Shraman Mitra
Residents of Marion, Ohio, were left petrified when 72-year-old Ruth Predmore was found gruesomely murdered in her own home. Besides, while investigating, the police gathered that even though it seemed like a robbery gone wrong, the perpetrator was familiar with Ruth’s daily schedule. Netflix’s ‘I Am A Killer: Pyro Joe’ chronicles the brutal murder and shows how the ensuing investigation eventually honed in on the killer. Let’s delve into the details surrounding the crime and find out where Ruth’s murderer is at present, shall we?
How Did Ruth Predmore Die?
At the time of the incident, Ruth Predmore was 72-years-old and lived alone in Marion, Ohio. Although she was quite frail physically, Ruth was known to be a loving and kindhearted individual who helped people to the best of her abilities and was pretty respected in her community. Those who knew Ruth that she enjoyed the company of others and was pretty friendly with most of her neighbors.
However, no one had any idea that this amiable nature would lead to her sudden and shocking death. While Ruth disappeared off the grid on February 1, 1987, her absence was noticed on the following day when the person delivering her food got no response from the 72-year-old. The police were immediately informed, and once authorities broke into the house, they were welcomed by a horrifying sight.
Inside, officers found Ruth’s body and soon declared her dead. Moreover, an autopsy later determined that she was killed by a deep knife wound to her neck. Besides, the entire room was covered in blood splatters, and detectives even noticed footprints on the front porch. Additionally, authorities found a note that threatened Ruth with death if she did not provide the “writer” with money.
Who Killed Ruth Predmore?
The initial investigation into Ruth’s murder was quite challenging as the police did not have a lot of leads to work with. On top of that, there were no witnesses, and people who knew the victim had no idea why anyone would want to harm her in such a gruesome manner. Nevertheless, through their investigation, detectives learned that Ruth was the treasurer of a local philanthropic organization and had quite a bit of money lying about the house. Considering this to be a reason behind the murder, the police began looking at the incident from a robbery angle but soon found themselves back on square one.
Incidentally, detectives finally got their first major breakthrough when they found Ruth’s purse lying in the close vicinity of Joseph Murphy’s home. Joseph was Ruth’s neighbor and reports claim he was pretty well acquainted with the 72-year-old. Thus, the police decided to search his residence and found a pair of blood-stained jeans and a woman’s purse, along with some rolled-up coins and paper similar to the one on which the threatening note was written. Immediately, authorities traveled to Joseph’s aunt’s house in Caledonia, from where they recovered a bloodied shirt and a pair of tennis shoes.
Interestingly, the blood on the shoes, shirt, and jeans matched Ruth’s, which made the police interrogate Joseph. However, the suspect kept insisting on his innocence and claimed that his brother-in-law was responsible for the murder. Still, authorities weren’t satisfied with Joseph’s statement, and once they conducted another thorough search of his home, they found the murder weapon with Ruth’s blood still on it. Meanwhile, Joseph’s mother found Ruth’s ATM card in his possession. These pieces of evidence convinced the police of Joseph’s involvement, and he was charged with the murder of Ruth.
Joseph Murphy is Serving His Jail Time
When produced in court, Joseph Murphy was ultimately convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in 1987. Since then, he remained on Ohio’s death row and tried to get his sentence overturned through numerous appeals and petitions. However, none of his efforts were successful, and Joseph’s execution was scheduled for October 18, 2011. However, just a few weeks before he was supposed to be put to death, the then-governer of Ohio, John Kasich, granted him clemency.
John later explained his decision and mentioned that he chose to commute Joseph’s death sentence after considering the amount of abuse he faced throughout his growing years. In fact, the show claimed that apart from being physically and mentally abusive, Joseph’s father would reportedly lock Joseph inside a trunk; in one instance, he even allegedly sold the boy for some alcohol. It was also stated on the show that his mother was also abusive.
While Joseph had seemed his fair share of days in foster homes, he ultimately had to endure the torture and live with his family, as per reports. Interestingly, the show mentioned that due to the abuse, Joseph took to setting animals on fire, which gave him the nickname Pyro Joe. Nevertheless, John believed that this torture turned Joseph into a cold-blooded murderer, so he lessened his death sentence to life in prison without parole. As a result, Joseph is currently spending his days behind bars at the Richland Correctional Institution in Mansfield, Ohio.
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