Ruby Estelle Dorman, a 78-year-old woman known for her reliability, vanished under troubling circumstances in Laughlin, Nevada. She had just completed her shift as a buffet hostess at the Flamingo hotel and casino, clocking out in the mid-afternoon. Dorman, a creature of habit who had reportedly not missed a day of work in 20 years, changed out of her uniform and proceeded to the parking garage where her white Honda Accord was parked. It is believed she drove home, a short trip that should have taken about fifteen minutes. Her roommate was home but asleep at the time and did not see her return. Later, her vehicle was found parked at her mobile home, with her purse and keys still inside, but Ruby was nowhere to be found.
The investigation into Ruby's disappearance quickly focused on her daughter, Juliann White. Earlier on the day Ruby went missing, White had called her mother's roommate to get directions to the residence. Investigators believe that after Ruby arrived home from work, she and her daughter left together. A pivotal moment in the timeline occurred when Ruby's roommate awoke late in the afternoon to see White returning to the mobile home alone, driving her mother's Honda. The roommate witnessed White park the car, get into her own Jeep Cherokee, and drive away without going inside. When questioned by police, White gave inconsistent statements and denied having seen her mother or driving her car on the day she disappeared, a claim directly contradicted by the roommate's account.
The case is further complicated by a history of a strained relationship and White's long-standing mental health issues. White harbored a deep-seated enmity towards her mother and had made threats against her in the past. She held a bizarre and unsubstantiated belief that her mother was connected to the infamous Manson family murders of 1969, specifically alleging that Ruby had ordered the murder of White's paternal aunt, Rosemary LaBianca. There has never been any evidence to support this claim. Shortly after her mother vanished, White moved and authorities have been unable to locate her for further interviews. Due to the abrupt nature of her disappearance and the surrounding circumstances, investigators suspect foul play and are treating the case as a homicide. However, without a crime scene or Ruby's body, and with insufficient evidence, no charges have been filed, and the case of Ruby Dorman remains an unsolved and poignant mystery.
Last Seen: Apr 20, 2003
