Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Man Drugged Wife's Soda Then Told Cops Bizarre Sex Stories

Episode Date: February 13, 2025

Alfred Ruf, 72, told detectives in Wayne County, Indiana that he drugged his wife's Coke cans so the woman's daughter and friend could "put on a show" for him. Ruf's interview with detectives took place in January 2022. At one point, Ruf claimed the daughter wanted to marry him and that he would have sex with the women. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy goes through the interview and Ruf's guilty plea in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: Get 50% off of confidential background reports at https://www.truthfinder.com/lccrimefix and access information about almost anyone!Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law & Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Okay, so I'm still trying to get what their entire plan was. So their entire plan is to have mom killed, right? Get mom out of the picture. A husband sits down with detectives and he makes some bizarre claims about drugging his wife's soda. You'll never believe what Alfred Ruff told police when I take you inside the interrogation room. Criminal offense. What you're doing is

trying to kill your wife. Do you understand that, right? Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. Alfred Ruff had a big problem back in January of 2022. His wife had called police because she kept feeling sick and she suspected her 69-year-old husband was poisoning her. Well, guess what? Lisa Bishop was right. Alfred Ruff was charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Detectives in Wayne County, Indiana, which is on the Ohio, Indiana state line west of Dayton, Ohio, investigated Bishop's claims. They brought Alfred Ruff, a 69-year-old man, in for questioning, and the story Ruff told was stunning. Okay, so let's start off just telling me why you're here today. The reason I'm here today is I

found I was given this little bottle like that was about one of them pills bottle and they had their white stuff they told me just sprinkle a little bit on her drink and then tell anyone she was out and they'd come in and do their things. Okay, I don't understand who you're saying who's they? That's her daughter and Sarah I can't pronounce her last name. What's her daughter's name? Lisa, Tasha. Tasha? Yeah. Is it Latasha or Tasha? Well, I pronounce it that way.

I don't know. Okay. I know she's been in trouble with the law. Latasha. And then what's her friend's name? Do you know it? Mm-hmm. Sarah.

You don't remember Sarah's last name? No, not at all. Okay. So just to be clear, Alfred Ruff is telling detectives that his wife's daughter, who's probably around 30, and her friend are giving him powder in a bottle to drug his wife. And he said then they do their thing. He explains what that means. So you're saying that the pill bottle that Officer Caves took from the residence that has the unknown substance in it he's you're saying that they gave that to you they gave me the bar they gave you the what well that pill bar gotcha

and he said just take a little bed put on this you'll go up to sleep okay so they come in do does give her something else so she'll go up to sleep. Okay, so. They come in and give her something else so she's completely out. Okay. What do you think that substance is? I have no idea what it is. I got pill ballers like this I take for my medicine. But none of my pill ballers had that white stuff in them.

Well I had majestic heart failure back in 2014. Okay. So you're saying that they told you to sprinkle a little bit into her drink, correct? Yeah. And then it makes her go to sleep, right? Yeah. And then they come in and do what? Yeah, they watch them do sex and this and that. Watch them like those two? Yeah, those two. Okay, so what they don't do anything to Lisa? No, they do not do anything to Lisa. Alfred Ruff is a senior

citizen and before this he had never been in trouble or had he? I searched him in truthfinder.com to find out. Truthfinder is one of the largest public record search services out there. I put in Ruff's name and the case involving his wife shows up in the criminal and traffic search results, but that's it. Truthfinder is great because it will show you criminal and traffic records, a person's past and current addresses, phone numbers, and social media accounts. And the thing that I love about it, you can see the sex offenders who live near you. So right now you can give it a try and get 50% off of confidential background reports. That's a great deal. Just log on to www.truthfinder.com slash lccrimefix and start accessing information about almost anyone.

Now this sounds kind of crazy. Alfred Ruff is saying his stepdaughter and her friend give him powder to drug his wife and then they have sex in front of him. Ruff goes on to say it was part of a plan hatched by the two women to kill his wife for insurance money. So she got mad and so she decided she wanted to kill her mom by giving her this stuff? Yeah. Okay. But, uh, so, and I think she, uh, they was gonna try to put a hit on me. I was told she had, not Tyshu, but Sarah had a boyfriend that would come out and do something to me.

Okay. So, when did they first tell you that this was their goal? You said about three months ago yeah about three or four months ago when did they tell you like so did they come to your house they talk about it or what were you doing when you found out they came to the house and what they'd wait until sometime lisa's be gone but i don't know how they knew exactly what time she's leaving or nothing and they come to the house and then they try to put on a show for me and this and that okay so they're putting on a show and

what do you mean by show they bought up my wife or some of these fancy nagger shades in that well they got a hold of them they'd put them on and try to browse me by them wearing her clothes around okay so they wear the clothes around what else are they doing well I think while they're messing with me one of them is trying to find stuff to go through and take out of the house okay so are you having sex with Latasha and Sarah yes I have okay during these occasions that's what I'm saying is when they're coming up that you're having sex with them yes okay and it's those two at the same time or just one well they'd both be there at the same time okay so here's the thing alfred so they're they're coming up you're having sex with these ladies how old are they her daughter is 31 or 30 in the 30s okay and how old are you i'm 69 okay So you're having these females come up.

