Find a Grave 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.. She left behind an 11-page suicide note but apparently no clue that she had lived a secret life. It was either she or his family, and he chose his family, Velling said. But Lori tragically died by suicide just before Christmas in 2010. In the days that followed, Blake tried to make sense of how things had gone so wrong. 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. Ruff gradually acquired more documents in her new name, including a Social Security number. [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]. Synopsis 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. [6], On December 24, 2010, Ruff's body was discovered in her car in the Ruffs' driveway, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot. (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.) I find her case fascinating, especially in a post-9/11 world where there are so many avenues for identifying individuals. At the time, a request of this nature was hardly unusual. Yes! She obtained this identity via a girl named Becky Sue Turner, who died in 1971 in a house fire near Seattle, Washington. To her husband, she was Lori Kennedy. Lori met her future husband, Blake, in 2003. Lori Ruffs handwritten notes. By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. I think she was born sometime between 1960 and 1968., Records gathered by Velling provide tantalizing clues. She was never too keen to go into further detail. However, according to records, Becky Sue Turner asphyxiated in a house fire when she was just 2 years old. 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. 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. Or at least they should. [7] She eventually gave birth to a baby girl via in vitro fertilisation in 2008. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. When asked about her background,Lori was guarded and evasive; she claimed her parents were dead and she had no siblings. After her death, Lori's husband found a lockbox with papers inside that shed light on his wife's past. Host Charlie brings in appropriate historic and cultural context to look beyond what happened and consider why it happened. She arrived at this identity by way of a girl named Becky Sue Turner. She then moved to Idaho and procured a drivers license using the deceased girls birth certificate. 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. She had brown hair and hazel eyes. 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. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. Upon opening the container, Blakediscovered why: Inside was a birth certificate and IDs belonging to several different people. Blake's parents were suspicious of Lori right from the beginning. There were no dates and the letter itself was a little vague. However, several weeks after getting the new identification, Becky legally changed her identity to Lori Erica Kennedy in Dallas. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. In 2016, she was identified as. The woman told doctors in 2005 that she was 35 a claim Velling doubts. If Lori was trying to escape her past, then it could explain her reluctance for publicity. Velling, a seasoned government sleuth, has been stumped in figuring out the true name and background of this Jane Doe, who took on aliases with spy-like sophistication. But it wasn't until Lori ended her life on Christmas Eve that the Ruffs would get answers. 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. Perhaps Lori was creating parents for the benefit of Blake. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Was she Lori Erica Ruff? Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. Why had Lori begun behaving so erratically? Review our. Related: The Strange Case of the Isdal Woman. [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. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark. His wifewas not who she claimed to be. Market data provided by Factset. Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. Pic credit: Family pic. The only person in attendance was the preacher. A week later, she obtained a Social Security number, removing traces of her true identity. 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. 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. Little Beckywas just two years old when she diedin a house fire outside of Seattle, Washington in 1971. This was very sophisticated, Velling said. She enrolled in Dallas County Community College,[7] and in 1997 she graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in business administration. The only person in attendance at their wedding ceremony, held in a church outside Dallas, was the officiating preacher. Velling traveled to the city and approached a member of the Cassidy family, who saw Loris drivers license photo. Sources Everyone in Dallas has an accent and she did not. On the West Coast, we generally dont have a discernible accent, said Velling, a Seattle native. [1] Despite the questions Blake's family had about Lori, the couple married in January 2004. Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff, was an American identity thief who remained unidentified for nearly six years after her death. The woman used the birth certificate to obtain a valid Idaho identification card under the name Becky Sue Turner, issued on June 16, 1988, and bearing the photo of Jane Doe. 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. Lori Erica Kennedy / Lori Ruff - Identified. His letter contained pages of incoherent rambling. McLean also asked them not to come after her. Blake did learn that Lori was born somewhere in Arizona. Before she took her own life with a shotgun, Lori placed a pair of letters inside the car. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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 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. The woman received breast implants in 1991 and claimed to have suffered from bulimia in 1990. How had their marriage fallen apart? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Photo Credit: Alchetron. Henceforth, Lori would be known as Lori Erica Ruff. However, over time he began to get the impression that he was the only one trying to make their marriage work. Lori and Blake tried to have a child almost immediately after they were married, but found themselves experiencing fertility issues. It took hard work on the part of investigators and some unique forensic genealogy for the truth to come out. A neighbor recalled that she and her daughter appeared to be very thin and that Lori would often ramble incoherently about her problems. Legal Statement. After following numerous leads he was stumped, and sought the help of the general public to identify her through an article published June 22, 2013, in The Seattle Times. But, it didn't happen easily and it took the hard work of a number of people and a little The investigation into her suicide hit dead end after dead end. He found a birth certificate for one person that wasn't her. They believed she fled because she did not like her mothers new husband. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. 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. [3], In 2003, she met Blake Ruff, the son of a well-established family in East Texas,[2][3] in a Bible study class. Also found in the lockbox was a paper with several seemingly random scribblings. 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. 