Arnold Archambeau & Ruby Bruguier
Unsolved mysteries televised the case in 1995.
Case background:
Arnold Archambeau, 20, and Ruby Bruguier, 19 were a teenage couple and the parents of an infant daughter out driving with Ruby's cousin, Tracy, 17, when they were involved in a horrible car accident. By the time help arrived, they had wandered off, leaving Tracy trapped in the overturned car. They remained missing for three months until March 10, 1993 when Ruby's body was found floating in the ditch just seventy-five feet from the accident with Arnold's body being found a few yards away the next day. Analysis revealed they were in two very different stages of decomposition. The police would like to know where their bodies were while they were missing; the area in which they were found had been searched right after they went missing.
My theory:
Of all the puzzling cases in the world, this case takes the cake for me... Why, you ask? Well, lets do a quick rundown:
- How is it possible that they just disappeared and then reappeared at the same exact area that was searched three months prior?
- Why would they leave Tracy trapped in the car, why didn't they help her out?
- If it was two different stages of decomposition, what in the world was the other person doing, while the other was dead? Why weren't they seeking help?
- They died from exposure... this definitely takes some time, so again, why weren't they seeking help?
- If they fell through the frozen water, during the INITIAL search, it definitely would of been apparent. Signs of struggling, holes in the ice, shoe skid marks, etc.
Now for my theory, I believe they were dazed after the car accident, but here's where the catch 22 comes in: they were not dazed ENOUGH, because they had the instinct to close the car doors, but no instinct whatsoever to help a screaming Tracy out of the car as well. It just doesn't fit. Maybe their brains were in survival mode and didn't think of helping someone else. But that's a bit far fetched for me.
So let's just say for the sake of making a little sense, they wanted to keep Tracy in the car while they went for help, so their walking and searching for help and they go beyond where police covered ground to find them. Once the police gave up the search, Arnold and Ruby unsuccessful with finding help, return to the scene of the accident (after some time, of course), finding nothing and no one there, they are again back at square one.
But then again, I ask myself wouldn't the police have setup some type of guard duty just in case Arnold and Ruby return to the scene ? Yes possible, but if they are not finding signs of them after a certain amount of days, they call it off.
But then again, I ask myself wouldn't the police have setup some type of guard duty just in case Arnold and Ruby return to the scene ? Yes possible, but if they are not finding signs of them after a certain amount of days, they call it off.
So by this point, depending on how long it's been, they are definitely becoming vulnerable to the elements, they are weaker and it is possible that they may have fell through the ice AFTER the initial search and that may explain why they weren't found there the first time the search was done. This seems like the only plausible explanation to me.
What's your theory?
My first question - Why did they leave the scene? Was it such a secluded area that they needed to go somewhere to find help? Also, if they knew it was such a distance to help, why didn't they help Tracy? They obviously felt they were in good enough shape to walk to help. What caused the accident? Was there another vehicle? Did they go after someone else? How did they die? Injuries that coincide with the accident? Any sign of trauma NOT caused by the accident? Also, 3 months?! And the bodies were at different stages of decomp? Was Arnold's body in a ditch as well? If not, that may explain a different rate of decomp. A body that is exposed to water on and off will be likely to decomp at a higher rate than one not exposed to the same conditions. I can't imagine that the 2 walked only 75 feet from the accident and weren't found during the initial investigation?
ReplyDeleteI mean no disrespect to the deceased, but a question that came to my mind initially was, "Were they under the influence of something? Alcohol, drugs?" If they were they might have been trying to get away from the accident. Did they leave Tracy thinking she was dead?
Quick question... Have you check out the Unsolved Mysteries show posted above on this case? Because it answers some of your questions. If you haven't, you should, as it will give you a better understanding of the case. If you have, let me know and I'll reply to your initial posting.
DeleteI will have to check it out, I haven't yet.
DeleteYes, please do and let me know your theory! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy theory is keep in mind its lake andy city december 12th in the dakotas. Its dead winter there. FREEZING! When the car flipped onto a frozen ditch. The ice held up the car which is thousands of pounds. Cause the landed on shallow water which would explain why the car didn't sink. The frozen water held the car like it fell on concrete. Shallow water as oppose to deep frozen water will be stonger. Place a cup of water with 2 oz of water in a freezer overnight. It's solid as a rock. Place a cup of water with 64oz over night. It's frozen but not as strong. Keep in mind arnolds wight and ruby's weight. (all due respect) A heavier person walking off on the ice will break through and sink deep. Ruby broke through but sank not so far as arnold did. that explains the differences in decomposition. Ice can preserve any meats. Thats why we throw out ground beef and chicken in the freezer. They deceased from exposure. Ruby was discovered in March which is close to spring as waters begin to melt. As the lake was pumped they discovered arnold later yards from her. If the forensic team had takent more photos of the accident and recorded times of the events and took into consideration temperatures we would have more to go off as "Okay they were some drunk indian teens. They'll show up later after they sober up"> This case would be solved and closed. One more thing the hair they found beside the road was it B4 or after they removed the body.
ReplyDeleteI would agree and say this scenario is plausible Super Mario but again, had they fell through the ice that very night, there would of surely been signs of it (holes in the ice) and police found none during the initial search. So it still makes no sense what happen to them.
DeleteThis is why it meets the missing 411 profile points of phenomenon, as incompetent as you may think investigator's were...they walked around the spot where the bodies were found 3months later... they were not there after accident, they were both abducted by something not human.. it makes no sense never does and this is why it's so disturbing...if you read the missing 411 books there are many cases documented that you yourself can verify if you like...there is no logical explanation...
DeleteWell the problem with your debate is that there were independent third parties that were by the area everyday during that three months and they have signed sworn affidavits those bodies were not there before they were found. Another problem Arnold was seen in a car with two other occupants after he went missing. The person who saw him went to school with him. A very strange and disturbing case indeed.
