A Scioto County jury on Friday found James Ruggles guilty of aggravated murder and 19 other felony counts in the 2025 killing of Rocky Jordan, closing a four-day trial in Scioto County Common Pleas Court. Ruggles, 33, was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 48 years. Judge Mark Kuhn presided over the case.
The convictions stem from the Sept. 1, 2025, death of Jordan, 59, at a home on Millers Run Fallen Timber Road in Lucasville. According to prosecutors, Jordan was discovered after a friend went to check on him when he failed to appear for their usual ride to work. Earlier Scioto County Daily News reporting said deputies, detectives, EMS, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the State Fire Marshal were called in after investigators quickly determined the death was a homicide.
Prosecutors said investigators recovered a machete near Jordan’s body and later connected Ruggles to the weapon through touch DNA analysis. They also said Ruggles’ palm print was found on a hand sanitizer bottle that investigators believe was used as an ignitable liquid to set a fire inside the home in an attempt to destroy evidence. The prosecutor’s office said autopsy findings showed Jordan suffered multiple severe chop wounds.
The case presented to jurors also included charges tied to an earlier Aug. 27, 2025, incident at the same address involving Ruggles’ mother. Prosecutors said Ruggles had threatened her with a machete, though no arrest was made at the time because of conflicting accounts. Later that day, prosecutors said, Ruggles went to a relative’s home in Portsmouth demanding that his children be returned and admitted to a methamphetamine relapse before leaving a transport vehicle headed to a treatment facility.
Scioto County Daily News previously reported that Ruggles was arrested on Sept. 2, 2025, in Portsmouth after detectives identified him as a person of interest in the homicide investigation. SCDN also later reported that a Scioto County grand jury returned a sweeping indictment tied to Jordan’s death. Jordan’s obituary said he worked at Bellisio Foods in Jackson.
In the press release announcing the verdict, Prosecutor Shane Tieman described Ruggles as a violent and sociopathic offender and said the sentence should bring some comfort to Jordan’s family and friends. He also thanked jurors and investigators from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, BCI, the State Fire Marshal, the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office and the Portsmouth Police Department.
