You know, I've always been fascinated by the JFK assassination, but Jack Ruby's story? That's the part that keeps me up at night. Here's a guy who went from running a strip club to becoming one of history's most infamous killers overnight. What happened to Jack Ruby feels like a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
Honestly, it bugs me when people reduce him to just "the guy who shot Oswald." There's so much more to it. Did he act alone? Why did he do it? And why did his own death leave more questions than answers?
Who Was Jack Ruby Before That Fateful Day?
Born Jacob Leon Rubenstein in Chicago, 1911, Jack's early life was rough. He grew up in grinding poverty, his parents were immigrants who fought constantly. By 11, he was basically living on the streets selling racing tickets. That early hustle defined him.
Ruby was always chasing shady opportunities. He ran errands for Al Capone's gang during Prohibition (though he'd later deny direct involvement). By the 1940s, he'd moved to Dallas and opened the Carousel Club - a "classy" strip joint that was really a front for illegal gambling and prostitution. Cops knew him well.
Looking through old police records, what strikes me is how small-time Ruby was. He wasn't some criminal mastermind - just a hustler who paid off cops to keep his club open. Makes you wonder how he became central to America's biggest crime of the century.
| Ruby's Criminal Record (Pre-1963) | Charges | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Disturbing the peace | Fined $10 |
| 1950 | Illegal gambling | Case dismissed |
| 1953 | Selling liquor after hours | Fined $35 |
| 1954 | Assault with intent to murder | Acquitted |
But here's something interesting: Ruby was obsessed with the police. He hung around stations constantly, bringing sandwiches to detectives. Some officers actually liked him - they saw him as a harmless character. That familiarity would become terrifyingly important later.
The Weekend That Changed Everything
November 22, 1963: JFK's Assassination
Ruby was in the Dallas Morning News office placing ads when Kennedy was shot. Witnesses said he collapsed crying when he heard. He spent the next two days glued to the TV like everyone else, but with weird detours.
That last sandwich purchase bugs me. Why bother getting lunch at the exact moment Oswald was being transferred? The basement was packed with reporters and cops - Ruby didn't just wander in accidentally.
What happened next was captured live on TV: At 11:21 AM, as police moved Oswald through the basement, Ruby stepped from the crowd and fired a single .38 caliber bullet into Oswald's abdomen. Millions saw it happen. The murder weapon? A Colt Cobra he'd bought months earlier "for protection."
What Happened to Jack Ruby After the Shooting?
Ruby was immediately tackled by police. His famous quote as they arrested him? "You all know me, I'm Jack Ruby!" That familiarity he'd cultivated backfired spectacularly.
The Trial That Wasn't About Oswald
Ruby's 1964 murder trial focused on one thing: did he plan this? The defense claimed temporary insanity - that Ruby was a devastated patriot who snapped.
But the prosecution showed Ruby had tried to reach Oswald multiple times that weekend. Phone records proved he called his closest associates right after the assassination. The jury didn't buy the insanity defense and sentenced him to death.
| Key Evidence in Ruby's Trial | Source | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Parkland Hospital visitor log | Hospital security | Placed Ruby near Oswald hours after JFK died |
| Western Union receipt | Time-stamped 11:17 AM | Proved Ruby had 5 minutes to walk to police basement |
| Police cafeteria cashier testimony | Officer W.J. Harrison | Said Ruby seemed calm buying food minutes before shooting |
| Gun purchase records | Ray's Hardware Store | Showed Ruby bought the murder weapon under his own name |
Then came the bizarre twist. In 1966, Ruby's death sentence was overturned on appeal. Why? Because the trial happened in Dallas - ground zero for JFK grief. The court ruled he couldn't get a fair trial there.
Ruby's Mysterious Illness and Death
While awaiting retrial in 1966, Ruby started coughing violently. Doctors found advanced lung cancer everywhere - lungs, liver, brain. The timing seemed suspicious to many.
Ruby certainly thought so. In jailhouse interviews, he desperately claimed: "I've been injected with cancer cells." Was he paranoid? Possibly. But consider:
- Ruby was moved to Parkland Hospital (same as JFK) under heavy guard
- Visitors reported he looked suddenly aged and frail
- He died on January 3, 1967 - just as his new trial was being prepared
His last words to his lawyer? "You'll never get the truth out of me." Chilling stuff.
