PORTSMOUTH, OH — In a courtroom filled with the grim echoes of a “brutal and horrific” crime, 33-year-old James Ruggles was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for nearly half a century.
The sentence follows a grueling four-day trial in the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas, where a jury found Ruggles guilty of the aggravated murder of 59-year-old Rocky Jordan, along with 19 other felony counts including arson, gross abuse of a corpse, and domestic violence.
A Grisly Discovery on Millers Run
The nightmare began on the night of September 1, 2025. When Rocky Jordan, a dedicated overnight worker at Bellisio’s in Jackson, failed to show up for his carpool, a concerned friend went to his home on Millers Run Fallen Timber Road to check on him.
Upon entering, the friend was met with a house filled with thick smoke. In the bedroom, he made a discovery so gruesome it would haunt the investigation: Jordan was found covered in blood and partially burned. The scene was so chaotic with debris and blood that a cause of death wasn’t immediately clear to the first responders.
The Investigation: Machetes and Methamphetamine
Lead Detective Sgt. Jodi Conkel of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Ohio BCI and the State Fire Marshal, quickly pieced together a trail of violence.
Near the victim’s body, investigators found the murder weapon: a blood-stained machete matted with hair. Nearby sat a bottle of hand sanitizer. The Fire Marshal determined the sanitizer’s ethyl alcohol had been used as an accelerant to deliberately set Jordan’s body on fire in a desperate attempt to erase evidence.
The trail led straight to Ruggles. Just days prior, on August 27, Ruggles had reportedly threatened his own mother with a machete at the same address. Following that incident, Ruggles—admittedly relapsing on methamphetamine—escaped from a drug treatment transport vehicle before he could be admitted.
Violent Defiance
Even after his capture on September 2, Ruggles remained dangerously volatile. During his interrogation, he gave conflicting stories before turning physically aggressive with detectives.
In a chilling struggle during a DNA swab attempt, Ruggles briefly grabbed a detective’s sidearm, nearly dislodging it from the holster. After being subdued, he later attempted an “ill-fated” escape from the interview room before being tackled by officers.
Forensic Evidence: “The Worst in a Career”
The forensic details presented to the jury were staggering. Dr. Lee Lehman, a forensic pathologist with 37 years of experience, testified that the violence visited upon Mr. Jordan was among the rarest and most extreme he had ever seen.
- The Injuries: Jordan suffered at least seven “chop wounds” to the face, head, and neck. Any single one of the blows would have been fatal.
- The Smoking Gun: Expert analysis found Ruggles’ “touch DNA” on the handle of the murder weapon.
- The Palm Print: Ruggles’ palm print was found directly on the hand sanitizer bottle used to torch the crime scene.
“Never See the Light of Day”
Scioto County Prosecutor Shane Tieman did not mince words following the sentencing by Judge Mark Kuhn.
“James Ruggles is a violent, sociopathic individual who deserves every bit of the sentence he was given,” Tieman stated. “This was a brutal, horrific crime which is among the worst that I have encountered in my career.”
Ruggles, who had three prior domestic violence convictions and a history of felony prison time, will not be eligible for parole for 48 years. For the family of Rocky Jordan, the sentence ensures that the man who turned a quiet Lucasville home into a house of horrors will likely spend the rest of his life in a 6×9 cell.
The Verdict Sheet
| Charge | Verdict |
| Aggravated Murder | GUILTY |
| Arson & Gross Abuse of a Corpse | GUILTY |
| Felonious Assault (Multiple Counts) | GUILTY |
| Tampering with Evidence | GUILTY |
| Domestic Violence | GUILTY |
| Sentence | Life (48 years before parole eligibility) |
