Dede Evavold, who was released from jail last week after being found guilty for her role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki from Lakeville, has mentioned the Rucki family on social media, a likely violation of her probation.
Evavold was charged in December 2015 related to her involvement in the disappearance of the Rucki sisters, who were taken by their mother near their home on the night of April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.
She was convicted in September on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of the girls.
Court instructed Evavold not to mention Rucki family on social media
Evavold is not an attorney, but is an activist, who also ran a blog focused on exposing what Evavold and her supporters believe are injustices and corruption in the judicial system. She represented herself during her criminal trial.
At her sentencing hearing, Judge Karen Asphaug instructed Evavold that she was forbidden from making references to the Rucki family on social media for the length of her probation – eight years.
“You will make no reference to any member of the Rucki family, and that includes the children, Mr. Rucki, Ms. Love, any member of the Rucki family. You will make no reference to them in your use of social media,” said Judge Asphaug during Evavold’s sentencing hearing on November 10, 2016.
Click here to watch video of Judge Asphaug’s instructions to Evavold.
In a bizarre blog post written by Evavold and published today, titled “BACK FROM THE BIG HOUSE”, Evavold mentioned the Rucki family in her post. Evavold also boasted about her time in jail, and discussed advice she received from Grazzini-Rucki’s family court attorney, Michelle MacDonald.
Evavold connected to Michelle MacDonald
Evavold previously served as Michelle MacDonald’s campaign manager for MacDonald’s campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014. MacDonald ran for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2016 against Justice Natalie Hudson and Evavold was listed as the chair of MacDonald’s campaign until May 2016.
According to MacDonald’s most recent campaign finance report, MacDonald owes Evavold $2,635.04 for public relations and mileage expenses.
MacDonald serves as Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s family court attorney and was labeled as a “person of interest” last year by the Lakeville Police Department in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki – a label which law enforcement confirmed has not been removed from MacDonald.
MacDonald was labeled in April 2015 as a “person of interest” by the Lakeville Police Department in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. MacDonald refused to cooperate with the Lakeville Police Department’s investigation into her possible involvement in the disappearance of the sisters – even after public statements from her that she would cooperate in the investigation.
Her criminal defense attorney, Stephen Grigsby, said in 2015 that he would advise MacDonald to not speak with the Lakeville Police Department.
MacDonald attended portions of Grazzini-Rucki’s criminal trial and her sentencing hearing, but MacDonald did not attend any of Evavold’s trial.
Evavold’s family said she has “undiagnosed mental illness”
Evavold lives in St. Cloud with her husband Darin and their two children. Evavold’s husband was in the courtroom for her sentencing, as were other members of Evavold’s family.
Her family did not attend the criminal trial.
Evavold’s sister wrote a letter to Judge Asphaug claiming that Evavold has an “undiagnosed mental illness.”
UPDATE: Sandra Grazzini-Rucki is now promoting Evavold’s post via one of her social media accounts. Grazzini-Rucki and Evavold are prohibited by court orders from having any contact.
