TX - 'Lori Ruff', Longview, WhtFem UP9863, *General Discussion and Theories* #5

[llywrch]

That's how I read it also. The reporter who wrote the piece is on FB answering questions so she can be asked to clarify.

I don't Facebook. Could you provide a summary here of what she says over there?

 

[mrseeker]

This... is like the finale of St. Elsewhere! (dating myself here lol)

But I smell a spinoff

 

[jslk]

I'd love to see some photos of her pre-BST.

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[theforgotten]

I always wondered if Kimberly had a mental illness. I always found some of her behavior to be odd!

 

[SavetheQueen]

I agree. She was an adult. She told them she was leaving and to leave her alone. I am sure it was difficult but her mother respected her enough to do that. The police would have no interest in a case like that. I am curious of what happened to her in the next two years that made her think changing her name was necessary. Her family had not interfered. Wouldn't be necessary to hide from them. I smell a new mystery.

I just read on a different forum that the family she left was "extremely dysfunctional". (Aren't we all nowdays?)

I agree that the average person doesn’t just walk out on their family for 30 years. More to the story? Mental illness? Both? Neither?

*All statements are that of my own opinion unless otherwise specified.*

 

[sloane7777]

You've never been a step child. I have been, & I understand fully.

Yes, there are many wonderful step parents out there. But there are also a lot of less than wonderful ones, & it appears that Kimberly did not have one of the wonderful step parents.

yes THIS!!!!!! I have too and that is precisely why I have been married for 30 years!!!! also, when I left home at 17 there were two or so years that scared me for life so that's probably it!!!!!!

 

[doris5]

wow. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...rplexing-mystery-of-identity-thief-lori-ruff/

 

[sloane7777]

who knows what happened in those two years , she might have fallen in with the wrong people, might have had to be a working girl etc

 

[Linda9681]

Call the school library and have it scanned and emailed!!!! ( the yearbook pics!!) it will be quick!! I am at work


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[sloane7777]

I always wondered if Kimberly had a mental illness. I always found some of her behavior to be odd!

Insider???? tell us

 

[Vivette]

I just can't believe you would leave because of that reason, and then 2 years later pretend to be a dead 2 year old in order to change your name for real, just because you didn't like it when your mom made you move with her new husband...

She left her family for decades (well, forever really) because of something so petty? I find it really hard to understand.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

That's how I read it also. The reporter who wrote the piece is on FB answering questions so she can be asked to clarify.


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I can't find that, help! Should be ok to link as it's an MSM journalist.

 

[SavetheQueen]

I take it differently. I get the impression Fitzpatrick is the sleuth that called him.

Same.

*All statements are that of my own opinion unless otherwise specified.*

 

[theforgotten]

Thankfully, I had parents that I got along with, but I've always wondered how many people hate their families and end up walking away and never talking to them again. I do find myself wondering why the family never looked for her. Yes, she said not to, but after so many years wouldn't someone wonder if their brother/sister/mother/father is still alive?

 

[Linda9681]

So we don't know why she changed her name. My guess is bad juju happened in those 2 years.


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[Oil Can Boyd]

Long time lurker. New member & poster.

This is such a fascinating story. Glad to see the families and those who have invested so much time get at least a little resolution.

 

[southern_scout]

This... is like the finale of St. Elsewhere! (dating myself here lol)

It really is!! (are dates are clearing running on the same timeline)

 

[Ah9164]

Replying to #2167, sorry don't know how to quote. I came home and made a beeline for my husband's 1980 McDevitt yearbook. He is 6 years older than Kimberly so I didn't expect to see her but there is a girl in the freshman class named M. McLean. Maybe the sister? Of course, there are lots of Irish names so maybe not. Long time lurker, don't know that I ever posted before so hopefully I'm notbreaking therules.

 

[llywrch]

Another thought about the missing years: maybe she was the victim of identity theft back then, & someone ruined her credit rating. So she was forced to adopt a new name.

I wonder if a credit report on "Kimberly McLean" would reveal anything. Or running the name thru the law enforcement databases. If she was involved (willingly or unwittingly) in something shady -- which was a lot easier then than one might think -- that would be enough to want to change her name.

Sheesh, now I know who she is & I still can't stop speculating on her life.

 

[Gardener1850]

I just can't believe you would leave because of that reason, and then 2 years later pretend to be a dead 2 year old in order to change your name for real, just because you didn't like it when your mom made you move with her new husband...

She left her family for decades (well, forever really) because of something so petty? I find it really hard to understand.

It might not have had to do with her family though. If I'm reading this right, she left after she had moved out on her own.

In 1986, when she was 18, she moved to King of Prussia, Pa., about a half-hour away, Cassidy said. Then one day, she told her mom she was leaving for good. Don’t come after me, she warned.

The family never heard from her again. They tried everything they could think of, but Kimberly had ensured they would never find her by changing her name not once but twice.

We don't know what happened before she decided to leave. Maybe she had an abusive relationship or did some things she wasn't proud of and didn't want her family to know. Abusers will sometimes threaten family members of their victims. They tell their "girlfriends" they will kill a family member if she leaves them. It sounds extreme but it happens. What if Kimberly got involved with someone like that and she changed her identity to protect her family?