European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Mysterious murder solved after 33 years scattering truth. And Relief by Usa Levitt Rickman associated press when they found 11-year-old Billy Ruff of Albany n.y., hanged from the big Maple tree he loved to climb innocence died in the hearts of his Brothers and Sisters. They saw his killer everywhere in anyone. The surviving Ruff children a five living when Billy died 33 years ago three born later a lived with a fear so deep it darkened every waking moment terror inspired by a real life bogeyman who preyed on Happy fresh faced kids who loved Raisin cookies and baseball. Kids like Billy. Kids like them. Quot All of us at one time or another did t think we d reach the age of 11, said Tim Ruff who was 3 when Billy died. Then one Day three years ago Christopher Ruff glanced up at the bulletin Board in the police station where he worked and into the face of the Man who killed the brother he never knew. A mom and i knew As soon As i called her Quot said Chris at 24 the youngest Ruff born eight years after his brother a death and two months after his father s Quot we both started to shake and say this is it Quot he saw the Man again on april 23 a in Albany county court where he was sentenced to life in prison for Billy s murder. It was not murder however that put Billy s killer on a wanted poster it was a sex abuse charge involving a girl about Billy s age. The awful secret his family had hidden was that Billy Ruff had been sodomized before he died. Quot this sort of thing was t spoken about Quot Mildred Ruff said sitting in her living room surrounded by six of her children. Quot people would t talk about child molesting. It was a hush hush Smith Avenue in the Northwestern suburb of Albany where the family lived was a Street full of children in a Rural landscape of Fields and Trees the Day Billy Ruff disappeared. He was last seen at 4 30 . Saturday aug. 31, 1957, his pocket full of Raisin cookies in his hand a length of frayed clothesline he planned to use to steer a homemade go cart. He did t show up for dinner. Mrs. Ruff remembers wrapping his plate of Lamb chops boiled potatoes and Corn on the cob in Wax paper and putting it in the fridge. At 9 ., she called her husband at work and he began a search that lasted until Dawn. In her fitful sleep that night mrs. Ruff had a dream or a vision she was t sure which Quot i saw Billy on his Knees hanging by a that s the Way he was found the next Day by a Friend s daughter a hanged with his own clothesline in a densely wooded lot where All the kids played and played for years after. A police interviewed hundreds of people. Quot they aids t care How Many hours they put in Quot said Raymond Rasmussen one of the first state police detectives put on the Case. Quot we got to feel very 2 Cort passionate for the family and what they d been . The7eaamnnyr, Quot a w3s that the killer was s trip Fth t1 a in the noise and confusion of grief and of police work he was gone. The night of the Wake a priest Friend of ours said it May take 20 years but nobody can keep this Thino to themselves Quot mrs. Ruff said. Quot and i said a if i takes 20 Days i la lose my mind a a instead she found strength and Faith enough to last her family through Billy s death the death of her husband eight years later and her own current fight with cancer. For years she carried in her aprons amps Susan Harris Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday May 19,1990 pocket a Rosary her husband had Given her. The Black beads wore to Brown from constant fingering. Twenty Days became 20 months. The investigation died Down. The police stopped coming by with Mug shots of child molesters. Seven years passed. The police came around one last time to Tell the family a forensics expert had decided Billy a death was accidental. His family scoffed they knew the truth would surface a belief that never wavered As 10 years became 20, then 30. Quot we know what its like to have a lot of unanswered questions Quot said John born four years after Billy s murder. Quot but in the Back of our minds there was always the there was also fear a of the dark of being alone of petting too close to people. Quot everybody grew up with a paranoia Quot Chris said. Quot we have a Normal childhood because we were so Damn scared. There s not one time we can walk into an empty House and feel Safe. Not one of us Quot Regina the oldest 13 when Billy died and Tommy who was 5, told their Mother they knew there was a bogeyman because he got their brother. All the ruffs a Regina Tom Tim Joe Lisa Jay John and Chris a worried he was out to get another of them. Quot we d stand at the window stand there and watch when people weren t Home on time Quot said Lisa who was 8 months old when Billy was murdered. Quot i remember standing at my bed in the Back bedroom looking out the window and knowing i was doing the same thing As mom was. We were always the fear became something they lived and breathed. In time they would pass it on to their spouses to their children. Quot i was terrorized by nightmares most of my life Quot Regina wrote in a recent letter to her Mother. Quot i had to Force myself to go anywhere. I was afraid of the dark and of the Daylight. A fall this destruction All this fear a and i am Only one of eight. Multiply the damage to me by every other life this while Billy a Brothers and Sisters struggled with demons his killer