James Ruppert

This may be one of the shortest blog that you will see out of me. First, I am short on time at the moment but that makes this the perfect case to discuss. It is pretty much as cut and dry as they come.

On March 30, 1975 forty-one year old James Ruppert loaded three separate weapons and went downstairs in the home he shared with his mother, Charity in Hamilton Ohio. It was Easter Sunday. James' brother, Leonard Ruppert Jr, his wife Alma and their eight children were all visiting. He shot the three adults and three of the children in the kitchen before he moved on to the front room. There he murdered Leonard and Alma's other five children. The victims were:

Sixty-five year old Charity

Forty-two year old Leonard Jr.

thirty-eight year old Alma

Seventeen year old Leonard III

Sixteen year old Michael

Fifteen year old Thomas

Thirteen year old Carol

Twelve year old Ann

Eleven year old David

Nine year old Teresa and

Four year old John.

It is still considered to be one of the deadliest shootings inside a private residence in the United States and as of 2018 it remains the largest single family execution in Ohio.

Ten of the victims had been shot three times each and the remaining victim was shot once. I can only assume that the latter victim was four year old John as it was said the multiple shots were to ensure the victims had died. He had fired thirty-five rounds. After shooting everyone James waited for about three hours before he called authorities himself. He simply waited inside the front door for them to arrive.

He was almost immediately charged with eleven counts of aggravated homicide and refused to answer questions or cooperate with investigators. It was said that he made it clear he would plead insanity. He would actually face three trials although I have to admit that how all of that occurred was only one of two things that were confusing in this case.

His first trial was said to have been held in Hamilton where a three judge panel found him guilty and sentenced him to life in prison. Then it stated “a mistrial was declared and it was decided that the re-trial would be held in Findlay Ohio” which was 125 miles north of Hamilton. I am confused how there was a conviction and sentencing and then a “mistrial” but sometimes it is just best that I do not try to understand some things. His second trial began in June of 1975, mind you this is his second trial just three months after the murders. In July of 1975 he received eleven consecutive (one after another) life sentences. In 1982 his conviction was overturned and he was granted a new trial. On July 23, 1982 once again a three judge panel decided his fate. They found him guilty on two counts of first degree murder, those of his mother and brother but not guilty on the remaining nine by reason of insanity. He was then sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. It was noted that he was not sentenced to death due to the fact that the crime occurred in 1975, one of the years in which the death penalty had been declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court.

Despite his sentence he was first eligible for parole in June of 1995, it was denied. He was denied parole again in 2015. His next hearing is in April of 2025 when he will be ninety-one years old.

It was alleged that the motive had been his hatred and/or distaste for his mother and brother, although there was also talk of anger towards Alma also. James' father had died when he was eleven years old and he felt his brother had decided to take over the role of man of the house, giving him the right to control him. As he grew into an adult he had never married, although rumor was that Alma had once been a girlfriend, and had an issue with holding down a job. The night before the murders he had been at a bar complaining that his mother was threatening to kick him out of the home, something she allegedly did often. Leonard however had grown up to be very successful in business and in life and his anger turned to jealously.

It was said that about a year after the murder the home was opened to the public and much of the contents were auctioned off. The house was then cleaned, recarpeted, and rented to a new family in the area. Over the years the home has sold a few times but it appears that only the first family claimed strange activity aside from curious onlookers knocking on the door. It also appears that the “clean up” was done haphazardly was nearly forty years later beams leading to the basement are still stained with blood.