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

[Beezneez]

As I said in my last post -- the one where I made the mistake of assuming FH was alive -- all we have is the report for his first month of investigations. For several reasons -- Velling had just begun the investigation on a part-time basis, he clearly had a number of useful leads to follow, the FoIA request produced two copies of this report -- I suspect he continued his investigations, although still on a part-time basis for at least one more month.

My guess is that he first ran out of leads in the case about the time an entry in NamUS was created; no need to beg the general public for help if an investigator has enough material to work with. Bits of information & new leads continued to dribble in past the publication of the Seattle Times article, but his efforts were likely limited to phone calls & whatever he could do with no budget.

After all, this was a pretty low priority crime & the known perpetrator was dead; it was done as a favor to a congressman, & when it was clear she wasn't a criminal or a spy it was hard to justify more effort than a spare hour or two. Had this case been a serious case involving hundreds of thousands of dollars -- or more -- he might have been given a budget to do some serious investigations, or at least allowed to work on it full time. I wouldn't be surprised if he never directly spoke to the Ruffs to gather clues or leads.

But we can be certain that Velling did as much as he reasonably could do with what he had. It would be nice if we could know what he did & just how long he was allowed to work this case. No sense repeating what Velling had done with more resources, training, & experience than we have.



Good question. While I expect Velling talked to everyone mentioned to him -- & who was still alive -- it would be helpful if we knew whom he spoke to. And why he didn't speak to those he hadn't.

Did someone put in a second FOIA request? I haven't got the slightest idea how to do that or I would pursue it. Also, if no one has contacted the reporter who initially posted the story with Velling, that may be an area to follow up on? I could send an email if that wouldn't be out of line? She may know what followup work was done, which leads looked most promising, etc. If anything it would be interesting to look through her notes & see if anything jumps out.

 

[dvo]

Did someone put in a second FOIA request? I haven't got the slightest idea how to do that or I would pursue it. Also, if no one has contacted the reporter who initially posted the story with Velling, that may be an area to follow up on? I could send an email if that wouldn't be out of line? She may know what followup work was done, which leads looked most promising, etc. If anything it would be interesting to look through her notes & see if anything jumps out.

I've tried to reach this reporter before I believe via the contact e-mail provided on the Seattle Times article, and the e-mail bounced. I *think* the error message I got was that she no longer worked there.

 

[LadyTudorRose]

I am really starting to think that both the Turner family and the Ruff family may know the answer by now but it just hasn't been made public. Perhaps the Turners didn't immediately recognize Lori, but then they remembered there was a family friend/relative who went missing around that time and the solution became pretty obvious.

 

[reasonableguess]

This reporter? MO'H?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-o-hagan-70b64611

 

[dvo]

This reporter? MO'H?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-o-hagan-70b64611

lol thank you! clearly i did not work too hard on that at the time.

 

[HawkFan2014]

One daughter (PAH), I can't seem to locate any info about her other than her birth (Feb 1958). Maybe I've overlooked something. While it's possible FLEK was born in 1958... I have my doubts.

Also, I wonder if FH fathered children with anyone other than SBH?

ETA: I just located a possible address (Washington state) for PAH... so, maybe she's found. Dunno?

Michele J. 1961?

 

[whiterosedreams]

I found a newspaper article on Ancestry that might be worth looking into. I searched FH and this newspaper had his name (last name spelled differently) in it. It is about FH and another male who were in jail and had confessed to something detectives. Not sure if this might be helpful or not.

Unfortunately I do not have access to Ancestry membership, so if anyone wants to try to find that article, it is published by "Pasadena Independent" 22 Dec 1961 - Pasadena, California.

 

[HerStory]

 

[sunnynz]

Michele J. 1961?

I saw that one but isn't the H last name for Michele ending in an 'n' not an 'r'? So, not the right family? Or is it listed somewhere with H****r?

 

[Owutatangledweb]

View attachment 90266

250k? In 1960s (am I recalling that correctly? Was it the 60s?) Wow! What does that translate into in today's dollars; and I wonder what kind of prison time that amount of drugs entailed back then?

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Im guessing that by today's dollar values, that had to have been a very large volume of drugs and would have carried a lot of prison time. This article supports that prison sentences were heavy back then even for simple marijuana possession.

http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/moscone/chap1.htm

 

[Beezneez]

So are we speculating that LEK is the daughter/relative of the H****r family and because there was the connection to a drug crime she packed up & disappeared herself 20 years later? I'm not following?

 

[sunnynz]

So are we speculating that LEK is the daughter/relative of the H****r family and because there was the connection to a drug crime she packed up & disappeared herself 20 years later? I'm not following?

I think it's more that we're speculating that FLEK was part of the H family but maybe that the drug case is indicative of the kind of environment in the family, maybe subsequent crimes etc, showing it was an environment she may have wanted/needed to escape from when she became old enough to? That's where I was going anyway... Is there a way to check criminal records for CA, WA and Idaho for the H's? i.e. to see if there are later crimes. All the sites I've come across seem really like scam sites.