was finishing a stint in the air Force and spending Short periods As an Albany police officer and an ironworker. He married three times and fathered two children by a fourth woman. In the 1970s he wandered the streets a homeless alcoholic. Quot i think he was a Man that had this on his mind All that time a Rasmussen said. A maybe that caused him to become what he when the Case was 24 years old Chris and his Brothers found some old newspaper clippings in the basement. A they wanted to know More Quot mrs Ruff said. Quot they wanted to know Why it was unsolved Quot from state police she Learned the file on Billy s murder was about to be destroyed the Fate of unresolved cases after 25 years. Desperate to save the records mrs. Ruff called Rasmussen by then in charge of the state police Bureau of criminal investigation. He ordered the file permanently retained. Quot in my mind i guess i was always hoping someday somebody would make an arrest in the Case Quot Rasmussen said. Quot comparing my thoughts and Hopes that someday this might be resolved with How much space that Little file took up in our huge records Section there was no question in my mind what i should there was never any question in Chris Ruff s mind what he should do either. He wanted to be a cop As a child he Drew a self portrait with a badge on his Chest he dropped out of College to join the suburban Colonie police where he worked As a dispatcher. His Mother says it was Providence he missed a promotion to patrolman. That would have sent him to the police Academy and he would not have been in the station when the killer s photo was posted. Chris contacted the state police and met the next Day with two senior investigators. Quot they looked at the newspaper clippings and said i think we May have something. This May be the missing link the reason we could never find anything Back then Quot Chris said. Quot they said Don t get your Hopes up Well keep an Eye out for him and Well let you know Quot months went by. Then came the break the police had been waiting for someone inquired about buying the killer s car which had a Lien against it at a local Bank. The Bank contacted police. Their Man was in Florida. Under questioning he admitted molesting a 10-year-old girl but would t talk about Billy Ruff. After he failed a lie Detector test he wrote a note that said in part Quot i killed Billy and i need eventually he signed a confession that fold How he Quot threw the rope Over a Branch above my head grabbed the rope and ran with it pulling Billy up off the i ran like it was Only then with the Man safely in police custody that Chris and his Mother were ready to Tell the rest of the family the Man who had confessed to Billy s murder was their own first Cousin. Richard Ruff. Family had done this to family. Quot Ever since the Day i found out i be been enraged Quot Jay said recalling his first encounter with his Cousin in 1982. Quot he Shook my hand and that s what s enraged me Ever since knowing what he d done to my own brother he Shook my hand and breathed the air i was Richard Ruff 53, was sentenced last week for the first degree felony murder of William Ruff or he blood trial after recanting his confession saying police had frightened him into it. In August 1957, 20-year old Richard Ruff was on leave from the air Force. He had dropped by his Uncle s Home that week to show Oft a red Chevy convertible which Billy had admired. The Day Billy s body was found he gathered with the family just another grieving relative. He left soon after police never questioned him most of the Ruff family attended All nine Days of the trial reliving the horror of Billy s murder they saw autopsy photos and heard Losli Mony about the pain Billy sustained they also Learned Why he was killed Quot this Little boy was a naive Sweet 11 year old kid and he had this fellow sodomize him and i m sure the first words out of his Mouth were. I m going to Tell my Mother and lather on you Quot said chief assistant District attorney Daniel Dwyer. Quot the ultimate result was Richard was going to be found out. And he could t handle that Quot for the ruffs there is Relief in knowing the truth knowing that the Man who killed Billy will never hurl another child they want other families to have Faith that killers can be found no matter How Many years pass. But they also want them to know that solving the mystery cannot erase All the pain Quot we be lived this for 33 cais Well live in for another 33 years Quot Chris said Quot there s no punishment that would equal what he did to our brother a and to us. Quot he did t just kill Billy. He killed my father and i think he killed the spirit in every one of us Quot stars and stripes bookstores it it stars and stripes bookstores us cd o h it o o co Lulu a. Cd in it q z it it cult i Quot co 4 the exch o analog Way you la enjoy browsing through Exchange Catalon 1990 with its expanded clothing and sporting goods sections new models of electronics and i tech products a special Section of Sale merchandise and much More. So take advantage of the Fine selection of Quality products and extra shopping convenience with your copy of the Exchange Catalon 1990 today Exchange Catalon 1990 is available for $2.00 at a stars and stripes Bookstore near you. Stars and stripes bookstores stars and stripes bookstores saturday May 19, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Dano 17 the stars and stripes Page 17
