Housekeeper Arrested on Charge of Stealing Deceased Client’s $20,000 Ring

On February 14, 2024, the victim contacted the Bunnell Police Chief to report his concerns regarding a missing, and possibly stolen, ring valued at $40,000, belonging to his recently departed wife. (It was later appraised at half that value.)

The victim explained he found his wife of 53 years unresponsive on the morning of October 28, 2023. Officers from the Bunnell Police Department and medics from Flagler County Fire Rescue responded to the call. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to revive the woman. Officers then took the standard next steps to document the incident, collect the wife’s medications for destruction, and await the arrival of the funeral home.

Sometime afterwards, the victim realized a ring his wife cherished was missing. With the aid of family members, the victim searched the home, but they could not locate the ring. While careful not to make any direct accusations against the first responders or funeral home personnel, the victim expressed concern to the chief about the possibility of theft.

The case was assigned to Bunnell Police Detective Sergeant Shane Groth. Initially, a review of video footage from the cameras worn by the two responding police officers gave no indication of the ring nor officers having contact with it. The victim agreed to allow Detective Sergeant Groth and Detective Jeff Traylor search his home to help locate the ring. During a later interview with the victim, the detectives learned the victim had a housekeeper at the time of his wife’s passing. They also learned the victim knew the housekeeper as Ruth Ann Brown, but later confirmed this was an alias. Her real name is Ruth Ann Robertson, age 57, of Bunnell. Detectives checked pawn shop transaction records under both names, which revealed Robertson had an extensive pawn transaction history at Cash-It-In Pawn in Bunnell. The detectives spoke with pawn shop employees and determined Robertson pawned a ring similar to the stolen ring on November 20, 2023.

Detectives then contacted Robertson and she explained she had been the victim’s housekeeper for about nine years and developed a close relationship with the victim’s wife. Robertson said she cleaned the victim’s home three or four days after his wife passed away. While she was familiar with the ring, Robertson told detectives she did not take it.

Detectives then confronted Robertson with her pawn transaction history. Again, Robertson denied taking the stolen ring but claimed she pawned other rings. When confronted with the specific transaction record of November 20, 2023, Robertson initially said she couldn’t remember which ring she pawned, but eventually admitted to detectives she stole the ring in question from the victim’s residence due to financial issues she was having. She explained to detectives she wanted something by which she could remember the victim’s wife.

Robertson further admitted to detectives she arranged for a friend, Lora Escalante of Bradenton, FL, to come to Bunnell, and pay off her $300 pawn note on the stolen ring and one other ring she pawned. After paying off the pawned rings, Escalante agreed to give Robertson an additional $900 for the stolen ring. Escalante then returned to her Bradenton home. Detectives contacted Escalante, who agreed to cooperate with the investigation and surrender the ring. With the assistance of the Bradenton, FL, Police Department, Escalante surrendered the ring to their officers, who returned the ring to the victim.

An independent appraisal of the ring’s replacement value by a certified appraiser indicated the ring was valued at $20,000.

Detective Traylor developed an arrest warrant for Robertson for Dealing in Stolen Property, which was presented to and approved by the State Attorney’s Office. The Honorable Judge Christopher France signed the warrant on March 4, 2024. Detective Traylor arrested Robertson later that evening and booked her into the Flagler County Inmate Facility on $25,000 bond.