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

[brian1000]

I'm not sure you got where I was going with that. I was referencing the "402 months" FLEK had scribbled among the other stuff:

http://old.seattletimes.com/ABPub/2013/06/20/2021230731.jpg

I went to your reference notes again. My thinking on the 402 months was a bit different. I see it as a duration of time in Lori Ruff's life, possibly extending from a tramatic time in her life to the birth of her daughter. Pregnancy is often given in months. It works out almost exactly from 1974 to 2008. I did a calculation on that in another posting that I did for websleuths. I gave the calculation in detail.

The projected image of Sheri Lynn Johnson doesn't look like Lori Ruff to me. That is why I thought that they might be off on their projected image. I should give them a photo of myself as a two year old and get them to project a future image of myself, to see if I look that way at age 69. I am not sure if it is an exact science.
There are too many variables.

 

[brian1000]

I noticed there's DNA on namus for Sheri Lynn. Would that be an auto rule out then?

I didn't realize that. I wonder if the dna test was done to see if Sheri Lynn John could be a match. Thank you for that information.

 

[creepedout]

I didn't realize that. I wonder if the dna test was done to see if Sheri Lynn John could be a match. Thank you for that information.

You can view all of FLEK's DNA exclusions on the Namus page:

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/9863

 

[brian1000]

You can view all of FLEK's DNA exclusions on the Namus page:

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/9863

Thank you for this website for exclusions. I did check it and Sheri Lynn Johnson is not excluded, so she has not been ruled out. I want to keep the website in a word document though, so I can refer to it easily.

 

[anonymess]

You can view all of FLEK's DNA exclusions on the Namus page:

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/9863

It's my understanding that these are manual ruleouts, not auto DNA ruleouts, tho I could be wrong.

 

[effluent]

While Harbison probably nothing to do with FLEK, I find that interesting. I live near where the man was found and remember that in the news. Looks to me like the old man could have been Harbison.

 

[llywrch]

Hi, been spending the last few days reading all of the threads here on Lori Erica Kennedy, but there's a few details I haven't seen posted about:
* Has anyone published the court records of her bankruptcy? I see allusions to it periodically. This would provide a glimpse of her life during one of her (relatively) less known periods.
* Has anyone contacted either the Community College or UT at Arlington about what they can share about LEK's school records? There has been disagreements over just how intelligent she was, & her GPA would end these.
* Has anyone followed up suggestions to contact the Texas Business Woman of Bonham and Fannin Counties group? It's been suggested a few times, but no one has reported if they've done this.
* Has anyone gone thru the old Dallas area phone books to see if they can trace where LEK lived between 1988-2002? I figure that would offer some kind of check on the addresses she reported & show just how trustworthy she was in that regard. (Old phone books are often kept by local libraries, historical societies, genealogical libraries. Maybe even the local phone company might have kept them in the archives.)

The reason for my questions is that from what I've read, everything on the Internet has been picked to death here, to a degree there just doesn't look to be anything more to find. It's time that anyone curious about who she was to go to sources like the ones I listed & report what is there. Maybe someone should write a book about this mysterious woman, & make some money while uncovering more information about her for the rest of us.

 

[Laughing]

* Has anyone contacted either the Community College or UT at Arlington about what they can share about LEK's school records? There has been disagreements over just how intelligent she was, & her GPA would end these.

Grades are also a reflection of hard work, and good choice of major & courses!

I agree, certainly, in seeking more information from the sources you list. Surely, surely Lori said something, anything, to another of the Texas Business Women....

:seeya:

 

[shadowdancer]

We have often wondered why FLEK wasn't reported missing by anyone that she 'left behind' from her 'old life'.

Maybe she wasn't because she didn't ever completely leave them behind. Maybe she simply moved far away from them and kept in touch every now and then via telephone/email etc. She wouldn't have told them about her new identity or anything.

It makes complete sense, because the last thing FLEK would have wanted was to have somebody searching for her and potentially putting her 'disappearance' in the press or on the internet.

If this was the case, they may have reported her missing when they no longer had any contact from her and were unable to get back in touch.

Therefore, I have started working through a several hundred strong list of tall missing females right up to the time of FLEK's suicide. I will let you guys know if I find any interesting potential matches.

 

[Linda9681]

^ I have always believed this. I feel like it is why she made Blake have a second wedding in Vegas


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[llywrch]

We have often wondered why FLEK wasn't reported missing by anyone that she 'left behind' from her 'old life'.

Maybe she wasn't because she didn't ever completely leave them behind. Maybe she simply moved far away from them and kept in touch every now and then via telephone/email etc. She wouldn't have told them about her new identity or anything.

