BROOKVILLE BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — Police say a local man who claimed to have the authority of God threatened to kill his family.
Court records show the Brookville Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 46-year-old Rocky Ryan Ruffner, of Hawthorn, in District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak’s office on Monday, April 1.
According to a criminal complaint, Brookville Borough Police were dispatched to meet with the victim, who reported receiving threats of harm, injury, sexual assault, and death from a family member, Rocky Ruffner.
According to the complaint, the victim told police there had not been any communication with Ruffner for over seven years. However, on Monday, April 1, a phone call was received around 7:47 a.m. It went to voicemail and contained a man’s voice; the man attempted to disguise his identity, talking about being Jesus Christ, and he spoke of religious happenings before hanging up.
Ruffner left three voicemails in total. In the second message, Ruffner again claimed to be Jesus Christ and “talked of religious beliefs,” the complaint continues.
In the third message, Ruffner said he hoped “the entire family was there because (he’s) going to kill them all,” according to the complaint.
Ruffner left an additional voice message saying he was going to “rape, pillage, and kill whoever he wanted.” He continued to make threats toward the victim in the voicemail, stating he was going to give his money away and give his house to a needy person once he was dead, the complaint notes.
The victim and his wife both spoke with Ruffner after he left the voicemails. They both told police Ruffner threatened their lives again. After hearing these threats, the victims expressed tremendous fear that Ruffner was going to come to their home to kill them, the complaint states.
While taking the report from the victim, Ruffner called back and Brookville Police Officer Mickey Stormer answered the phone, the complaint notes.
According to the complaint, Ruffner told Officer Stormer he was Jesus Christ, and he was allowed to do “whatever the (expletive) he wanted” because he had the authority of God.
Ruffner told police he was “in a trailer somewhere” with a known female, the complaint notes.
The tone of Ruffner’s voice, combined with the threats he made toward his family, caused the victims to arm themselves, make arrangements with neighbors and friends, and “change their lives” to protect themselves from Ruffner, the complaint states.
According to a report released by the Brookville Police Department, an arrest warrant was issued, and Ruffner was located in Novato, California, as he was barricaded inside a fast-food restaurant.
He was charged with the following offenses:
- Terroristic Threats W/ Intent To Terrorize Another, Felony 3
- Harassment – Comm. Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3
A date for a preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.
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