By John Estridge
A Franklin County man allegedly confessed to a State Fire Marshal that he set fire to his parents’ house in 2017.
Richard S. Ruble, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of Arson as a Level 4 Felony, at his initial hearing in Franklin Circuit Court before Judge J. Steven Cox on Thursday, October 8. A second count of Arson, as a Level 4 Felony, was dismissed at the initial hearing.
According to a Synopsis written up by State Fire Marshal Ross Keasling and on file in the Franklin Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, the fire occurred at a residence on Quarry Road on March 27, 2017. Laurel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched at 1:37 a.m. When the firefighters arrived, a two-story structure was completely engulfed in flames.
A person identified as Richard Shane Ruble was standing outside the structure, and he told firefighters he was the occupant. Ruble told firefighters he had heard people outside, and they were the ones that apparently started the fire.
The Laurel Volunteer Fire Department notified the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Keasling responded to the scene later that morning.
Keasling said, in his report, the general area of the fire origin was determined to be in the south third of the dwelling, which corresponded to a one-story addition used as a living room. While the origin was discovered, a cause was never firmly established.
“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 wrote in his report.
Then, on June 28, 2020, Ruble walked into the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department and asked to speak to someone as he wanted to confess to a fire he had set.
Decatur County Sheriff’s Department contacted the Indiana State Police to do an interview with Ruble. ISP Detective Andrew Mitchell did the initial interview with Ruble. It lasted 34 minutes. Ruble talked about the fire and another matter, which is being handled by the ISP, Keasling said.
Mitchell contacted Keasling about the fire.
On August 4, Keasling met with Ruble at his residence in Greensburg. Ruble agreed to meet with Keasling at the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department for a formal interview.
“During the interview, Mr. Ruble answered all questions of which concurred with answers he provided during the ISP interview with Detective Mitchell,” Keasling wrote 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.”
Keasling said Western Reserve Group provided insurance coverage on the dwelling in question. Keasling said the coverage was for $66,000 at the time of the loss.
The exact charges are Count I: Arson, knowingly damage by fire, etc. the dwelling of another w/o consent; and Count 2: Arson, property of another person without the other person’s consent if the pecuniary loss is at least five thousand dollars ($5,000). Count 2 was dismissed.
Cox set the sentencing hearing for 9 a.m., Wednesday, November 4.
Ruble could be sentenced to two to 12 years in prison.