Date Archives 2017

Missing in Minnesota 2017: The year in review

December 29, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Missing in Minnesota continues to document and report on the true story of two sisters who vanished, the father who kept searching, and the adults who conspired to keep the truth hidden.

In 2017, Missing in Minnesota published over 70 stories, over 500 tweets, and built a Facebook Page with over 10,000 followers which provided detailed breaking news, analysis, and commentary on the continuing legal developments involving the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

The most significant change to Missing in Minnesota in 2017 was the additional of Allison Mann, who aside from contributing to the published content, Mann has provided strategic direction as Missing in Minnesota transitions from an online format to additional mediums which will be announced in 2018, so stay tuned! Continue reading →

Grazzini-Rucki: Federal agent posing as plumber has me in a safe house

December 20, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki claims a federal agent with the United States Marshals Service, who posed as a plumber has placed her in protective custody in a safe house, according to an interview broadcast yesterday live online.

Grazzini-Rucki also said during her interview that she is being held by the United States Marshals Service in advance of a warrant being issued for her arrest.

Her claim that she is being protected and held by the United States Marshals Service is the latest in a series of outlandish falsehoods made by Grazzini-Rucki, who has a documented and extensive record of lying both in and out of the courtroom.

Multiple law enforcement agencies contacted today, including the United States Marshals Service, confirmed Grazzini-Rucki is not in custody.

Since being convicted in July 2016 of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of her daughters, Grazzini-Rucki’s false statements and accusations have become more outrageous and untruthful. Continue reading →

Court grants emergency motion to remove threatening post by Evavold

December 13, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

A judge in Dakota County granted an emergency motion today ordering Dede Evavold to remove a threatening blog post which contained the private address of the Rucki family.

Judge Philip Kanning granted the motion filed by Lisa Elliott on behalf of the Rucki family at a court hearing this afternoon on the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County earlier this year.

Elliott said in court today that Evavold’s post published the private address of the Rucki family on a platform with a “dangerous” audience. Evavold did not respond to Elliott’s claims in court, but Judge Kanning said he would immediately grant the motion filed by Elliott.

Judge Kanning also granted Elliott’s request for a continuance of today’s hearing. Elliott told Judge Kanning that she is waiting for a subpoena to be answered which will provide her with additional evidence to document Evavold’s continued harassment of the Rucki family.

Evavold argued in court against the continuance of today’s hearing, by claiming that she has not had any contact with the Rucki family. Judge Kanning said Evavold’s arguments will be answered during Evavold’s upcoming criminal trial scheduled to begin next year.

Before the hearing ended, Judge Kanning reminded Evavold that the HRO granted by Judge Karen Asphaug in July remains in effect.

Evavold was sentenced on November 10, 2016 after being found guilty of six felony charges related to her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, who were abducted by their mother near their home in Lakeville, Minnesota on April 19, 2013 during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold caught lying in court documents on the eve of hearing

December 12, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

One day before she is scheduled to appear at a court hearing on a Harassment Restraining Order filed against her, Dede Evavold has been caught lying in documents she submitted to a court in Dakota County.

Evavold has a court appearance tomorrow at the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley, for an evidentiary hearing on the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County.

In her Motion to Vacate the HRO filed with the court in Dakota County on Sunday, Evavold claimed she “filed a police report against David Rucki on 12/6/2017 with the Lakeville Police Dept…” According to Evavold’s motion, she filed a police report against David Rucki for “falsely reporting a crime” committed by Evavold.

In a bizarre twist, the Lakeville Police Department confirmed today that Evavold did not file a police report against David Rucki as she claimed. Continue reading →

Online rant from Evavold shows she is a ticking time bomb

November 22, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold’s poor decisions over the last few years have started to pile up, and an online rant from Evavold last evening shows she is a ticking time bomb.

In a post acknowledging that she is being sued in civil court by David Rucki, Samantha Rucki, and Gianna Rucki for her role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna for 944 days, Evavold made a direct threat at her “opponents”:

“It’s time that our opponents are subjected to the natural consequences of their cruel and criminal actions they have so freely wrought upon us. We need to go beyond acknowledgment of the corruption to actually taking action. Stop operating in fear and get on the frontlines!”

Evavold has a long history of using social media to threaten and harass David Rucki, his family, and anyone who reports on her criminal activity. Evavold and her blog have posted pictures of the Rucki home, maps to their home, and pictures of the Rucki family.

At her sentencing hearing last November, Judge Asphaug also said Evavold “showed no remorse or comprehension” for her actions against the Rucki family, adding that Evavold’s actions “disrupted a family for 944 days.”

In October, Evavold lost her appeal of her criminal conviction and just this week, Office of the Appellate Courts notified Evavold that her petition for review to the Minnesota Supreme Court was not properly filed and would need to be resubmitted.

