TX - 'Lori Ruff', Longview, WhtFem UP9863, *General Discussion and Theories* #3

[milkymama]

As far as the 11 years goes, the post also said that she "kept changing her identity" to avoid being discovered. Not sure if the change to BST and then to LEK is being counted as "kept changing" by whoever is the one with the info on this or not. If not, then she could have run off several years prior to 1988 and changed her name to an as yet unkown name prior to BST/LEK. How they would know all that from a DNA match, I don't know.

 

[ClaireNC]

As far as the 11 years goes, the post also said that she "kept changing her identity" to avoid being discovered. Not sure if the change to BST and then to LEK is being counted as "kept changing" by whoever is the one with the info on this or not. If not, then she could have run off several years prior to 1988 and changed her name to an as yet unkown name prior to BST/LEK. How they would know all that from a DNA match, I don't know.

What post said that she kept changing her identity? And who is "she"? What 11 years?

 

[milkymama]

A post that has since been deleted stated that LEK was identified, had ran away at age 18, and subsequently had kept changing her identity to avoid being discovered. It did not state her identity. The 11 years was in reference to a missing person posted up thread that disappeared 11 years prior to LEK surfacing in TX.

 

[ClaireNC]

A post that has since been deleted stated that LEK was identified, had ran away at age 18, and subsequently had kept changing her identity to avoid being discovered. It did not state her identity. The 11 years was in reference to a missing person posted up thread that disappeared 11 years prior to LEK surfacing in TX.

OK..reading your posts together now I understand. So there could have been some other stolen identities prior to BST and LEK? Interesting. We don't know when this 18 year old person ran away. The 11 years was in reference to Cheryl Iacovone who disappeared in 1977.

 

[LaLaw2000]

Forgive me, but I am skeptical of this news. I would be thrilled if it were true though.

 

[fred&edna]

Forgive me, but I am skeptical of this news. I would be thrilled if it were true though.

I'm rather suspicious. But, then again... I've been wrong before. I will (hopefully) await more info.

 

[Beezneez]

Forgive me, but I am skeptical of this news. I would be thrilled if it were true though.

I will be watching. I'm having a hard time with the idea that some researcher who mentioned her in less than 5 words on Reddit a few years ago accidentally matched her DNA while working on something & then someone posted & deleted is on facebook. It's quite the story. But it also seems like there has been some verification. It will be interesting to see things play out.

 

[BigCityAccountant]

I believe she will turn out to be Tracy Ann Byrd. Although her circumstance that she went missing lead to unlikely explanation of her disappearance, the reason I believe it will turn out to be her is because of the following:

1. She was missing from Bensalem PA, 18 miles from Philly.
2. As I posted before, runaways have been known to use other's identities that they find in new papers at the library. (The library
connection)
3. It appears she was in CA when she wrote the notes. Potentially, she was trying to contact her family. Her mother is deceased in
1983. The phone call connection, possibly collect call $1.85.

I know she doesn't look much like LEK, but I believe it will turn out to be her based on the foregoing I posted.

 

[Chuz Life]

For what it is worth, I am still "all in" on the bet that "Lori Ruff" was actually "Denise Sheehy."

I have spent a lot of time sleuthing this case and wish I could share everything I have and how I gathered it but I don't think that is allowed under the rules here and I think that may be for good reason.

Just because I am sure that Lori Ruff was actually Denise. . . that doesn't mean I am actually right. I have to be willing to accept the possibility that I am wrong.

 

[DJmultiplecats]

Another idea...maybe she was from (as in, born in) PA but went missing while living in a different state. I'm still leaning towards "never reported missing" though (if this new info turns out to be true).

 

[sunnynz]

It's just weird that Velling seemed so focused on the Pacific NW. Maybe she travelled via there from PA to TX but that's kind of a round about way to go.

The Tracy Ann Byrd option looks interesting though. Wonder whether her mother's killer's sentence was 402 months?...

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Morning all. I've just found this, a live chat with Velling from 2013 which answers a few questions. I'm sure those of you who've been working this for ages are familiar with it, but I'm bringing it forward for those who aren't.

http://live.seattletimes.com/Event/Live_chat_with_investigator_reporter_about_Jane_Doe_case?Page=0

How far have "we" explored the Canada option?

 

[Beamie]

Is the Ruff family involved in solving this?