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. She wasn't Lori Erica Ruffshe was a Pennsylvania woman named Kimberly McLean. Lori Erica Ruff - identity SOLVED? After four years of attempts, miscarriages, and disappointments, the couple had a daughter. 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. Any time she got around the family, they would ask her questions and it was uncomfortable for her. In the days following her death, he began the grim task of sorting . Perhaps because of these miscarriages, Lori was ultra-protective of her daughter. But who she really was is still a mystery. Want more real-life mysteries? Lori acquired Becky Turners birth certificate in 1988. 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. As far as the authorities were concerned, once Blake called them in, she was an identity thief now given the name "Jane Doe.". She was very private and didn't open to people about her past. It took hard work on the part of investigators and some unique forensic genealogy for the truth to come out. In 2010, after she took her own life, secrets were revealed and the truth about her past began to unravel. There was a birth and death certificate in the box. 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. Blake Ruff thought he had found someone special. After her death, Lori's husband found a lockbox with papers inside that shed light on his wife's past. Based on her own research, and a DNA sample the Ruff family submitted that indicated Lori had a first cousin named Michael Cassidy, Fitzpatrick suggested Velling contact the Cassidy family in Philadelphia. Mother and child spent a lot of time together, which is normal for such a doting mother. In 2013, a nuclear-physicist-turned-forensic genealogist Collen Fitzpatrick worked on Ruffs case and new details emerged about her past. ", "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. According to Deannes brother, Tom, Kimberly grew irate after her mother and father separated in the 1980s. 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 . Although Blakes family was suspicious of Lori from the beginning, Blake himself was very much in love. Apparently, after Becky Sue Turner perished, a woman turned up and requested a copy of the birth certificate. A Net Inceptions project. She parked her car, left it running, and shot herself. One of these had notes written and a collection of phone numbers and names. She had told him she was from Arizona, that both her parents were dead, that she had had an unhappy childhood, and that she had no siblings; she also said her father had been a failed stockbroker. She also took a birth date of July 18, 1969. 2021 Wondery LLC. The two moved to Leonard, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas and roughly 125 miles from Ruffs parents in Longview. "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. On Monday though, Lori. She received a Texas driver license in 1989 and qualified for a GED[8] the following year. Con Erica Peeples, Tiffany Black, Sean Patrick Thomas, Chris Sakyi. Market data provided by Factset. Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher. 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. Unresolved is an investigative and immersive look at those stories, as host Micheal Whelan tries to determine why these stories - unsolved crimes and other unexplained phenomena - have no ending. Days later, she applied for and received a Social Security number - a. One of television's most popular true-crime series adapted for your ears. You can help support the show at patreon.com/criminology, Learn more about your ad choices. [8] Other papers included the birth certificate of Becky Sue Turner and a judge's ruling granting a name change to Lori Erica Kennedy. In 2010, he moved back in with his parents and filed for divorce. Lori Erica Ruff was a secretive person. In 2010, he moved back across the state to live with his parents. 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. 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. One was for her daughter. Image: Social Security Administration. According to the Seattle Times, a crowd-sourced investigation into Ruffs background began after the paper ran a story on her in 2013. [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. She had stolen the identity of deceased Becky Sue Turner in May 1988 before legally changing her name to "Lori Erica Kennedy ." Following her marriage in 2001, she assumed the surname "Ruff." This led investigators to believe that Ruff was older than she claimed, although the difference turned out to be less than a year. 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. Anyone with credible tips on this case is urged to email this reporter at cristina.corbin@foxnews.com. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She then received a Texas driver license in 1989, and the next year qualified for a GED[2] then enrolled in Dallas County Community College. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. With the help of investigator Joe Velling, he traced the DNA to a family in Pennsylvania. After several months living as Becky Sue Turner, she legally changed her name to Lori Kennedy. Loris husband, Blake Ruff, was devastated. Such things have happened in other cases, and are often traumatic events. [7] The couple eloped in January 2004 after Nancy Ruff, Blake's mother, inquired about placing a wedding announcement in the local newspaper. RedHanded the podcast jumps head first into all manner of macabre madness. But nobody in the world knew Lori Erica Ruff. After they married, Lori and Blake moved across the state from his parents, and they tried to have a child almost immediately. He describes her as being incredibly secretive, particularly regarding her past. After marrying, the couple moved away from the senior Ruffs, who lived in eastern Texas, settling in Leonard, Texas, in the southwestern region. [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. Or, Lori Erika Kennedy? There were two other pieces of paper. And she was aggressive about it, Velling said. The news of Kimberlys death saddened her mother deeply. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious Lori Erica Ruff. There was a successful application for a new social security number. When a woman known as Lori Erica Ruff died in Texas three years ago, she left behind a mystery that has investigators baffled. This site uses cookies to improve user experience. Kimberly Maria McLean, a.k.a. It was in 2010 when events finally took their toll on her. 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. Dismayed by having to move and attend a new school, she told Deanne shed be leaving for good. Numerous theories regarding her identity can be found on various internet websites. But this could have simply been a number picked for convenience purposes only. The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories. 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. She also received breast implants during this time. Ruff had a first cousin named Cassidy on her list of matches; however, the name was very common and the cousin was not responsive. [1] He flew to Pennsylvania to meet the potential family. The truth of Ruff's deception only came to light after she committed suicide, and some determined investigators began looking into . In the days following her death, hebegan the grim task of sortingthrough his wifespossessions. A neighbor recalled that she and her daughter appeared to be undernourished and that Lori would often ramble incoherently to herself while pacing back and forth outside.
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