TX - 'Lori Ruff', Longview, WhtFem UP9863, *General Discussion and Theories* #1

[Magnum P.E.]

We've been officially told that she had no identifiable accent, but who knows, maybe someone else might detect an accent. I would think that if they had any remaining letters, cards, post cards, emails, etc. you might be able to detect some "regionalisms" in her writing. Maybe in the future her in-laws or the detective might be able to release those types of things if they are available.

I wish a list of requests could be made to the family and the investigator(s) for copies of items or additional information about FLEK.

"No identifiable accent" is also an accent! There used to be a lot of TV/radio voices from the upper Midwest out to Nebraska because they sounded kind of generic. Think of Johnny Carson. And you are right, there are bound to be regionalisms of some kind in anyone's writing or speech. I am sure the SSA investigator has tried this.

 

[True Crime Gal]

"No identifiable accent" is also an accent! There used to be a lot of TV/radio voices from the upper Midwest out to Nebraska because they sounded kind of generic. Think of Johnny Carson. And you are right, there are bound to be regionalisms of some kind in anyone's writing or speech. I am sure the SSA investigator has tried this.

I have always wondered: "No identifiable accent" from whose point of view? Did the other people around her think she sounded like them (that area of Texas), or was it truly the standard American English accent (midwest-ish, as Magnum mentions above)?

This may be stretching it, too, but: if she went through so much trouble to change her identity, she could have trained herself out of her accent. There are websites to do this now; I would be surprised if there were no books on the subject during the late 80s.

tcg

 

[Sherwood Park]

"No identifiable accent" is also an accent! There used to be a lot of TV/radio voices from the upper Midwest out to Nebraska because they sounded kind of generic. Think of Johnny Carson. And you are right, there are bound to be regionalisms of some kind in anyone's writing or speech. I am sure the SSA investigator has tried this.

I'm not familiar with those areas, but Johnny Carson, yes, I've seen clips of him.

True, the investigators may have looked into regionalism, but I still think there could be something that they could have missed due to their not being familiar with certain very local expressions or places that FLEK could have been referring to in any of her correspondences. Heck, think about it, no one's been able to decipher her note pages!!!! That's why I'd love to see regular correspondences written/typed by FLEK.

 

[Sherwood Park]

I have always wondered: "No identifiable accent" from whose point of view? Did the other people around her think she sounded like them (that area of Texas), or was it truly the standard American English accent (midwest-ish, as Magnum mentions above)?

This may be stretching it, too, but: if she went through so much trouble to change her identity, she could have trained herself out of her accent. There are websites to do this now; I would be surprised if there were no books on the subject during the late 80s.

tcg

In the article, if I'm correct, the investigator said NorthWest, he's thinking possibly the Seattle area. Who knows, there might be people who think otherwise, that people in the Northwest do have accents.

You could be correct about working on getting rid of any discernible accent she might have originally had. An accent would've garnered a lot of questions from people.

 

[Tulessa]

I'm not familiar with those areas, but Johnny Carson, yes, I've seen clips of him.

True, the investigators may have looked into regionalism, but I still think there could be something that they could have missed due to their not being familiar with certain very local expressions or places that FLEK could have been referring to in any of her correspondences. Heck, think about it, no one's been able to decipher her note pages!!!! That's why I'd love to see regular correspondences written/typed by FLEK.

Johnny Carson was my favorite comedian.

 

[Enchanting_eyes]

Regarding accents.

I'm from Georgia, lived in the south all during my younger years. Somehow I do not have a southern accent. The only time it comes out is when I talk to my mom or grandma. My husband finds this funny.

 

[ClaireNC]

I'm not familiar with those areas, but Johnny Carson, yes, I've seen clips of him.

True, the investigators may have looked into regionalism, but I still think there could be something that they could have missed due to their not being familiar with certain very local expressions or places that FLEK could have been referring to in any of her correspondences. Heck, think about it, no one's been able to decipher her note pages!!!! That's why I'd love to see regular correspondences written/typed by FLEK.

