On April 10, 1990, James Ruble, a 26-year-old male real estate agent in Tucson, Arizona, was tragically murdered. His death was the result of a violent encounter with a man who had feigned interest in leasing a commercial property. The man, who identified himself as Michael Davis, was later found to be Arthur Ross. Ross had scheduled a viewing of a vacant store with Ruble that afternoon.
Once inside the property, Ross, who was armed with a nine-millimeter handgun, attempted to rob Ruble.
A struggle ensued between the two men, during which Ross shot Ruble in the head at close range. After the initial shot, Ross dragged Ruble's body behind a counter and shot him a second time in the head, which proved to be fatal. Following the murder, Ross stole Ruble's wallet and immediately began using his credit and bank cards. In the days that followed, Ross used Ruble's identity to obtain a temporary driver's license, make cash withdrawals in Tucson and Casa Grande, and purchase a car.
The use of Ruble's financial cards provided a clear trail for investigators, leading to the swift apprehension of Arthur Ross in Casa Grande on April 14, 1990, just four days after the murder. At the time of his arrest, Ross was in possession of Ruble's wallet and initially claimed to be the victim. He was charged with premeditated first-degree murder and armed robbery. The evidence against him was overwhelming, including his fingerprints at the crime scene, bank surveillance photos of him using Ruble's ATM card, and the recovery of the murder weapon from his vehicle. Ross was found guilty and sentenced to death for the murder and life imprisonment for the armed robbery in April 1991. After spending seven years on death row and declining further appeals, Arthur Ross was executed by lethal injection on April 29, 1998.