Last evening, a clearly frustrated Evavold made it known who her “opponents” are and what she plans on doing. As with Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, Evavold’s behavior should scare you.

Below is a summary of what Missing in Minnesota has published in the last year about Evavold’s threatening behavior. Continue reading →

Why Sandra Grazzini-Rucki not being in jail should scare you

November 21, 2017 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki has failed to report to the Dakota County Jail, as required per the conditions of her sentence after being convicted for her role in the disappearance of daughters for 944 days.

Grazzini-Rucki was ordered to report to the Dakota County Jail in Hastings, Minnesota by 8:00 AM, on Saturday, November 18, 2017. She is over four days late for reporting to jail, and a warrant has not been issued for her arrest.

The fact that Grazzini-Rucki is not in jail should scare you.

Grazzini-Rucki recently lost the appeal of her criminal conviction, and she is scheduled to be sentenced again on December 14, 2017. She knows that she is going back to jail, and Grazzini-Rucki has no incentive to voluntarily report to jail.

Over the last 17 months, Missing in Minnesota has reported on the continuing developments involving Grazzini-Rucki, and the other adults charged and prosecuted for their criminal roles in the disappearance of Grazzini-Rucki’s daughters.

We’ve learned during that time how dangerous Grazzini-Rucki has become. In February, we detailed that Grazzini-Rucki had begun a dangerous quest:

“Grazzini-Rucki has started down a very dangerous road. She thrives off of chaos and the attention it brings. Not satisfied with the damage and pain she has already inflicted, Grazzini-Rucki is working to create more lawlessness in society.”

In the last year, Grazzini-Rucki’s disdain for law enforcement and the court system has become more flagrant, her rhetoric more incendiary, and her behavior increasingly dangerous.

Below is a summary of what Missing in Minnesota has published in the last year about Grazzini-Rucki’s threatening behavior. Continue reading →

UPDATE: Sandra Grazzini-Rucki fails to report to jail

November 20, 2017 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

UPDATE: As of 4:00 PM on Monday, November 20, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki had not reported to jail. Stay tuned for updates. Continue reading →

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki scheduled to report to jail on Saturday

November 15, 2017 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki is scheduled to report to jail on Saturday – November 18 – the two year anniversary of the day her daughters were found after disappearing for 944 days.

On April 19, 2013, Samantha and Gianna Rucki disappeared during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

The sisters were abducted by their mother near their home in Lakeville, Minnesota.

In July 2016, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters. Grazzini-Rucki was sentenced in September 2016.

David Rucki was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

On November 18, 2015, the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, in a search lead by the Lakeville Police Department.

The Rucki sisters were reunited with their father days after they were found. They continue to live with their father and other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville.

Grazzini-Rucki appealed her criminal conviction, but the Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed her conviction last week.

According to the ruling from the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Grazzini-Rucki will be permitted to execute the remainder of her sentence, a point both Grazzini-Rucki’s public defender and the Dakota County Attorney’s Office agreed she should be allowed to do. Continue reading →

Supreme Court hearing today on MacDonald’s law license

November 8, 2017 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Michelle MacDonald

The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today at 9:00 A.M. regarding the Petition for Disciplinary Action against Michelle MacDonald, who is appealing a recommendation from a Minnesota Supreme Court referee that her law license be suspended.

A judicial referee appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court recommended earlier this year that MacDonald’s law license be suspended for a minimum of 60 days, followed by two years of probation, which would include a mental health evaluation.

MacDonald’s behavior during a family court hearing for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was described as “the ultimate dereliction of an attorney’s duty and is unquestionably serious misconduct warranting suspension” in a brief filed by the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board involving the attorney complaint against MacDonald.

A judicial referee appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court recommended in January that MacDonald’s law license be suspended for a minimum of 60 days, followed by two years of probation, which would include a mental health evaluation.

The recommendation by Judge Heather Sweetland comes after a two-day hearing was held last November about an attorney complaint filed against MacDonald, who was a candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014 and 2016.
Continue reading →

Grazzini-Rucki loses appeal of her criminal conviction

November 6, 2017 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s criminal conviction today for her role in the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki who were abducted by Grazzini-Rucki near her daughter’s home Lakeville, Minnesota on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute with her ex-husband, David Rucki.

In July 2016, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.

The girls’ father, David Rucki, was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

On November 18, 2015, the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

The Rucki sisters were missing for a total of 944 days and were reunited with their father days after they were found. They continue to live with their father and other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville.

Since being convicted in July 2016 on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights, Grazzini-Rucki, and her supporters have continued their behavior of making false allegations against David Rucki, his family, the media, law enforcement, and the judiciary.