They come when either Lisa's gone or she's asleep, right? Yeah. And then you have sex with them. And then they discussed a plan to kill Lisa, correct? That's what they was wanting to do. Okay. Why? So they get her out of the picture because she told me already that she

had a life's policy. Well, they think they get her out of the deal. They was going to get the life policy. Okay. But she's got all the life policy set up, so I'll go to her 12 grandkids. Now, Ruff says this was all over the daughter, wanting a life insurance payout. But the problem is, Alfred Ruff was the beneficiary of the policy. Okay. And at what point did they say, we want you to give her enough to kill her? Well, I was never going to give her enough to kill her. What point did they say they wanted going to give her enough to kill her. At what point did they say they wanted you to kill her? They didn't say.

They just said in time. They wanted her. She wanted her mom out of the picture. Okay. Partly, or in count, I wouldn't give in to everything they wanted done. Now, this story sounds a little fishy, to say the least. It's not impossible, of course, but is it plausible or possible? That's the question.

Ruff then explains how he drugged his wife. It had happened just days earlier, on December 29, 2021. I just bring it on top of the Coke, and I open the can up, and she take a drink. Okay. So you would, how did they give you the substance? Did they give it in that pill bottle? They gave it to me in that pill bottle just like it is. Okay and so it's a, is it like a powder or is it like a pasty substance? It's pirate's stuff. Okay. So every time that you gave this to Lisa, is that how you gave it to her? By sprinkling it onto her coke or drink? bring her on top of the can and I take the can in I would open it and

she'd take it and drink it okay when was the last time you did this I thought I done that was on the 29th so after after you guys gave her this, you had given it to her around 7, they came an hour later and gave her more of something. Yeah. What happened after that? After that, they done their little show. You keep saying a show. Well, their lingerie deal.

Okay, so they put on lingerie, and then what? You're saying you have sexual intercourse with both of these women? No, not both of them. Once in a while, but most of the time it was one at a time. Okay, so on the 29th, who was it with? 29th, I think it was with Sarah. Okay. And the next day, that's when we came up with all her clothes that lisa had was been missing they took shoes and everything out and boxes because she had all boxed up and getting ready so we could move so they're stealing her clothes and still on her property. So you had sex with Sarah.

What was Latasha doing? I think Latasha was carrying monsters out. Alfred Ruff says he would have sex with the women as his wife lay in her bed drugged. Ruff was surprisingly open with the detectives about drugging his wife and having sex with the two women who were young enough to be his daughters. So I want to get everything straight, okay, before we ask a little bit more. You knew what you were giving her was eventually going to kill her, correct? Correct. Yes, I did. Correct?

Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, the substance that you were getting from LaTosha, you knew that it was going to knock out your wife and then you knew that the longer you gave it to her it would eventually kill her and that was the ultimate goal? I didn't know it was going to kill her, that same stuff. Okay, but that was the goal was to eventually have her dead from the substance that she was taking. That's what her daughter would have done. Okay. And then you were helping her daughter to do that, correct?

Yeah. I was involved with it, but I wish I had never been. Yeah. But you were involved in it. That's what you were doing. Yeah. Okay. So this Coke can that was located there at your house,

that was cut up, is that the Coke can that you had given her? Probably was. Was? I don't want to say probably was. Is that the Coke can that was used? That's the Coke can used that last time, yeah. But I didn't know they dumped a bunch of white stuff down in it. You didn't know who did that? I didn't know Tasha dumped that much in the can to make it turn white down in it. Okay.

But you told me an hour after you gave her the substance, Latasha and Sarah gave her something else, correct? And so that's what it was. They put more into her Coke can? Yeah. And you're saying they gave her a lot? I don't know how much, but just... Enough to turn something white on the bottom of the can? Yeah.

Okay. And how did you know that? Why did you cut it up? I didn't cut the can up. Lisa cut the can open. Okay. She showed me the can, that's when I came clean with what was going on. So Lisa cut the can open,

she sees that there's a bunch of white stuff in the bottom of the can and then she what asked you about it? She asked me about it and that's when I told her well we have been doing things we sure haven't been doing. Okay. How long have you been having sexual relationships with Latasha and Sarah? So this is not your daughter, correct? It's her daughter? It's her daughter. She's my step-daughter. She's been in trouble a hell of a lot. Where I used to live down at my home place, she OD'd twice down there. Okay. Do you have any idea what this substance is? No, I do not.

Prosecutors would later say that Ruff's wife tested positive for benzodiazepines, MDMA, and cocaine. Ruff stuck to the claim that he would drug his wife so these women could have their way with him. Okay. And how would they give it to her? Would they put it in the Coke can or whatever you used? Put it in the Coke can. That's why she would wake up and take a drink. Okay.

So when they were doing this, what were they saying to you? Huh? What were they saying to you when they were giving it to her? They didn't say nothing to me about what they was doing. I mean, they had to. Hey, this is what we're doing to keep mom asleep.

