Lori Erica Ruff
American identity thief (1968–2010)
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Key Takeaways
- Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff (born Kimberly Maria McLean , October 16, 1968 – December 24, 2010) was an American identity thief who died by suicide in the driveway of her former in-laws' home in Longview, Texas on December 24, 2010.
- Coupled with her secretive behavior, which had contributed to the collapse of her marriage, Ruff's true identity remained unknown for nearly six years after her death.
- Ruff's true origins remained a mystery until September 2016, when her identity was confirmed using a combination of public records and direct-to-consumer autosomal SNP analysis of her husband's and daughter's DNA, leading back to the McLean–Cassidy family on the Philadelphia Main Line.
- She grew up in the suburbs of Delaware Valley, until her parents divorced.
- She reportedly had a difficult time adjusting to the new environment, and did not get along with her mother and stepfather.
Lori Erica Kennedy Ruff (born Kimberly Maria McLean, October 16, 1968 – December 24, 2010) was an American identity thief who died by suicide in the driveway of her former in-laws' home in Longview, Texas on December 24, 2010. Following Ruff's death, her ex-husband and in-laws discovered through documents found in a lock box in her closet that she had been living under a false name when she married into the family. Coupled with her secretive behavior, which had contributed to the collapse of her marriage, Ruff's true identity remained unknown for nearly six years after her death.
A 2013 Seattle Times feature article about the case was published in news outlets around the world and created enormous interest in the online "websleuth" community. Ruff's true origins remained a mystery until September 2016, when her identity was confirmed using a combination of public records and direct-to-consumer autosomal SNP analysis of her husband's and daughter's DNA, leading back to the McLean–Cassidy family on the Philadelphia Main Line.
Activities before marriage
Early life
Ruff was born as Kimberly Maria McLean in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to James and Deanne McLean (née Cassidy). She grew up in the suburbs of Delaware Valley, until her parents divorced. McLean's mother gained custody of McLean and her sister, married her second husband Robert Becker, and moved the family to Wyncote, where McLean attended Bishop McDevitt High School. She reportedly had a difficult time adjusting to the new environment, and did not get along with her mother and stepfather. In the fall of 1986, just after reaching age of majority with her 18th birthday, McLean abruptly moved away from home to the nearby town of King of Prussia, cutting off contact with her family shortly thereafter.
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