Man accused in Scioto County arson, murder appears in court

James Ruggles, 33, is facing multiple charges in connection to the death of 59-year-old Rocky Jordan of Portsmouth. In court Thursday, a judge ruled that he will be held in jail without bail.

Ruggles’ preliminary court appearance will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

Deputies say Ruggles has been charged with aggravated murder, aggravated arson, felonious assault, first-degree murder, first-degree arson, tampering with evidence, resisting arrest and obstructing official business. He was detained Tuesday afternoon at an area business and officially arrested and charged later that same day, the sheriff’s office said.

According to Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman, a 911 call came in around 9:40 p.m. Monday from a caller to say he had stopped by his friend, Rocky Jordan’s, home on Miller’s Run Fallen Timber Road to check on him and found the man unresponsive. The sheriff says the caller believed his friend may have been dead.

Deputies and medics responded to the scene. Thoroughman says that investigators ruled that the man’s death was a homicide.