Hey, we're trying to kill mom. They said this stuff here will keep mom asleep so they could have their fling with me okay but eventually you had the conversation where they're trying to get insurance money as well so when did that conversation take place after they found out we had a place for sale you You had the place on Wallace Road for sale? Okay. And it sold? It did sell? Yeah. Okay. Ruff also told the detectives that he knew what he was doing was wrong. And you understand what you were doing, right? I mean, you understand that

them giving you this to lead to that you know that is a criminal offense what you're doing is trying to kill your wife do you understand that right yes yeah and I mean it's a it I don't care who's playing it is you know I mean or who came up with it you're a part of it and you're doing it you're the one giving her this substance in order to knock her out that is eventually the plan is to kill her is that correct what's my plan it doesn't matter who's playing it as i'm saying that's the plan right this is the plan yeah okay and you're the one going through with it you're the one giving her the stuff every single time 12 times for the last three months and you're the one doing that yes Yes? Yes. Okay.

And then they would come in and they would give an additional amount every single time. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Sit tight. I'm going to have a word with Officer Cames. Do you have anything right here? I just had two things that you didn't... Which person gave you the pill bottle? You kept saying they...which person gave you the pill bottle? You kept saying they.

Which person handed you the pill bottle? Tasha would be the one who handed me the pill bottle. Okay. And it's been that one the whole time or did you go through one and get another one? No, it's been her. Okay. So she's the one that handed it to you? Yeah.

Okay. And my other, only other thing is because I know a little bit more because I heard Lisa talking. What was her side effects the next day? Or did she wake up and was she hurting? She'd wake up and she'd be drowsy. Has she been hospitalized? Yes, she was in the hospital once. Okay.

Recover time. And what was her symptoms then when she was hospitalized? She got lightheaded and that. Okay. Anything else? That's all I can tell you. Did you take her or did she have to drive herself? I took her to the hospital cover time. And then how many or did she have to drive herself? I took her to the hospital a couple times.

And then how many times did she go? It was the Sheriff's Department took her last time. Well, because of her side effects or because of her illness, you took her a couple times. And how many times were you not able to take her and she went? She didn't drive herself. Okay, you took her every time? I took her every time. How many times do you think you had to take her to the hospital after you gave her that substance I'd say probably half half of

the time okay Okay. I kinda think I need some psyche work done. Why is that? Huh? Why is that? Because that last time I felt lightheaded and everything. I said, this ain't right. Okay. Sit tight.

We'll be right back in, okay? Okay. Is this a working phone? Yeah, it does work. Okay. I don't know how it worked or catch a new phone okay that's fine i'm just going to hold on to it that way you're hanging out in here okay okay the detectives leave alfred ruff in the room for several minutes and this is a

pretty common tactic they're comparing notes and likely looking at places where they need to clarify what alfred ruff told them and they need to be sure they haven't missed anything. They eventually return and start by asking how exactly Alfred Ruff communicated with his stepdaughter and her friend about drugging his wife. And that's her I had in her head that I wanted to marry her. Okay. So they're calling you, you said, but you're the one giving her the medicine to put her out. How do they know when you're doing that? That's when they called me.

Okay, so they call you and say, hey, give it to her tonight? Yeah. What are they exactly saying? They said, you want to have a flame? Give mom some of that stuff and we'll come up. Okay, and then you would give it to her, right? I'd give her a little bit, and then after a bit, they'd show up. Okay. So the only communication you had with Tasha and Sarah is just through calls?

Do you text them at all? No, I don't text. Okay. You don't text or anything like that? I don't even know how to text them. Okay. The detectives wrap up the interview by nailing down Ruff's story just one last time. And she said, let's get rid of mom. And then how did you know their goal was to have you marry sarah

i didn't they just they just kept on there no how did you know that their goal was for you to marry said that once i wouldn't know if i was gonna marry her who said that that's sarah and i said Very new. Okay. But you knew at that point, the last part of September, that their ultimate goal was to get rid of Lisa. Yep. Okay. And you continued to give Lisa the drug or medicine or whatever the substance was that they gave you from that point until December 29th, correct? Yeah.

And you gave her upwards of 12 total times of you giving her this substance, correct? Yeah. Okay. And you knew that the goal was to have her get rid of her in order to end up dead, correct? Was that the ultimate goal? That was their ultimate goal. I didn't want to kill her. Kill my wife, I meant. But you were the one giving her the stuff in order to do it.

I was giving her the stuff to not knowing what the hell it was. Okay. That is all we need? Okay. Sit tight. We're going to have somebody transport you down to the jail. Okay? Down to the jail.

Alright. Just sit tight in here. Can I ask what I'm being charged with? Well today what we're going to charge you with is attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Okay. Well I never did. My plan was not to murder her. Okay. This is what we're charging you with today, from the information that we know and the information that you've told us. Okay? Okay. Last year, Alfred Ruff pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated battery. He was sentenced to four years in prison. The judge found that Ruff knew his wife had a disability and called that an aggravating factor and that there were ways he could have extricated himself from their turbulent relationship. But the judge found mitigating factors as well and believed that he had a low likelihood of reoffending, expressed genuine remorse and cooperated with law enforcement. I contacted the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and I was told the women who Roth mentioned were not charged.

And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.