It sounds like you might have a special interest or expertise in this area. Have you looked at her resume? She wrote it, I see some grammar errors or irregularities. I don't know about regional differences, (just seems rather not very sophisticated), but maybe somebody else has experience to see if there is anything that can be identified as regional.

 

[True Crime Gal]

In the article, if I'm correct, the investigator said NorthWest, he's thinking possibly the Seattle area. Who knows, there might be people who think otherwise, that people in the Northwest do have accents.

You could be correct about working on getting rid of any discernible accent she might have originally had. An accent would've garnered a lot of questions from people.

It's fairly well documented that the Pacific Northwest (hell, most of the US west coast) doesn't have much of a discernible/strong regional accent, but what I wonder is, how does the investigator come to the conclusion of PacNW/Seattle? Were there recordings of Lori? Or is he relying on what the Ruffs or other Texans have told him? Or is he basing it on things she has written?

Just thinking out loud,
tcg

 

[Sherwood Park]

It's fairly well documented that the Pacific Northwest (hell, most of the US west coast) doesn't have much of a discernible/strong regional accent, but what I wonder is, how does the investigator come to the conclusion of PacNW/Seattle? Were there recordings of Lori? Or is he relying on what the Ruffs or other Texans have told him? Or is he basing it on things she has written?

Just thinking out loud,
tcg

I have the same questions TCG.

Having these and plenty of other questions answered would be helpful. I'd love for them to give us a little bit more, the things that they don't think are very important. Things that might have been around the house that they don't personally think aren't clues.

I had to do a lot of snooping around the house and putting pieces together to find out about my mother's real identity. She was not happy and asked how I found out so many things. Well... things just started adding up over time.
(e.g. the homemade desserts she made, the style of dutch oven that she owned only came from one region of the world, her style of cursive writing, how she wrote her numbers, certain words she used, etc.) When you put it all together, it really does start to give you some clues.

I think about this case a lot more than the other ones here on WS.

 

[Sherwood Park]

It sounds like you might have a special interest or expertise in this area. Have you looked at her resume? She wrote it, I see some grammar errors or irregularities. I don't know about regional differences, (just seems rather not very sophisticated), but maybe somebody else has experience to see if there is anything that can be identified as regional.

The problem is that I don't live in the U.S., so it would be more of a challenge as I am not familiar with the various regions. This is why I am crossing my fingers that the family and investigators will offer to share some of FLEK's everyday correspondences. I'm sure she had to have written thank you notes, holiday cards, multiple emails. Readers from the U.S. might be able to recognize any regional references or regionalism.

I agree with you about the resume.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

I have the same questions TCG.

Having these and plenty of other questions answered would be helpful. I'd love for them to give us a little bit more, the things that they don't think are very important. Things that might have been around the house that they don't personally think aren't clues.

I had to do a lot of snooping around the house and putting pieces together to find out about my mother's real identity. She was not happy and asked how I found out so many things. Well... things just started adding up over time.
(e.g. the homemade desserts she made, the style of dutch oven that she owned only came from one region of the world, her style of cursive writing, how she wrote her numbers, certain words she used, etc.) When you put it all together, it really does start to give you some clues.

I think about this case a lot more than the other ones here on WS.

Speaking of things about the house, I've meant to mention this before and had forgotten. I took a close look at the pictures of the interior of her house. Can't remember if those are in the photos only thread. But, I noticed that up in her kitchen cupboards, she appears to have a small collection of teapots. I also thought of the tea parties with her daughter. My thought is that this is something from her childhood. Something she enjoyed with a grandmother, mother, aunt or friend. Personally, I remember my teaparties with my friends AND my mother. In any event, that also makes me think of the passport for London (and Germany). Then again, there is also the Massachusetts Laciner connection. Boston tea party? That makes me think of JFK, Jr. and the ultralight. Forget the name of it.....hmmm......give me a second....Buckeye. Whew... memory is still there after all.

