Indiana Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Attempting to Kill Wife by Spiking Her Coca-Cola
An Indiana man, Alfred W. Ruf, 71, was sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to spiking his wife’s Coca-Cola with cocaine and other drugs in an attempt to kill her and run off with his stepdaughter. Ruf pled guilty to aggravated battery posing a risk of death, while a more severe charge of conspiracy to commit murder was dismissed as part of a plea deal, according to court documents.
The case came to light in 2022 when Ruf's wife, Lisa Bishop, informed police during a welfare check that she believed her husband was trying to kill her. She had been hospitalized multiple times and suspected Ruf was responsible. Ruf reportedly confessed to his wife out of guilt, leading her to provide officers with a pill bottle containing a white powdery substance and a Coke can she had cut open, which contained the same substance.
Bishop was taken to the hospital, where tests confirmed the presence of cocaine, MDMA (commonly known as molly or ecstasy), and benzodiazepines in her system—substances she denied ever using. The probable cause affidavit stated that Ruf had been secretly drugging Bishop’s drinks over several months, intending to kill her.
Ruf’s defense attorney, John L. Tompkins, described the couple’s marriage as volatile, citing an incident where Bishop had allegedly run Ruf over with a car and "beat him bloody" a year before his arrest. Tompkins suggested that earlier legal action against Bishop might have prevented the tragic events that followed, but he emphasized that Bishop's actions did not excuse Ruf's behavior.
The affidavit revealed further disturbing details: Ruf claimed that his stepdaughter from Bishop’s previous relationship, along with a friend, had provided him with the white powdery substance to drug Bishop. Ruf alleged that the two women would instruct him to administer the drugs and then come to the house to give Bishop more of the unknown substance. Ruf also claimed to be involved in a sexual relationship with both women, although his attorney denied this.
Ruf stated that his stepdaughter had mentioned a life insurance policy on Bishop and encouraged him to "get mom out of the picture." The stepdaughter’s friend allegedly hinted at wanting to marry Ruf "after they took care of Lisa." Despite these claims, the stepdaughter has denied any involvement in the attempted poisoning, and neither she nor her friend has been arrested or charged.
Ruf admitted to drugging Bishop approximately 12 times between September and December 2021, leading to multiple hospitalizations due to her severe reactions. Bishop had been experiencing headaches, drowsiness, and light-headedness without understanding the cause, until she discovered the powdery substance in her drink and confronted Ruf, who confessed to drugging her.
Ruf’s sentence includes four years in prison followed by five years of probation. The investigation into the involvement of the stepdaughter and her friend remains ongoing.
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