori Ruff's True Identity Finally Revealed", "5 Creepy-As-Hell Stories Of Real People With No Identity", "She stole another's identity, and took her secret to the grave. Now, as he opened it, he understood why it was forbidden territory. Velling agreed to help identify her as a case of identify theft. 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. 1,529 likes. 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. But this could have simply been a number picked for convenience purposes only. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. Some people can explain all of this with nothing more sinister than the Witness Protection Program. (Perkins, who was black and who marketed his legal services to LA's African-American community, had never taken on a white client during his career.) It is generally believed that a new identity was already being considered either for herself or others. The Bat Bombs of WWII: Presidentially Approved, Totally Anna Anderson: Imposter of Duchess Anastasia, End of the World Predictions that Never Happened. Jane Doe had a simple narrative and stuck to it: She was the only child of a failed stockbroker and his wife, who both died. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. [1] Velling approached a relative, who immediately identified the deceased Lori Ruff as Kimberly McLean.[1]. It took hard work on the part of investigators and some unique forensic genealogy for the truth to come out. We now need to revise that list to seven, since one of those mysteries has now been solved. 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. Within the next two years, she . Ruff's earliest known activity dates back to May 1988, when she requested the birth certificate of Becky Sue Turner, a two-year-old girl who was killed, along with two of her siblings, in a house fire in Fife, Washington in 1971. [1] She eventually gave birth to a baby girl via in-vitro fertilization in 2008. 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. [7] She then traveled to Idaho, where she used the document to obtain a state ID card on June 16.[8]. After earning a GED and a college degree, she married into a wealthy East Texas family and gave birth to a daughter. Whilethe file on Lori Erica Ruff may be closed, her bizarre case continues to fascinate, and will forever raise thechillingquestion: Just how well do you know those closest to you? Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff (October 16, 1968 - December 24, 2010), was an American identity thief who remained unidentified for nearly six years after her death. They believed she fled because she did not like her mothers new husband. 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. Related: A Killer Calls: The Unsolved Murder of Dorothy Jane Scott. 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. Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff, was an American identity thief who remained unidentified for nearly six years after her death. [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. 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. The nature of these scribblings led some followers of the case 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 Ben Perkins, a Los Angeles attorney. | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Image: Social Security Administration. Although Blakes family was suspicious of Lori from the beginning, Blake himself was very much in love. But who she really was is still a mystery. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. Her mothers remarriage didnt help either and she told her family she was going away.