Trigger Warning: This article mentions details about murder and violence.
A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to murdering his 73-year-old gay partner and concealing his body in a bathtub filled with concrete. Juan Baron admitted in court to killing 73-year-old Gary Ruby sometime between January 19 and March 7, 2022, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
According to court documents, Baron strangled Ruby with a belt after learning the older man was HIV-positive. However, he then attempted to stage the scene as a suicide by slitting Ruby’s wrist, dragging the body into a bathtub, and later pouring concrete over it to conceal the odour of decomposition, while he was still alive. He covered the cement with coffee grounds later and pleaded guilty in 2022.
As per PEOPLE, Baron remained in Ruby’s $1.2 million home following the murder and drove his Audi A6, claiming both as his own. Authorities say Baron also fraudulently attempted to forge documents to acquire property ownership. The shameless man fled the place and was eventually arrested in California as he was discovered hiding in a crawl space aboard a bus bound for Mexico.
Authorities discovered Gary Ruby’s body in March 2022 after his brother reported not hearing from him for weeks. He identifies as homosexual and reportedly had informed his brother about meeting Juan as a new romantic partner.
As per the arrest warrant, Baron was convicted of two counts of theft and one count of identity theft for using Ruby’s belongings and attempting to assume his identity. As Baron was sentenced on July 30, 2025, the Hawaii Parole Board will later determine the minimum number of years he must serve before becoming eligible for parole.
Family Confronts Killer Who Encased Lover in Cement in Bathtub: ‘You Buried Him Alive’ https://t.co/PoBLdGN3Zf
— People (@people) August 6, 2025
Gary Ruby’s family mourned the death of their beloved family member and said that she loved art, literature, and theatre. “The medical examiner found particles of cement in my uncle’s lungs,” said Ruby’s niece. “I have to live knowing that he was still breathing when you poured cement on him. You have to live with that, too, Mr. Baron.”
Gary’s brother, Lorne Ruby, was upset about the incident and called Juan Baron evil, cold, and cruel. In his last email to his brother, the convicted Juan Baron was living with him at the time of the murder. Meanwhile, the plea document notes that Baron, a Colombian national, had overstayed his visa. If he is granted parole, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take him into custody and begin deportation proceedings.
Already, Trump’s mass deportation policies have caused a lot of drama since they have been ruthless. Usually, cases like these are often seen in heterosexual relationships. Still, a case like this between same sex partners, that too so brutal, has left the state shocked. Please know that horrible abuse cases like these deserve no forgiveness, and I hope the innocent victim who lost his life gets justice.
