Kimberly Ruggles, Civilian

On January 6, 1987, Army soldier Ronald Gray raped, sodomized, robbed, and murdered civilian Kimberly Ann Ruggles, 23, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Kimberly, who was a taxi driver, was dispatched to pick up Ronald Gray at his residence. In the early morning hours of January 7th, Fort Bragg military police officers discovered Ruggles’ empty cab parked at the edge of the woods on post. They discovered Kimberly’s nude body a short distance away. She had been raped, sodomized, beaten, and stabbed seven times. Kimberly’s mouth was gagged with a cloth belt that matched pants found in Gray’s possession only hours earlier. Ronald Gray’s fingerprints were also on the interior door handle of Ruggles’ taxi and Ruggles’ fingerprints were found on money in Gray’s possession. In addition, Gray’s footprints were found at the scene of the crime. In 1988, Ronald Gray was found guilty by the military courts of the premeditated murders of Kimberly and Private Laura Lee Vickery-Clay, and the attempted premeditated murder of Private Mary Ann Lang Nameth. On April 12, 1988, Ronald Gray was sentenced to death, given a dishonorable discharge, total forfeitures, and a reduction to Private E-1. In 2008, President George Bush gave the final approval for the military execution of Ronald Gray. In December 2016, media reports indicated that the military is moving forward with the lethal injection execution of Ronald Gray.

Related Links:
Witness Links Victim, Gray to Drugs
Georgia soldier convicted of two murders
Soldier Gets Death Sentence for Raping, Killing 2 Women
United States, Appellee v. Ronald A. GRAY, U.S. Army, Appellant (1999)
Ronald Gray vs United States of America (2000)
Bush: Former Army cook’s crimes warrant execution
Bush OKs Execution for Army Private on Death Row
Hearing set for former Fort Bragg soldier convicted of rapes and murders
Soldier’s Denied Appeal May Pave Way for Death Sentence
Twenty-eight years later, Winter Garden man sees his daughter’s killer
Ft. Bragg Killer To Be Executed
Military to execute murderer and rapist Ronald Gray, a former soldier, after 8-year delay
US military to execute first inmate in over 50 years
Ronald Gray, US Army, Sentenced to Death by Military Court for the Rape & Murder of Army Private Laura Vickery-Clay & Civilian Kimberly Ruggles (1986)
U.S. Military May Perform First Execution In Over 50 Years (YouTube)
Execution Date to Be Set for Former U.S. Army Soldier (YouTube)

According to CNN, the US military could soon execute someone for the first time since 1961. Ronald Gray, a former Army soldier, has been on military death row at Fort Leavenworth since 1988 when he was convicted of killing five women and raping several others in 1986 and 1987 while stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. A civilian court gave him eight life sentences, but a military court sentenced him to death. Last week, a judge ruled Gray’s stay in prison was no longer in effect and denied any further stays. Following the ruling, an execution date for Gray could be announced as soon as next month. –Wochit News