A Scioto County grand jury has handed down a sweeping indictment against James Paul Ruggles, 33, in connection with the killing of Rocky L. Jordan on Millers Run Fallen Timber Road.
Ruggles was indicted on a long list of charges, including:
- Aggravated Murder
- Murder (3 counts)
- Felonious Assault (2 counts)
- Aggravated Arson
- Domestic Violence
- Tampering With Evidence (5 counts)
- Gross Abuse of a Corpse
- Obstructing Official Business (4 counts)
Court records show Ruggles has previously been convicted of domestic violence three separate times.
Arrest and Investigation
Ruggles, currently listed as homeless, was arrested on September 2, 2025, after detectives located him inside a Portsmouth business around 3:23 p.m. Sheriff David Thoroughman said investigators had been working around the clock since Jordan’s body was discovered the night before. By Tuesday, detectives had identified Ruggles as a person of interest, tracked him down at several locations, and eventually detained him before transporting him to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning.
Jordan, 59, was found unresponsive inside a home on Millers Run Fallen Timber Road just after 9:40 p.m. on September 1. Deputies, detectives, and EMS determined the death was a homicide. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the State Fire Marshal’s Office were called in to assist.
Troubled History
Court records reveal a pattern of violent and disruptive behavior spanning more than a decade:
- Arrested in December 2023 for disorderly conduct
- Charged in 2022 with resisting arrest and obstruction of official business
- Domestic violence charges in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018
- Previous charges of abduction and child endangering
Court Proceedings
Ruggles was appointed a public defender after being declared indigent by Scioto County Common Pleas Court. He entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. He is being held without bond in the Scioto County Jail pending further proceedings.
