Man sentenced for trying to poison his wife so he could marry her daughter

RICHMOND, Ind. (TCN) -- A 71-year-old man was sentenced this week after he pleaded guilty to poisoning his wife’s soda with drugs and trying to kill her because he wanted to marry her daughter.

Court records show Alfred Ruf entered the plea for aggravated battery on Monday, Aug. 26. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dismissed a charge of conspiracy to commit murder that does not result in death. A judge sentenced him the same day to nine years in prison with five suspended, as well as probation upon his release in four years.

According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, on Jan. 3, 2022, deputies conducted a welfare check at Ruf’s home and spoke with his wife, who said she was being poisoned. The wife went to the hospital multiple times in 2021 for suspected poisoning. Ruf reportedly later "admitted to giving [his wife] an unknown substance knowing it would eventually kill her."

Officials arrested Ruf on Jan. 7, 2022, and said they were investigating two other potential persons of interest.

Court documents cited by WXIN-TV say the wife displayed symptoms of poisoning, including headaches, diarrhea, and drowsiness, and that tests at the hospital showed she had traces of MDMA, cocaine, and other drugs in her body. She reportedly said she had never taken any of those drugs.

Investigators reportedly found a white powdery substance on the wife’s Coca-Cola can that Ruf claimed came from the wife’s daughter. Ruf said the substance would cause his wife to "sleep for approximately 13 hours or so." In total, he reportedly spiked her drink 12 times.

He allegedly "stated that he would do this to eventually kill her."

Ruf and the daughter had reportedly been having sex, and she allegedly said she wanted to "get mom out of the picture" and collect her life insurance policy. He told police he and the daughter planned to wed after he "took care of" her mother.

When the wife fell asleep after the poison, her daughter and friend, who he was also sleeping with, would reportedly come over to the house and steal from the victim.

Ruf confessed to his wife on Jan. 3, 2022, about his actions "because he felt bad."

Prior to finding out about the poisoning, the wife had reported different items stolen to local law enforcement and said she believed she was being drugged.