Date Archives September 2016

Evavold found guilty for her role in disappearance of Rucki sisters

Deirdre (Dede) Evavold was convicted this afternoon on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

It took the jury at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings less than an hour to convict Evavold on all criminal counts she faced.

Evavold showed no emotion when the verdict was announced, but she later broke down and started crying when Judge Karen Asphaug remanded Evavold into immediate custody.

A Dakota County Sheriff’s Deputy needed to help Evavold stand, as she was visibly shaken and distraught. Evavold was removed from the courtroom and booked into jail in Hastings.

Evavold will remain in custody without bail until her sentencing hearing on November 10, 2016.

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Dede Evavold’s criminal trial begins today

Deirdre Evavold’s criminal trial on six counts of deprivation of parental rights begins today at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings.

Evavold has been charged with a total of six felony counts for her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

Samantha and Gianna Rucki disappeared on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents.

Evavold is a close friend and confidant of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, the mother of Samantha and Gianna, who she met during Grazzini-Rucki’s divorce with David Rucki. Continue reading

Grazzini-Rucki sentenced to jail for role in disappearance of daughters

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was sentenced by Judge Karen Asphaug to serve 34 days in jail and for the following six years, she will serve 15 days in jail on November 18 for the next six years – the anniversary of the day her daughters were found, for her involvement in the disappearance of her two daughters for over two years.

Grazzini-Rucki, who was immediately taken into custody, will also be on probation for the next six years, and she is prohibited from having contact with any of the victims.

Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty in July on six counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters ran from their home on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce proceeding involving their parents. Continue reading

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki files fraudulent harassment order to prevent media coverage

Earlier this afternoon, a Dakota County Deputy Sheriff served me with a harassment restraining order that was granted by Judge John McBride in Washington County at the request of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, who was convicted of six felony counts in July for deprivations of parental rights.

It is my belief that Grazzini-Rucki filed the fraudulent petition to prevent me from continuing to report on the legal developments in her criminal trial and others who have been criminally charged related to the disappearance Grazzini-Rucki’s children.

Today’s development is another sad example of Grazzini-Rucki’s documented behavior of using the court process to make false allegations against people she does not like.

During her criminal trial in July, Grazzini-Rucki admitted in testimony that she had repeatedly been “dishonest” when she previously testified under oath in her divorce and custody proceeding.  Continue reading

How the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling helped find the Rucki sisters

Like many of you, I was saddened to learn the news yesterday that Patty Wetterling had confirmed the body of her long-lost son, 11-year Jacob Wetterling, had been recovered.

According to media reports, Danny Heinrich, who has been labeled a “person of interest” by law enforcement in the disappearance of Jacob, led authorities to the remains of his body.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office confirmed last evening that Jacob’s body has been recovered, but it was Patty Wetterling’s statement earlier in the day which ended the search for her son, a search which began over 26 years ago. Continue reading