At any rate, I did study the picture of her house. She was also big on the "Texas Star".

 

[Laughing]

Speaking of things about the house, I've meant to mention this before and had forgotten. I took a close look at the pictures of the interior of her house. Can't remember if those are in the photos only thread. But, I noticed that up in her kitchen cupboards, she appears to have a small collection of teapots. I also thought of the tea parties with her daughter. My thought is that this is something from her childhood. Something she enjoyed with a grandmother, mother, aunt or friend. Personally, I remember my teaparties with my friends AND my mother. In any event, that also makes me think of the passport for London (and Germany). Then again, there is also the Massachusetts Laciner connection. Boston tea party? That makes me think of JFK, Jr. and the ultralight. Forget the name of it.....hmmm......give me a second....Buckeye. Whew... memory is still there after all.

At any rate, I did study the picture of her house. She was also big on the "Texas Star".

But -- are those Items just staging by the realtor? If the teapots are Lori's you are really onto something!

 

[neesaki]

Johnny Carson was my favorite comedian.

Hi Tulessa, your Christmas graphics are awesome! Oh, I loved J Carson too ! :seeya:

 

[Linda9681]

it was stated she mentioned for her daughter to " remember their tea parties" in her suicide note. Yes those are her pots in the pic ( or at least in the house) because that house was NOT staged!! It was a wreck for the pics.
Remember that she used the password "Cedar" for that online game site? well since the investigator thought she was from Pacific NW...well look at this map...
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=bc+cedar&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x5488a676ed1175dd:0x343bd776144eba48,Cedar,+BC,+Canada&gl=us&ei=NpmmUvLeNIbakQfc7YG4Aw&sqi=2&ved=0CK0BELYD

she had tons of the "Texas star" in her home, on the furniture, ect. but I bet that it was Blake that insisted on it. I have family from Texas and they have that dang star on everything. Its annoying, ha... I tried to see the stuff left behind but cant get a feel for it. They cleaned a lot and it looks like things were tagged, maybe for storage or auction.

 

[Linda9681]

here it is

the name of the town is Cedar. Its in British Columbia.

 

[True Crime Gal]

here it is

the name of the town is Cedar. Its in British Columbia.

So close to Seattle. Shivers down my spine! :scared:

tcg

 

[jennyk1]

Cedar is also a very common tree to that area of Texas. Could mean anything.

EVERYTHING we know about her, which is to say almost nothing at all, is from that Seattle Times article quoting members of the Ruff family. People who, by their own admission, barely knew her. I agree a "non accent" IS a sort of accent.

My thoughts on the realtor pictures were that 1) it was surprising the clutter wasn't removed and the house more staged to show better and 2) it was boring décor with no discernible personality.

 

[sloane7777]

where are the photos? I missed that

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Couple of comments again on the photos that are in the photos only thread (sloane . I understand things being tagged to sell. However, am I seeing a tag on the kitchen island? Why would you sell that? And, what about the overhead microwave? Is that a tag too? I don't get either of those. Wouldn't those be selling points of the house? Or, am I just seeing those wrong? If I am seeing those correctly, were these folks having financial trouble? I'm no realtor, but I just don't get that.

As to the teapots, I think that if the tea party thing was a sentimental thing from my past, then I would look for teapots to collect that invoked those feelings; that were similar to what my grandma or mom had; that maybe even were regional and invoked memories or sentimental feelings. Anybody know anything about the teapots in the cupboards? Do we need a teapot expert? And, for all the empty picture frames and other things that are tagged, why wouldn't these be tagged for sale?

Edit: I just realized that maybe her letter asked the family to save the teapots for her daughter? Or, maybe they just decided to?

 

[masootz]

kind of on the topic of teapots, etc - i think it's a mistake to operate with the assumption that she brought nothing with her from her previous life (i can only speak for myself but i certainly haven't thought much about what she might have brought "over"). obviously she at least brought clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc with her through the name change(s). what's to say she didn't bring other things?