 

[StarrChance]

Sorry long post:detective:
Info from public records 360
Death Records

FRED ARDEN HOWDER
Nov 02, 1937 - Aug 12, 2008 Valley,
WA - 99181

Criminal Report

Profile Aliases BirthDate Type State Date
Fred Arden Howder,
Caucasian Male,
6'0", 190 lbs, Hair: Gray, Eyes: Blue
Address:
Po Box 176,
Valley,
WA - 99181 Fred Arden Howder
Nov 02, 1937

In 1999 -
CRIMINAL

Record #1
Type: CHARGE
CaseID: ORAOC1654185-1
CitationNumber: 03662
ArrestingAgency: ORS
Record #2
Type: OFFENSE
CaseID: ORAOC1654185-1
CaseNumber: 9903662
CaseComments: BPST NUMBER: 32680; LICENSE PLATE INFO: OR WJW729
CaseInfo: MAIN ID: CCUR9903662DEF00001
FiledDate: Apr 12, 1999
OffenseCode: 806012
OffenseDesc: FAIL TO CARRY PROOF FIN RESP
OffenseDate: Apr 07, 1999
OffenseDegree: VIOLATION
OffenseClass: B
OffenseLocation: CURC - CURRY
DispositionStatus: ADWO
DispositionStatusDate: Aug 24, 2006
Disposition: JUDGMENT SENTENCE
DispositionDate: May 28, 1999
CourtName: CURC - CURRY CO CIRCUIT COURT

Fred Arden Howder,
Male,
Hair: Gry, Eyes: Blu
Address:
Po Box 176,
Valley,
WA - 99181 Fred Arden Howder
Oct 31, 1937
CRIMINAL
Record #1
Type: OFFENSE
CaseID: ORAOCECOURT2587158-1
CaseNumber: 9903662
CaseTitle: STATE OF OREGON VS. FRED ARDEN HOWDER
CaseInfo: CASE PARTY ID: 24726762
FiledDate: Apr 12, 1999
OffenseCode: 806012
OffenseDesc: FAIL TO CARRY PROOF FIN RESP
OffenseDate: Apr 07, 1999
OffenseType: CR
DispositionDate: May 28, 1999

Fail to carry proof fin resp:
ORS 806.012 - Failure to carry proof of compliance with financial responsibility requirements - 2013 Oregon Revised Statutes
www.oregonlaws.org › ... › Chapter 806
(1) A person commits the offense of failure to carry proof of compliance with financial responsibility requirements if the person operates a motor vehicle in this state and does not have in the vehicle current proof of compliance with financial responsibility requirements.

He also has listed about 25 properties, many are restaurants, 2 farms and mobile homes.

<modsnip>

 

[Beezneez]

There is an Idaho Repository listing for a F. A. H. of Spokane, drug paraphernalia charges in 1999. The charges were dropped. Link to the name search, https://www.idcourts.us/repository/partySearch.do
The site cannot link to the page directly, as there is a captcha. I found it searching FH. Also, there is a Tarzan, which I am venturing to say is completely unrelated, but I did laugh.

 

[sunnynz]

There is an Idaho Repository listing for a F. A. H. of Spokane, drug paraphernalia charges in 1999. The charges were dropped. Link to the name search, https://www.idcourts.us/repository/partySearch.do
The site cannot link to the page directly, as there is a captcha. I found it searching FH. Also, there is a Tarzan, which I am venturing to say is completely unrelated, but I did laugh.

Also a listing for a Debra H. but no details provided, it says "Case Sealed By Court Rule or Judicial Order" anyone with legal experience know what that would mean?

 

[sunnynz]

And to REALLY cut to the chase on this whole FH theory, google 'FH Idaho' to see a reddit posting from a couple of days ago which spells out the theory in a lot of detail. I wonder if the reddit poster is also on this board?? And if so whether they have contacted LE with their theory?

 

[purplemonstertruck02]

And to REALLY cut to the chase on this whole FH theory, google 'FH Idaho' to see a reddit posting from a couple of days ago which spells out the theory in a lot of detail. I wonder if the reddit poster is also on this board?? And if so whether they have contacted LE with their theory?

Do you mean this one:

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/49me9n/lori_erica_ruff_real_name/

If so, I am now. I haven't contacted LE with the theory, but I'm tempted to contact the Seattle Times reporter about it.

The reddit thread actually provides some information which might suggest she didn't use the LEK identity immediately, but used her own until she'd been married twice - once in Oregon, ending in the death of her husband and once in Alaska, ending in the husband declaring he is currently a single parent of a girl.

After the second marriage, it appears she disappeared. Perhaps that's when she became LEK in Texas?

I'm sure a lot of it is confirmation bias and a lot of holes can be poked in it, but I do think that, if it's not correct, it's definitely close.

 

[purplemonstertruck02]

Also a listing for a Debra H. but no details provided, it says "Case Sealed By Court Rule or Judicial Order" anyone with legal experience know what that would mean?

It usually means that public access to the case is prohibited because of the sensitive nature of the case (e.g. involving kids / juveniles)

 

[Linda9681]

So with that theory of what last name you think W's name is( Christian)... That is really crazy. That is the last name of the lady who owns the Christian tea shop in grapevine TX that had that picture on the wall....

Just sayin.

Don't forget some of the H. Family moved to Ponder TX.

I do think at least ONE thing is prob right from this theory on Reddit . I think she had more than one ID and I think she was using it partially while she also lived as another ID in the beginning .


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