Her disdain for law enforcement and the court system has become more flagrant, her rhetoric more incendiary, and her behavior increasingly dangerous.

Grazzini-Rucki is currently on probation for her role in the disappearance of her children, which she has repeatedly violated. In March, she announced earlier that she and others will be targeting the family members of judges, attorneys, and county staff, including their children.

Per the terms of her sentence, Grazzini-Rucki is still scheduled to report to jail on November 18, 2017, to serve 15 days. Continue reading →

New probation violations to be filed against Evavold

November 2, 2017 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold did not appear confident as she walked with her head down into the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings, Minnesota today for an evidentiary hearing on probation violations.

An hour later, a visibly agitated Evavold stormed out of the courtroom after the hearing was postponed at the request of Assistant Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena, who informed the court that new probation violations would be filed against Evavold.

Keena requested the hearing be postponed because Evavold is facing new criminal charges for violating an a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted by a court in Dakota County to protect David Rucki and his family from Evavold’s continued harassment, and because of alleged new probation violation committed by Evavold last evening.

Judge Karen Asphaug scheduled the next hearing for March 7, 2018, at 10:00 AM, where a determination will be made if Evavold has violated the conditions of her probation. Continue reading →

Evavold publishes angry rant hours before court hearing

November 1, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold

Just hours before she will appear in court for an evidentiary on possible probation violations, Dede Evavold published an angry rant referring to her hearing as the “continued misconduct of public employees.”

An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:30 PM at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings, where a determination will be made if Evavold has violated the conditions of her probation.

In a blog post tonight, Evavold wrote:

My contested probation revocation hearing is scheduled tomorrow (Nov. 2nd) in Hastings. This is just continued misconduct of public employees by intentionally and unlawfully attempting to harm me under the color of official authority. Even if I wasn’t falsely convicted, this would not be lawful or justified!

At a probation violation hearing in September, Evavold denied she violated the conditions of her probation which prohibited her from making any reference to Rucki family in her use of social media.

As previously reported by Missing in Minnesota, Evavold has repeatedly violated the explicit terms of her probation by continuing to reference the Rucki family in her use of social media.

Missing in Minnesota: the power in numbers

October 26, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Missing in Minnesota

10 days ago, Missing in Minnesota posted about a missing child, a sixteen-year-old boy who was missing from Hutchinson. We are so pleased to be able to report that Dominick Curtiss was found safe five days later.

That alone is the happiest of endings to that story.

But what happened with that post is something that we are truly grateful for and something that we want you to know.

In less than a week’s time, the post about Dominick Curtiss was shared over 4,000 times and reached over 256,000 people. Those are incredible numbers!

We started this Facebook page less than one year ago as an extension of MissinginMinnesota.com.

The website was set up initially by Michael Brodkorb as a way to report on the legal developments about the adults charged in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. When he started, he thought by this time, the case would be closed; there would be nothing left to report on.

Unfortunately for the Rucki family, the case has not closed. Continue reading →

Evavold violates HRO while at court for hearing on HRO violations

October 17, 2017 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold violated her probation and a Harassment Restraining Order granted by a court in Dakota County to protect David Rucki and his family from Evavold’s continued harassment when Evavold appeared at a courthouse this morning, where she was arraigned on criminal charges of violating the same Harassment Restraining Order.

Evavold was scheduled to appear at the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley this morning at 9:00 AM, to be arraigned on three criminal counts of violating a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) which was granted by a court in Dakota County in July.

Before her court hearing this morning, Evavold approached David Rucki in the hallway outside the courtroom and spoke to him.

Rucki did not respond to Evavold’s statements and walked into the courtroom.

The conditions of her probation and the HRO specifically prohibit Evavold from having any direct or indirect contact with David Rucki and other members of his family.

Law enforcement and court staff were notified of Evavold’s latest violation of her probation and HRO.

Evavold later pleaded not guilty at her arraignment and a pre-trial hearing was scheduled for January 9, 2018.

She is currently being charged with three misdemeanors and if convicted, Evavold could be sentenced up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine on each charge. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold loses appeal of her criminal conviction

October 16, 2017 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed Dede Evavold’s criminal conviction for her role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, who were abducted by their mother near their home in Lakeville, Minnesota on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

Evavold was convicted on September 29, 2016, of six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance the girls.

In the hours after the Rucki sisters vanished, it was Evavold who connected Grazzini-Rucki with Doug and Gina Dahlen, who owned the ranch where the Rucki sisters were found on November 18, 2015 – 944 days after they disappeared. The girls were found living on the Dahlens’ ranch in Herman, Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

Evavold is not an attorney, but she represented herself in her criminal trial. She filed a pro se appeal of her criminal conviction on February 7, 2017. Continue reading →