On the night of September 1, 2001, 59-year-old Thomas Ruiz was found on the sidewalk at Conklin Avenue and Gates Street in Binghamton with severe head injuries consistent with having been struck. Ruiz, a Hispanic man and long-time Binghamton resident who had worked for the city for 30 years before retiring, was taken to Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center and died of his injuries on September 3, 2001. His death was ruled a homicide.

The Binghamton Police Department opened an investigation and has pursued various leads over the years, but no arrests have been announced and no suspects have been publicly identified. The circumstances of the late summer attack remain unexplained, and Ruiz’s family and the community continue to seek answers. Anyone with information about that night is asked to come forward.