It makes complete sense, because the last thing FLEK would have wanted was to have somebody searching for her and potentially putting her 'disappearance' in the press or on the internet.

I've personally known three different women with mental health issues (two of whom I know have been diagnosed) who thought part of the solution to their problems was changing their name. The major difference between them & LEK was that LEK was simply more efficient at doing it. And one of them -- my step-sister -- was for a while a missing person. This is why I believe LEK had some serious mental issues, & that, in fact, she wasn't trying to run & hide from anyone. Anyone who knew her pre-1988 probably still thinks she's alive & just hasn't gotten around to contacting them for a while.

On the other hand, I'm willing to consider any new evidence that proves my assumption is wrong.

Therefore, I have started working through a several hundred strong list of tall missing females right up to the time of FLEK's suicide. I will let you guys know if I find any interesting potential matches.

I hope you have good luck with that.

 

[creepedout]

Therefore, I have started working through a several hundred strong list of tall missing females right up to the time of FLEK's suicide. I will let you guys know if I find any interesting potential matches.

It might be worthwhile to also look for matches reported missing slightly after her suicide. If she remained in not constant but somewhat occasional contact with someone up until the suicide, it may have taken them a while to report it. For example, she may have called someone for Christmas in the days just before, but the person may not have realized anything was amiss until she didn't call them for Easter 2011.

 

[llywrch]

I decided to follow my own advice, & Thursday night used Pacer (www.pacer.gov) to see what I could find about LEK's bankruptcy. Unfortunately, all Pacer had was a list of the documents & hearings in the bankruptcy case, & two short documents: notice of her bankrputcy & a mailing list of the parties involved. Like far too much about her life, what I learned was an incomplete skeletal account which raised more questions than it answered. I'm hoping that someone who can visit the court archives in Ft. Worth could access the court records & provide the missing information.

My report will be in two parts. This one will present the facts, while the next will present most of my speculations.

On 21 Februrary 1997, LEK filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy. The point of this filing would be to reorganize her personal debt so she can pay them off in 3-7 years -- not to liquidate everything she owns & use it to discharge all of her debts. (To do this she would need to file for chapter 7.)

The case was filed in the Northern Federal bankruptcy district of Texas, & assigned a case number of 97-41011-bjh13 Lori Kennedy. The presiding judge was Barbara J. Houser. Her lawyer was Richard L. Venable, of Venable & Vida, LLP in Bedford, TX. The bankruptcy trustee appointed in this case was Tim Truman in Ft. Worth.

There was a meeting of her creditors & an examination of the debtor 9 April 1997. This is the event that would tell us the most about her: how much she owed, & to whom, & how much money she made & how she made it. Again, if I could have records of any one event in her bankruptcy, this is the one I would most want; sadly, Pacer didn't have a copy.

At a hearing on 29 September, a plan for repayment of LEK's debts was presented, & LEK filed an objection to this plan. Apparently LEK had some substantial objections, for there was a second hearing on the plan 3 December. Again LEK objected to the plan, butthe judge approved that version of the plan. If I read the details of the docket correctly, she was to replay her debts over a period of 51 months.

BTW, her bankruptcy lawyer Venable was awarded a total of $3482 for his services.

LEK was discharged from her bankruptcy on 17 July 2001. The case was formally closed 18 October 2001. To anchor these events in her timeline, LEK graduated from UT at Arlington 13 December 1997, & married Blake Ruff 5 January 2004.

From the mailing list, these appear to be the creditors involved in her bankruptcy:
* American Honda Finance
* Charles Crane, MD
* Citibank (South Dakota)
* Copper Canyon Apts. (The address for this apartment house is the same one LEK gave when she filed for bankruptcy: 2436 Harwood Rd. #387 Bedford TX 76021.)
* Internal Revenue Service
* Marine Midland Bank
* National Credit Group / MasterCharge
* Tarrant County. (This is the county where Bedford -- the town she was living in -- is located. However, Tarrant County withdrew their claims 3 November for reasons not clear from the docket.)

The interesting thing about Dr. Charles Crane is that he was a physiatrist, a doctor who specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Sadly, Crane died 25 October 2013 so there's no point in trying to reach him. FWIW, this address is 7920 Belt Line Rd #935 Dallas, TX 75054

From this point, all that can be said further is speculation. Which I'm saving for my next post.

 

[Laughing]

llywrch, thank you for this excellent work! looking forward to reading your speculation; hoping this spurs someone to review the entire file for us.

Anyone know if these files are stored on microfilm or scanned?

