On a summer evening in Aberdeen, Idaho, the life of 62-year-old Caucasian female Bettilee Pauline Ruff came to a tragic end. On July 5, 2018, authorities responded to a call from the home she shared with her husband, Eugene R. Ruff. Upon arrival at the residence, officers from the Aberdeen Police Department and the Bingham County Sheriff's Office discovered Bettilee deceased inside.
The subsequent investigation quickly focused on her husband, then 63-year-old Eugene Ruff.
It was revealed that Eugene himself had contacted the Bingham County Dispatch Center. During the call, he reportedly admitted to intentionally shooting his wife. When law enforcement arrived at their home, they took Eugene into custody and he was soon charged with first-degree murder in connection with his wife's death. Prosecutors stated that Bettilee had been shot in the torso.
The events leading up to the fatal shooting reportedly began with an argument between the couple, who had been drinking that evening. In a turn of events, Eugene Ruff used a. 22-250 bolt-action rifle to shoot and kill his wife of 44 years. Though he initially pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder, he later accepted a plea agreement.
As part of the agreement, the charge was amended, and Eugene Ruff pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. This admission came in a Bingham County District Court hearing. Per the plea deal, he faced an indeterminate life sentence with the possibility of parole, with the prosecution and defense agreeing to argue for a prison term of no less than 10 years and no more than 18 years before he would be eligible for parole.