 

[BigCityAccountant]

I believe she will turn out to be Tracy Ann Byrd. Although her circumstance that she went missing lead to unlikely explanation of her disappearance, the reason I believe it will turn out to be her is because of the following:

1. She was missing from Bensalem PA, 18 miles from Philly.
2. As I posted before, runaways have been known to use other's identities that they find in new papers at the library. (The library
connection)
3. It appears she was in CA when she wrote the notes. Potentially, she was trying to contact her family. Her mother is deceased in
1983. The phone call connection, possibly collect call $1.85.

I know she doesn't look much like LEK, but I believe it will turn out to be her based on the foregoing I posted.

Oh, I forgot to put #4.

4. Generally when runaways look for someone in the paper who has died to assume their identity, they use a birth date close to their own. Tracy Ann Byrd's birth date is July 7, 1968 and Becky Sue Turner's birth date was July 18, 1969.

 

[dvo]

Is the Ruff family involved in solving this?

Others can perhaps add on to this, but I have followed the different discussions pretty compulsively for a year, and there is definitely no one from the family (online or publicly, anyway) involved in attempting to identify her.

In fact, shockingly few people have come forward to say they even KNEW her, at any point, even distantly, and those very who have (i.e. a user called s/s1988) have been unverifiable, vague, have posted once or twice to say they knew her and then disappeared, or have never posted but may have had a bit of dialogue with some of the most dedicated Webleuthers. But anyway, no one who knew her, nevermind family, is actively involved in attempting to solve her identity. Not online, anyway.

I suppose it's always very possible there are folks who knew her or knew of her who are actively working on this but just not discussing it online?

Back to the Ruffs..the indication has been that they had a fairly broken relationship & that the family leans more towards wanting to put it behind them. It has often been suggested that the family may know more than they've made public. That's speculation. Really honestly, they just seem to be very private people, probably concerned about their reputation and much less than thrilled about this dark spot in their family's history. My gut instinct is that they just want it to disappear.

 

[kimlo]

It would have to be someone who has either recently gone in to namus or who has recently had dna entered.

The dna went in to codis expectong a match with one unidentified person, and instead a match came back with flek instead.

Is that right?

I hope this is true.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Sherwood Park]

Others can perhaps add on to this, but I have followed the different discussions pretty compulsively for a year, and there is definitely no one from the family (online or publicly, anyway) involved in attempting to identify her.

In fact, shockingly few people have come forward to say they even KNEW her, at any point, even distantly, and those very who have (i.e. a user called s/s1988) have been unverifiable, vague, have posted once or twice to say they knew her and then disappeared, or have never posted but may have had a bit of dialogue with some of the most dedicated Webleuthers. But anyway, no one who knew her, nevermind family, is actively involved in attempting to solve her identity. Not online, anyway.

I suppose it's always very possible there are folks who knew her or knew of her who are actively working on this but just not discussing it online?

Back to the Ruffs..the indication has been that they had a fairly broken relationship & that the family leans more towards wanting to put it behind them. It has often been suggested that the family may know more than they've made public. That's speculation. Really honestly, they just seem to be very private people, probably concerned about their reputation and much less than thrilled about this dark spot in their family's history. My gut instinct is that they just want it to disappear.

We also have to remember there is a young child involved in this as well. The Ruff family might actually be eager to find out FLEK's original identity, but also want to protect their grandchild. Imagine if some of the theories were true. Would you want your grandchild's whereabouts known to criminals, murderers, kidnappers, etc.
I can think of many positive and protective reasons why the Ruff family has remained quiet and private.
I will believe that FLEK's original identity has been discovered when and only when government officials and NAMUS confirm it as fact.

 

[Chuz Life]

Oh, I forgot to put #4.

4. Generally when runaways look for someone in the paper who has died to assume their identity, they use a birth date close to their own. Tracy Ann Byrd's birth date is July 7, 1968 and Becky Sue Turner's birth date was July 18, 1969.

July is interesting to me because it's not the month of Denise Sheehy's birthday. . . However, it is the month that she ran away from home.

For those who haven't caught it yet, YES. . . I know that Denise Sheehy is on the exclusions list. I am the one (or one of those) who submitted her as possible match for consideration.

The 'rule out' happened so quickly that I have serious doubts as to whether the comparison of the DNA is accurate or whether it was actually even looked at.

 

[south fishy]

Can't find this being noted before: this was posted as a comment on LR on Find A Grave in May 2013. Seems to lead credence to the s/s1988 person?
"I will never forget you, or 1988. Sorry for the delay, I just figured out it was you. My prayers are with your Husband and child.
-Anonymous"

 

[Beamie]

I just heard again from someone else, who's talked to the right people, that Lori has been positively identified. I think this is it people!