TY, Laughing
:seeya:

 

[Damarna]

I decided to follow my own advice, & Thursday night used Pacer (www.pacer.gov) to see what I could find about LEK's bankruptcy. Unfortunately, all Pacer had was a list of the documents & hearings in the bankruptcy case, & two short documents: notice of her bankrputcy & a mailing list of the parties involved. Like far too much about her life, what I learned was an incomplete skeletal account which raised more questions than it answered. I'm hoping that someone who can visit the court archives in Ft. Worth could access the court records & provide the missing information.

My report will be in two parts. This one will present the facts, while the next will present most of my speculations.

On 21 Februrary 1997, LEK filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy. The point of this filing would be to reorganize her personal debt so she can pay them off in 3-7 years -- not to liquidate everything she owns & use it to discharge all of her debts. (To do this she would need to file for chapter 7.)

The case was filed in the Northern Federal bankruptcy district of Texas, & assigned a case number of 97-41011-bjh13 Lori Kennedy. The presiding judge was Barbara J. Houser. Her lawyer was Richard L. Venable, of Venable & Vida, LLP in Bedford, TX. The bankruptcy trustee appointed in this case was Tim Truman in Ft. Worth.

There was a meeting of her creditors & an examination of the debtor 9 April 1997. This is the event that would tell us the most about her: how much she owed, & to whom, & how much money she made & how she made it. Again, if I could have records of any one event in her bankruptcy, this is the one I would most want; sadly, Pacer didn't have a copy.

At a hearing on 29 September, a plan for repayment of LEK's debts was presented, & LEK filed an objection to this plan. Apparently LEK had some substantial objections, for there was a second hearing on the plan 3 December. Again LEK objected to the plan, butthe judge approved that version of the plan. If I read the details of the docket correctly, she was to replay her debts over a period of 51 months.

BTW, her bankruptcy lawyer Venable was awarded a total of $3482 for his services.

LEK was discharged from her bankruptcy on 17 July 2001. The case was formally closed 18 October 2001. To anchor these events in her timeline, LEK graduated from UT at Arlington 13 December 1997, & married Blake Ruff 5 January 2004.

From the mailing list, these appear to be the creditors involved in her bankruptcy:
* American Honda Finance
* Charles Crane, MD
* Citibank (South Dakota)
* Copper Canyon Apts. (The address for this apartment house is the same one LEK gave when she filed for bankruptcy: 2436 Harwood Rd. #387 Bedford TX 76021.)
* Internal Revenue Service
* Marine Midland Bank
* National Credit Group / MasterCharge
* Tarrant County. (This is the county where Bedford -- the town she was living in -- is located. However, Tarrant County withdrew their claims 3 November for reasons not clear from the docket.)

The interesting thing about Dr. Charles Crane is that he was a physiatrist, a doctor who specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Sadly, Crane died 25 October 2013 so there's no point in trying to reach him. FWIW, this address is 7920 Belt Line Rd #935 Dallas, TX 75054

From this point, all that can be said further is speculation. Which I'm saving for my next post.

Wow! Wonderful work! I also look forward to your upcoming post!

 

[llywrch]

I separated my speculations about LEK's bankruptcy from the facts simply because I felt it would be a mistake to enshrine my random thoughts as gospel. I'm not sure that what I'm about to write aren't ideas that have already been expressed much better before now.

Anyway, her bankruptcy. Let's start with some definite facts. One definite fact that comes out of this is that we know where LEK lived on 21 February 1997: at 2436 Harwood Rd. #387 Bedford. It is likely she lived there for several months before this date, & since she still used this address on her 2003 driver's license, she lived there for a long while afterwards. This is a surprising contrast to the previous evidence that led many people to believe she moved all over the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

Another is her debt to Dr Charles Crane, who specialized in the field of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, & Pain Management. Something happened to LEK that required her to see a specialist for pain. Maybe she was in an auto accident. Maybe she was assaulted or mugged. Maybe she had a work-related injury: as a dancer, long hours of physical activity in high heels would play hell with her feet; or doing graphic design on a computer with a mouse can cause many kinds of repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel. That LEK suffered some kind of injury came as a surprise to me; somehow, as I read her story, I never pictured her in danger. Struggling to make a living, yes, but never in harm.

The list of her creditors at first glance suggest a far too common story: LEK lived beyond her means. Two of the creditors are credit card issuers -- Citibank & National Credit Group / MasterCard -- & the appearance of American Honda Finance implies that LEK purchased a new car. I doubt AHF would finance a used car, no matter how new. The IRS obviously appears because she owed back taxes somehow; normally people have their taxes withheld from their paychecks, so this implies LEK frequently worked as an independent contractor, who are expected to remit their taxes themselves. (A friend of mine who worked on contract as a graphic artist had to do this, & often found himself struggling to make his quarterly tax payments until he hired a bookkeeper to handle this.)

