Hawaii Loa Ridge home where gruesome murder occurred is listed for $2.5M

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Hawaii Loa Ridge home where an elderly man’s body was found encased in concrete in a bathtub is now up for sale.

It has been nearly five months since 73-year-old Gary Ruby’s remains were found.

Ruby’s property is now listed at nearly $2.5 million.

Real estate consultant Stephany Sofos said the home’s history will be a big question among potential buyers.

“For me, as the broker, the first thing I would tell the family members, let’s get this house blessed,” said Sofos. “Any broker who takes on the listing of that property has to disclose somewhere or another that there was some type of circumstance where someone died.”

Police said Ruby was murdered in this home in March.

His alleged killer, Juan Tejedor Baron, reportedly confessed to strangling his lover after the victim admitted to being HIV positive. New court documents say another man who identified as Baron’s boyfriend at the time recalls Baron telling him that he was wanted as a middleman for a drug cartel run by Gary’s brother.

In a phone call with his mom from OCCC, Baron supposedly paid $10,000 to marry a Houston woman to obtain his green card.

The documents say Baron and his family worked at a car dealership, mainly selling to illegal immigrants so they could raise prices.

Baron also claimed that his lawyer told him that his defense is that he does not speak English.

But court documents said he is fluent and had no problem understanding officers when questioned at the scene of the murder.

Ruby’s Home on Lelekepue Place is a three-bed, three-bath property.

Sofos said it’s not uncommon for crime scene homes to hit the market quickly.

“Family members have to move on, and they’re just trying to move forward and sell it.”

The real estate consultant said homes in the gated community are valued between $2-$9 million.

But she said potential buyers should know what they’re getting into.

“I would want to know the murderer has been convicted, if he’s in jail, if he’s walking around, what’s the history?” said Sofos. “How am I going to be protected? Have the keys been changed, all of that is involved.”

Baron’s trial is currently set to begin Aug. 29.