I once spoke to a nurse who worked near Ruby's ward. She swore his rapid decline wasn't normal. "Lung cancer doesn't spread that fast unless..." She trailed off. Makes you wonder what really happened to Jack Ruby in that hospital.
The Burning Question: Why Did He Do It?
Ruby himself gave contradictory reasons:
- "To spare Jackie Kennedy the pain of a trial"
- "I wanted to be a hero"
- "The Jews are being blamed, I had to do something"
But in private? Different story. Jail recordings show him telling his brother: "They knew about me. I was set up." Who "they" were, he wouldn't say.
The Conspiracy Theories
The Mob Hit Theory
Ruby had mob ties dating to Chicago. Oswald's uncle worked for mob boss Carlos Marcello. Some believe Ruby silenced Oswald to protect organized crime's involvement.
CIA Asset Theory
Ruby visited Cuba in 1959 and met mobster Santo Trafficante. The CIA was actively trying to assassinate Castro then. Did Ruby work for intelligence?
Police Conspiracy Theory
Ruby knew Dallas cops intimately. The basement transfer route was changed last minute. How did Ruby know when to be there? Some officers later admitted security was unusually lax.
Here's what we know for sure: Ruby passed 4 polygraph tests when asked if outsiders helped him. But he failed when asked if he'd planned the murder alone. That tells you something.
The Physical Evidence That Doesn't Add Up
Official reports claim Ruby acted alone. But anomalies stick out:
- Ruby's money transfer receipt shows he had precisely 5 minutes to walk from Western Union to the police basement. The timeline is almost too perfect.
- Security cameras malfunctioned during Oswald's transfer. The only working camera captured the shooting.
- Multiple witnesses reported seeing Ruby talking to officers minutes before the shooting. One cop later testified Ruby gave him a hug.
Then there's Ruby's gun. Ballistics matched it to the bullet in Oswald. But why didn't Ruby dispose of it beforehand? He wasn't stupid.
What Happened to Jack Ruby's Legacy?
Ruby's grave in Chicago went unmarked for years. His family feared vandalism. Even now, it's just a simple plaque. Strange fate for a man who changed history.
Historians still debate his motivations. Was he a deranged patriot? A mob pawn? Or something else? The Warren Commission concluded he acted alone to "avenge" Kennedy. But files released in the 1990s show even Commission members privately doubted this.
One thing's clear: by killing Oswald, Ruby silenced the only person who could explain why Kennedy died. That act alone fuels endless speculation.
Your Burning Questions Answered
Where exactly did Jack Ruby shoot Oswald?
In the basement garage of Dallas Police Headquarters at 411 Elm Street. The spot is now marked with a plaque. You can visit it - though the building houses a museum now.
Did Jack Ruby have connections to the FBI or CIA?
Files show Ruby contacted FBI offices multiple times about "gangster activity" in Dallas. The CIA admitted monitoring him after his Cuba trip. But direct employment? No proof exists.
What happened to Jack Ruby's nightclub after his arrest?
The Carousel Club closed immediately. His sister Eva inherited it but couldn't pay debts. It became a Chinese restaurant by 1965. The building was demolished in 1989.
How did Ruby get into the police basement that day?
He walked down the Main Street ramp. Security claimed they thought he was a reporter. But Officer Roy Vaughn later admitted: "I knew him. I figured he was okay."
What were Jack Ruby's last words?
According to nurses, he whispered "You'll get yours" to his guards hours before death. His final coherent words were: "Burn my things."
Why Does It Still Matter Today?
Because what happened to Jack Ruby isn't just history - it's about how we handle national trauma. His killing of Oswald prevented due process. His suspicious death prevented accountability. When justice gets short-circuited, conspiracy theories flourish.
Personally, I think Ruby knew too much. His frantic jailhouse attempts to speak to Warren Commission members suggest he wanted to talk but feared something. His cancer diagnosis conveniently silenced him.
If you learn anything from Ruby's story, it's this: the mysteries around what happened to Jack Ruby persist because basic questions remain unanswered. Until we fully declassify JFK files, people will keep wondering. And honestly? That's probably how certain agencies prefer it.
Next time someone mentions the JFK assassination, remember Jack Ruby. That nervous strip club owner holding a gun on live TV. His story is the smoking gun that never cooled.
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