ReplyDeleteIt could of been a case of mistaken identity, the high school friend could of thought it was Arnold and it really wasn't. It happens.
DeleteWhy doesn't anyone seem to think they could have fallen through the ice and then it could have frozen over again at the surface before police conducted a search? Is that not possible?
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt that, since their bodies would of been floating at the top of the water, had they fell through and drowned, not only that but they were found in two different locations AND in two different states of decomposition.
DeleteFrom what I remember, the water in the ditch was barely a foot deep. Also when rubys body was found 3 months later, about 15 or so feet away from her body was a tuff of hair (big wad of hair) on the side of the road, stuck to a small pice of weeds. As the main detective said, that hair was NOT there before and if so, how did that stay there unnoticed for 3 months. He, in a television interview said he personally along with many other officers, walked that ditch daily trying to figure out what happened to this young couple. (He knew them personally) and then one day boom, one body shows up, then another, then they find her hair? I have no idea what happened to them, but what I know, according to the one witness who did survive the accident.... Ruby was alive when she got out of the car... Dazed but alive....
ReplyDeleteHello Laurie, I just came upon the theory by Anon below and I find it quite interesting, take a look at it and tell me what you think.
DeleteOk, here is my theory, lame as it may be! Car crashes, couple gets out (leaves Ruby because they think shes dead) and start to walk. They see a car coming so they hide in the ditch besides the road. The car is actually a plow truck cleaning up after a recent snowfall, and curls a massive berm of snow in a mass and over the embankment right on top of the hiding couple. Hubby is in better shape because he spent more time under the drink and cold. Cops don't see it because the plow truck always makes berms as it passes. Kids have disappeared before, to only be found in the spring after snow fell from the roof. If could have happened.
ReplyDeleteInteresting theory and plausible, BUT they have no reason to hide from a car after a car crash. If anything they needed help, to help Ruby who they "thought" was dead. So the need to hide instead of get help from that passing car would make no sense. Although the theory of being buried alive in snow is possible, it would take a lot of snow to immobilize them.
DeleteA fascinating case indeed, and for what it’s worth (and not much), here are my two cents:
ReplyDeleteI believe the chance of “foul play” in this case, is much more UNLIKELY than the chance of a mere accident. Truth can often be “stranger than fiction,” and I believe that that is the case with this mystery.
Firstly, the whole scenario started out as an “accident,” after all – a car skidding on ice, flipping in a ditch, and landing on its hood. This means that if “foul play” was somehow involved, the perpetrator (or perpetrators) had to have been present at the scene of the incident and to have committed their dirty deed BEFORE any help arrived.
Secondly, what kind of motive would a perpetrator (or perpetrators) have two victims of a car accident? Robbery, abduction, kidnapping, what? Was anything discovered to have been taken from the victims after their bodies turned up? A missing wallet, jewelry, etc.? Whatever the case, if any form of “foul play” WAS involved, it seems to have been more of a “crime of opportunity,” than any kind of premeditated act.
And lastly, according to UNSOLVED MYSTERIES, the surviving victim of the car accident (Tracy) testified that Mr. Archambeau WAS NOT IN THE CAR when it came to a stop after landing on its hood. This implies that he was somehow THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE. This is not uncommon in car accidents, especially when one is not wearing a seatbelt.
I believe that it’s possible that when a stunned Ms. Bruguier crawled from the wreckage, she may have SPOTTED ARCHAMBEAU’S BODY laying some distance away. Knowing that her cousin (who was still trapped in the car) was at least alive, this prompts her TO LEAVE HER COUSIN BEHIND in an effort to aid her boyfriend, what happens after this is a mystery. But, whatever the fact, I believe that both Archambeau and Bruguier were probably swallowed by the ice in an inconspicuous manner. It was so subtle, in fact, that no one noticed it or were even able to spot it after searching the scene of the accident (this is where “truth stranger than fiction” comes into play). Obviously, being submerged in ice explains why Archambeau’s body was so well preserved months later. And Bruguier, who did not sink as deep, experienced some decomposition, but probably still much less than a body normally would in three months. Hence, the coroner ruled death via “exposure.”
Whatever the case, my heart goes out to this family. It's a tragedy no matter the circumstances.
I'm not sure what caused the death of the two persons but I do know that one of the bodies was taken from the trunk of a car and placed north of the road. One of the four persons involved wore glasses. the tuft of hair was on the ground because when the body was being carried the hair was stepped on and torn off the scalp
ReplyDeleteThey fell through the ice trying to get help. one sunk to the bottom, the other more towards the top that would explain different decomposition. The ice froze over after they fell through. It doesn't take long.
ReplyDeleteSo what has CV that policeman found out about the key(s)? Is there a car key, house key, etc? Can Ford, Chev, Nissan tell anything about what kind of car etc
ReplyDeleteI believe Arnold was thrown from the car during the accident and went under the ice. Tracy saw him get thrown from the car during the accident because she was in the front seat. This is why she ran out of the car so quickly. Too save him. She knew her cousin was alive so she closed the door to keep her warm and check on Arnold. As soon as she left the car tracy fell through the ice. When a person falls through the ice it creates slush and slush freezes fast, which is why they couldn't find them when the cops searched later! It may have been snowing that night also which would cover the holes in the ice even more. The girl who saw them later must have been mistaken or lieing. My other theory is that they left the seen to not get in trouble, went to the 2 friends house, the 2 who were later seen in the backseat of the car with Arnold and Tracy by the witness. These 2 friends killed them and then brought them back to the ditch after Arnold and Tracy told them where it happend! This could have been about a debt owed of some kind or to not get in trouble, but I believe my first theory is the one.
ReplyDelete