Bio

Arthur Martin Ross was born on May 24, 1954. As an adult, Ross faced numerous legal issues. He was convicted of various crimes in multiple states, including Kansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, and California. His criminal history included a second-degree burglary conviction in Georgia in 1989. He served eight months in prison before being released on parole.

In 1990, Ross moved to Tucson, Arizona. After relocating, he quickly began to plot a crime. He used the identity of a businessman to lure a real estate agent into a vacant office. This action would eventually lead to tragic consequences.

He chose to continue down a violent path. Throughout his life, he was known as a repeat offender. His actions finally caught up with him when he was arrested in April 1990, just days after his crime.

Murder Story

On April 10, 1990, Arthur Martin Ross made a phone call to James Ruble, a 26-year-old real estate agent. Ross pretended to be a businessman wanting to lease office space in Tucson, Arizona. He arranged to meet Ruble at a vacant office property. After arriving at the location, Ross shot Ruble twice in the head with a nine-millimeter handgun. After shooting him, Ross took Ruble's wallet, which included a credit card, a bank card, and identification.

Following the murder, Ross used Ruble's bank card to withdraw about $800 from the victim's account at several ATMs in Tucson and Casa Grande. Ruble did not return home after the meeting, leading his roommate and coworker to grow concerned. They checked Ruble's appointment book and went to the office, where they found his body.

Police investigated the crime by tracing the credit card and bank card transactions. This effort led them to Ross, who was arrested in Casa Grande four days later, on April 14, 1990.

Ross was charged with premeditated first-degree murder and armed robbery. His trial started on December 18, 1990. The jury found him guilty on February 1, 1991. Ross was sentenced to death on April 19, 1991.

The execution took place on April 29, 1998, at a state prison in Arizona. He was executed by lethal injection at 12:03 a.m. Ross showed no final words and seemed ready to accept his fate. He was identified as a career criminal with previous convictions in multiple states.