Marine Midland Bank appears here, I'm guessing, because they held her student loans. In those years, it was possible to discharge or renegotiate student loans thru bankruptcy; the laws were changed in 2005, which made bankruptcy laws much more draconian.

The appearance of her landlord is a surprise: normal practice is to start eviction proceedings soon as possible. Back when I was an apartment manager, we were always prompt on delivering notice if the tenant hadn't paid the rent -- or made arrangements -- by the tenth of the month, & wouldn't let the rent slide more than a month. Maybe LEK was able to sweet-talk the apartment manager into letting the rent slide several months -- an interpersonal skill I would never imagine her to have.

I can't explain how she'd be in debt to Tarrant County. Maybe someone who lives in Texas can explain how LEK could owe money to the county.

But one item suggests a different explanation, that she owed money to Dr Charles Crane, the specialist in the Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, & Pain Management. It is not unreasonable to conclude that something happened to LEK that put her out of work & led to her falling behind in her bills. So there are two possible interpretations here: either LEK was a spendthrift with her money, or she was making a good living -- but perhaps not saving enough money -- when misfortune struck her & she fell too far behind in her bills. It would help to know the amounts of money involved here.

In either case, from December 1997 LEK lived for the next four & a quarter years with the weight of this debt over her head, but it appears she managed to pay it off ahead of time: 51 months from December 1997 would be March 2002 & her debt was discharged in July 2001. It is interesting to contrast these years with 1996, immediately before she filed bankruptcy, the year she received the certificate for the Buckeye Pilot solo flight. It had to have been a much happier, optimistic time. It appears that LEK was uncomfortable with the contrast; in her resume she papers over the period before January 1998, much as she papered over the period before she came to Dallas in her Letter of Reference with a fabricated story of working for a hotel in Thailand.

 

[Laughing]

" the year she received the certificate for the Buckeye Pilot solo flight"

did she later have an unsuccessful landing, landing her in ER then Dr. Crane's office???

What kind of practice did Dr. Crane operate? I'm not asking about his specialty, more about his ethics. Was he the go-to guy to walk again, or to get a disability check?

Did she have a brand-new car because her previous car was totaled?

Spring-and-Summer1988 told us that FLEK's mother lived in the area. I expect that lady died prior to the debt & bankruptcy?


llywrch, much food for thought, thank you!

:seeya:

 

[dogperson]

If she had an injury which put her out of work and caused her to need some form of rehabilitation, this might explain why her landlord let her go so long without paying rent. He may have felt sorry for her and let it slide until he couldn't anymore. My husband and I used to be in the rental property business and there were times when, due to serious injury or illness, we gave tenants extra time to get caught up on their rent.

 

[llywrch]

What kind of practice did Dr. Crane operate? I'm not asking about his specialty, more about his ethics. Was he the go-to guy to walk again, or to get a disability check?

From some of the Google links, it appears he was ethical, & likely competent.

Did she have a brand-new car because her previous car was totaled?

Or due to an entirely unrelated reason. I'm reminded of my wife's first car, which she drove while she worked her way thru college, was a used Mustang, & one day while driving to work in the rain water splashed on her thru the floorboards. Due to that mishap, that night she skipped class & bought a new (as in she was the firs owner) car.

Until we know more, it may be LEK owned a bare-bone Honda Civic. Nothing fancy, yet perhaps a step beyond what the typical college night student could afford at the time.

 

[brian1000]

I got this from a site with input from Joe Velling. Passport applicants are done more seriously. Somehow, the heights on drivers licenses seem to be mostly wrong. Lori's height has concerned me. I have photos of her with other people and she appears to be very tall. But people want to get the height right on a passport, so that there will be no red flags, should they be of a different height than what is listed on the passport.

I did notice as well, the other phone numbers and the address. Most of you have seen this. I have it saved now as a word document, so I can look at it whenever I want to. I do that with many pieces of evidence, so that I don't have to try and find it on the site.

I live in SK, Canada, so I am not able to research the telephone numbers listed on the passport application. But if the American folks could do some research with regards to the phone numbers, that would be great!

Thank you all your websleuthers for all the work and study that you have put into this.
If you go to this website on the next line, it has the interview and the passport application page.

http://live.seattletimes.com/Event/Live_chat_with_investigator_reporter_about_Jane_Doe_case?Page=1