Court approves Rudin DNA, writing samples

Jeffrey Libby and Kim Smith

Thursday, Jan. 4, 2001 | 11:06 a.m.

Prosecutors Wednesday received permission to obtain saliva and handwriting samples from a Las Vegas woman suspected of killing her millionaire husband six years ago.

Prosecutors plan to compare Margaret Rudin's DNA with two stained handkerchiefs found in several boxes obtained by authorities in recent weeks. They also hope to compare her handwriting with diaries also found in the boxes.

Rudin and an unknown accomplice are suspected of shooting and decapitating her husband, Ron Rudin, 64, in December 1994 and burning his remains in a trunk in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Ronald Rudin's remains were found by fishermen in January 1995, but it wasn't until April 1997 that Margaret Rudin was indicted. She disappeared around that time.

Rudin was ultimately arrested in Massachusetts in November 1999 after Roma Scott, a Washington, Utah, woman provided authorities a tip on Rudin's whereabouts.

Scott, who received a $5,000 reward from Ron Rudin's estate, also provided police with seven boxes she said Rudin sent her in October 1999. In those boxes the handkerchiefs and diaries were found.

Rudin's attorney, Michael Amador, argued unsuccessfully that forcing Rudin to provide the samples would violate her constitutional rights under the Fifth Amendment.