By John Estridge
A Franklin County man, who confessed to arson three years after the fire occurred, was sentenced to nine years in prison with three years suspended to probation during a sentencing hearing Wednesday, October 28.
Richard S. Ruble, 44, pleaded guilty to Arson, as a Level 4 Felony, during his initial hearing Thursday, October 4. His sentencing hearing was set for Wednesday, November 4, but was moved up one week. He was sentenced by Franklin Circuit Court Division II Judge Clay Kellerman.
Ruble pleaded guilty to setting a fire in a home he was living in off Quarry Road in the early morning hours of March 27, 2017. It belonged to his parents.
At the time of the fire, Ruble told members of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department he had heard people outside the two-story structure, and they were the ones who apparently set the fire.
Indiana State Fire Marshal Ross Keasling investigated the fire. Keasling determined the fire started in the south third of the dwelling, which corresponded to what was being used as a living room. However, a cause for the fire was never determined, and the investigation went cold.
“At the time of the fire, there was not enough evidence to support a classification other than undetermined; therefore, after all leads were exhausted, the case was no longer investigated,” Keasling said in his report.
On June 28 of this year, Ruble walked into the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department and told a person there he wanted to confess to a fire he set.
Indiana State Police Detective Andrew Mitchell did the initial 34-minute interview with Ruble.
Ruble apparently also talked about another matter, which is being handled by the ISP, Keasling said in the Synopsis he penned.
On August 4, Keasling then met with Ruble concerning the fire.
“During the interview, Mr. Ruble answered all questions of which concurred with answers he provided during the ISP interview with Detective Mitchell,” Keasling said in his report. “Ultimately, in both interviews, Richard Shane Ruble admitted that he purposely lit a pillow on fire, which resulted in burning his parents’ home on the night of March 27, 2017.”
Ruble could have received anywhere from four to 12 years in prison.
Upon his release from prison, he will be on probation for three years. He was given credit for 18 days served. As an additional condition of probation, he was ordered to have a mental health and drug and alcohol evaluation and to comply with all recommendations.